Cold Milk Drink Stability via Protein Denaturation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing cold milk mixed drinks with acidic components, such as coffee, face challenges in maintaining stability and preventing unwanted excursions during production and storage, often requiring additives like acid regulators and stabilizers.
Innovation Solution
A procedure involving a denaturation step for milk, where it is heated to a denaturing temperature between 72 °C and 155 °C for a denaturation time of 30 seconds to 1 hour, followed by mixing with an acidic component, heat treatment, homogenization, and cooling to achieve a stable pH range of 5.8 to 7.0 without the need for additional additives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If milk is mixed with an acidic component without prior denaturation, then the production process is simple, but flocculation occurs during production and storage
Solution Approach 1:
The milk is subjected to a denaturation step before mixing with the acidic component. This preliminary action modifies the milk proteins in advance, making them resistant to flocculation when subsequently exposed to acidic conditions, thereby preventing instability during storage
2Stability of the object's composition
If acidity regulators are added to prevent coagulation, then milk protein stability is improved, but the number of additives increases
Solution Approach 1:
The denaturation process modifies the milk proteins themselves, enabling them to resist flocculation inherently without requiring external additives like acidity regulators. The system becomes self-stabilizing through the preliminary thermal treatment
3Stability of the object's composition
If stabilizers and emulsifiers are added, then product consistency is improved, but the number of additives increases
Solution Approach 1:
The denatured milk proteins provide inherent stabilization and consistency maintenance without requiring additional stabilizers or emulsifiers. The preliminary denaturation creates a self-stabilizing system that maintains product quality throughout storage
4Reliability
If the denaturation temperature is increased, then the denaturation efficiency is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies a denaturation temperature range of 72°C to 155°C, allowing optimization between efficiency and energy consumption. Within this range, sufficient denaturation can be achieved at lower temperatures, reducing energy requirements while maintaining effectiveness
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
This process allows for the production of a stable cold milk mixed drink that minimizes excursions during manufacturing and storage, potentially eliminating the need for acid regulators and other stabilizers, and ensuring the product remains stable for at least 50 days.
Implementation Method 1
The milk is heated to a denaturation temperature T DENAT before being mixed with an acidic component. The denaturation temperature T DENAT lies in a range from 72 °C to 155 °C.
Implementation Method 2
The heat-treated mixture is then homogenized at a homogenization pressure p HOM in a range from 75 bar to 275 bar
Implementation Method 3
The mixture of milk and the acidic component is then heat-treated to increase shelf life. For this purpose, the mixture is heated to a temperature T HALT , which lies within a range of 63 °C to 155 °C
Implementation Method 4
after homogenization the mixture is cooled to a temperature in a range from 4°C to 25°C
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for creating a cold mixed drink made of milk and an acidic component, comprising: A step of denaturing the milk. Here, prior to mixing with an acidic component, the milk is heated to a denaturing temperature TDENAT, which is in a range from 72°C to 155°C, and held at the denaturing temperature TDENAT for a denaturing period tDENAT. The milk is then mixed with an acidic component. The mixture is heat-treated to increase the shelf life. Here, the mixture is heated to a temperature THALT, which is in a range from 63°C to 155°C, and held at the temperature THALT for a heat-treatment period tHALT. The heat-treated mixture is homogenised at a homogenising pressure PHOM, which is in a range from 75 bar to 275 bar, and then cooled to a temperature in the range from 4°C to 25°C.