Modified-Atmosphere Pizza Preservation for Extended Shelf Life
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for preserving pizzas, particularly artisanal and industrial pizzas, fail to maintain their taste and aroma while extending shelf life effectively and cost-effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method involving baking a pizza dough disc to create a pre-cooked pizza, cooling it to 3-5°C, adding cheese, and packaging it in a container with a nitrogen and carbon dioxide mixture (20-30% N2, 80-70% CO2) under vacuum to preserve freshness and inhibit bacterial growth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pizza is stored using conventional methods, then storage is simple, but shelf life is short and bacterial proliferation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inert atmosphere preservation by replacing air with a modified gas mixture (80-90% nitrogen and 10-20% carbon dioxide) in the packaging container. This inert environment prevents bacterial growth and oxidation, extending shelf life to over 15 days while maintaining pizza quality, without requiring complex refrigeration or preservation additives.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the atmospheric parameters inside the packaging by controlling the composition of nitrogen and carbon dioxide gases. By adjusting the gas composition ratios and introducing the mixture at specific flow rates, the system creates optimal conditions for preservation, extending shelf life while maintaining simple packaging infrastructure.
2Reliability
If pizza is fully cooked and stored, then preparation is simple, but taste and aroma quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by partially cooking the pizza before packaging in the inert atmosphere. The pizza is pre-cooked to set the structure and then cooled to room temperature before being sealed in the modified atmosphere. This preliminary preparation maintains the pizza's ability to develop full taste and aroma during final heating, while the inert atmosphere prevents quality deterioration during storage.
3Reliability
If cheese is added before packaging, then assembly is simple, but cheese quality and freshness are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by adding cheese to the pizza before packaging in the inert atmosphere, but after the pizza has been pre-cooked and cooled. This timing allows the cheese to be fresh when added, and the inert atmosphere preserves its freshness during storage. The cheese is then melted during final heating, achieving both freshness preservation and assembly efficiency.
4Reliability
If vacuum packaging is used, then oxygen exclusion is effective, but container deformation and pizza compression occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces vacuum packaging with inert atmosphere packaging. Instead of creating a vacuum that deforms the container and compresses the pizza, the system introduces a mixture of nitrogen and carbon dioxide gases at controlled flow rates (0.5-2 L/min) to displace air. This maintains atmospheric pressure, preventing container deformation and pizza compression while still achieving effective oxygen exclusion for preservation.
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 method maintains pizza flavor and quality, significantly prolongs shelf life, and reduces bacterial proliferation, ensuring food safety and freshness.
Implementation Method 1
preserving a pizza in a modified atmosphere, in particular an atmosphere of a mixture of nitrogen and carbon dioxide
Implementation Method 2
creating a vacuum inside the container
Implementation Method 3
cooling the pre-cooked pizza to a temperature comprised between 3°C and 5°C
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A method for preserving a pizza is described which comprises: - baking (B1) a disc of pizza dough for a variable time between 1 and 3 minutes so as to make a pre-cooked pizza, - cooling (B2) the pre-cooked pizza to a temperature comprised between 3°C and 5°C - placing (B4) said pre-cooked pizza in a container (1), - creating a vacuum inside the container (B5), - introducing (B6) a mixture of nitrogen and carbon dioxide into the container wherein the nitrogen concentration varies from 20% to 30% of the mixture and the carbon dioxide concentration varies from 80% to 70% of the mixture.