Milk Treatment via Low-Temp Homogenization and High-Pressure Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pasteurization processes degrade the nutritional quality of milk due to high temperatures, resulting in a trade-off between nutritional value and shelf life, with pasteurized milk having higher nutritional quality but shorter shelf life compared to extended shelf life (ESL) or ultra heat treated (UHT) milk.
Innovation Solution
A process involving homogenization at temperatures below 60°C followed by high-pressure processing at pressures above 350 MPa, which increases the milk temperature to 45-55°C, effectively reducing pathogens without further temperature increase, thereby preserving nutritional and organoleptic properties while extending shelf life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional pasteurization processes are used to reduce pathogen levels, then pathogen reduction is achieved, but nutritional quality and organoleptic properties are degraded due to high temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal pasteurization system with a high-pressure mechanical treatment system. By subjecting milk to pressures above 350 MPa, the process achieves pathogen reduction through mechanical stress rather than thermal energy, thereby preserving heat-sensitive nutrients and organoleptic properties while maintaining food safety
Solution Approach 2:
The patent fundamentally changes the treatment parameter from temperature (thermal energy) to pressure (mechanical energy). This parameter substitution allows the same functional outcome (pathogen reduction) to be achieved without the harmful side effects of high-temperature processing, preserving both nutritional quality and sensory characteristics
2Reliability
If conventional pasteurization processes are used to reduce pathogen levels, then pathogen reduction is achieved, but shelf life is limited to approximately 14 days
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal pasteurization with high-pressure processing to achieve both pathogen reduction and extended shelf life. The mechanical pressure treatment effectively inactivates pathogens while better preserving the milk's stability characteristics, resulting in an extended shelf life of 60-90 days compared to the 14-day limit of conventional pasteurization
3Duration of action of stationary object
If UHT or ESL processes are used to extend shelf life, then shelf life is extended to 21-31 days or more, but nutritional quality is significantly degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the treatment parameter from high temperature (UHT/ESL) to high pressure, achieving extended shelf life (60-90 days) without the severe nutritional degradation associated with temperatures above 121°C. This parameter substitution preserves heat-sensitive nutrients while achieving superior shelf life stability
4Reliability
If high pressure processing is applied to reduce pathogens, then pathogen levels are reduced, but temperature increase may occur during processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary cooling to reduce milk temperature to below 60°C before high-pressure processing. This pre-cooling action ensures that even if adiabatic heating occurs during compression, the final temperature remains below the threshold for thermal degradation, thereby maintaining nutritional quality while achieving effective pathogen reduction through pressure treatment
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 process produces milk with reduced pathogen levels, improved nutritional and organoleptic properties, and a shelf life of 60-90 days, surpassing conventional pasteurized milk while maintaining nutritional integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a high pressure processing step, wherein the milk is subjected to an elevated pressure above about 350 MPa wherein the elevated pressure of the high pressure processing step induces a temperature increase in the milk such that the temperature of the milk is increased to at least about 45°C during the high pressure processing step
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A process for treating milk including the steps of: a homogenization step wherein the milk is maintained at a temperature of below about 60ºC; and, a high pressure processing step, wherein the milk is subjected to an elevated pressure above about 350 MPa wherein the elevated pressure of the high pressure processing step does not induce an increase in the temperature of the milk in excess of a limiting temperature of about 60ºC during the high pressure processing step.