Malted Flour Hydrothermal Processing for Low-Stickiness Baking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional malted flour used in baking often experiences issues with excessive stickiness due to extended starch hydrolysis by α-amylases, leading to staling and poor dough handling properties, while maltogenic α-amylases, which are heat-resistant and have a different mode of action, are not effectively utilized to address these challenges.

Innovation Solution

A modified malting process incorporating a hydrothermal treatment step on sprouted grains before drying to enrich malted flour with maltogenic enzymes, controlling enzymatic activity and enhancing its functionality for baking applications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional malting process is used to produce malted flour, then starch hydrolysis activity is enhanced, but excessive stickiness occurs due to extended starch hydrolysis leading to high levels of dextrin

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestarch hydrolysis activityVSAvoidexcessive stickiness

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the enzymatic composition parameters of malted flour by using selective thermal inactivation during malting. By controlling temperature and time parameters, the process selectively inactivates α-amylase while preserving maltogenic amylase activity, thereby changing the hydrolysis pattern from producing excessive dextrin to producing primarily maltose, resolving the stickiness issue while maintaining starch conversion efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts or removes the harmful excessive stickiness problem by selectively inactivating the α-amylase enzyme responsible for producing excessive dextrin. Through thermal treatment during malting, the unwanted enzymatic activity is removed while retaining the beneficial maltogenic amylase activity, thus extracting only the desirable hydrolysis function without the harmful stickiness side effect

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Productivity

If α-amylases are used for starch hydrolysis, then starch conversion is enhanced, but dough handling properties deteriorate due to stickiness problems

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestarch conversionVSAvoiddough handling properties

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the enzymatic parameter profile of malted flour by selectively preserving maltogenic amylase while inactivating α-amylase. This parameter change shifts the hydrolysis mechanism from endo-attack (α-amylase causing stickiness) to exo-attack (maltogenic amylase producing maltose), thereby maintaining starch conversion efficiency while improving dough handling properties by eliminating excessive stickiness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If malting process is used to activate enzymes, then enzymatic functionality is boosted, but specific enzymatic activity cannot be controlled to target maltogenic amylases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenzymatic functionalityVSAvoidenzymatic activity control

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies precise parameter changes through controlled thermal treatment during malting. By optimizing temperature and time parameters, the process achieves selective inactivation of α-amylase while preserving maltogenic amylase activity. This precise parameter control enables manufacturing precision in enzymatic composition, reliably producing malted flour with targeted maltogenic amylase enrichment for specific baking applications

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The modified malted flour is enriched with maltogenic α-amylases, providing antistaling effects and improved dough properties, acting as a bio-source for producing pre-dough with enhanced baking performance.

Implementation Method 1

a hydrothermal treatment step applied to the sprouted grains (green-malt) prior their drying process (malted-grains)... instead of a physical separation, the thermal treatment will favour the targeted enzyme and inactivate the other enzymes

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal inactivation of enzymes: Heat Treatment

Implementation Method 2

drying the hydrothermally treated grains

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 3

grinding the dry germinated grains to obtain a maltogenic enzyme-enriched malted flour

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical breakdown:

Data Source

PatentEP4681541A1Modified malted process to produce malted flour as biosource of maltogenic enzymes-modified malted flour

Publication Date: 2026.01.21 ONIRIS

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AI summary

The invention concerns a modified malted process to produce malted flour as biosource of modified-maltogenic-enzymes-malted flour, and its use.