Milk Sweet Fat Agglomerate Control for Shelf-Life
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing milk-based sweets suffer from short shelf-life, high denaturation of whey proteins, and vitamin loss due to high production temperatures, leading to compromised nutritional value and flavor retention.
Innovation Solution
A sweet with a specific particle size of edible fat agglomerates (3.5 to 18 μm) and a low degree of whey protein denaturation, produced using a pasteurization process at temperatures ≤80°C, combined with gentle evaporation and dispersing through a microporous membrane, maintaining the creamy and soft texture while minimizing protein damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high temperatures (100-120°C) are used during pasteurization, then bacterial sterilization is achieved, but whey proteins are highly denatured and vitamins are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from conventional high temperatures (100-120°C) to lower temperatures (65-75°C) during pasteurization, combined with extended treatment time (15-30 minutes). This parameter modification achieves adequate bacterial sterilization while minimizing whey protein denaturation and vitamin loss, resolving the contradiction between sterilization effectiveness and nutritional preservation.
2Productivity
If high temperatures are used during evaporation, then water removal is efficient, but whey proteins are highly denatured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces the evaporation temperature from conventional high temperatures to 40-50°C, a significant parameter change that slows the evaporation rate but prevents whey protein denaturation. This allows efficient water removal over an extended period while preserving protein quality, resolving the contradiction between productivity and protein stability.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If the sweet is stored for long periods, then shelf-life is extended, but fat agglomerates grow larger and structure degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary fat dispersion using a high-shear mixer before storage, creating uniformly small fat agglomerates (D50,3 of 10-20 μm) that are more resistant to coalescence during storage. This preliminary action stabilizes the emulsion structure in advance, allowing long shelf-life (at least 9 months) without significant fat agglomerate growth or structural degradation.
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 sweet achieves a long shelf-life of at least 9 months with enhanced stability, retention of milk flavor, and reduced vitamin loss, maintaining a creamy and soft texture due to controlled fat agglomerate size and low protein denaturation.
Implementation Method 1
dispersing a fat phase comprising edible fats and, optionally, emulsifiers in the concentrated aqueous mixture obtained in step b) using a rotating microporous membrane hollow cylinder
Implementation Method 2
heating it for bacteriological reasons
Implementation Method 3
the mixture being subsequently cooled to a whipping temperature
Implementation Method 4
the mixture being whipped and the whipped mixture then being allowed to cool and crystallise
Implementation Method 5
the whipped mixture then being allowed to cool and crystallise
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a sweet that has a long shelf life and is provided in the form of a soft, creamy, shape-retaining, and foamed mass comprising milk components, edible fats, sugar and/or sugar substitutes, and water. At least one portion of the edible fat is provided in a crystallized form at ambient temperature. The inventive sweet does not contain any lactose crystals that can be perceived by the consumer. The milk protein content amounts to 5.5 to 20% by weight while the fat-free dry milk content ranges between 14 and 55% by weight and the degree of denaturation of the whey protein amounts to ≦10%. The inventive sweet is characterized by the fact that the crystallized and non-crystallized edible fat agglomerates have a volume-related particle size D50,3 of 3.5 to 18 μm.