Modular Food Processing System for Dehydrated Material Reconstitution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food extrusion systems are complex and not easily adaptable to diverse food materials and structures, limiting their ability to manufacture different food products efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A food processing system with a dosing system, reconstitution food processing unit, and depositing area that allows for the reconstitution, structuration, and texturization of dehydrated food materials, featuring movable and rotatable components, heating and cooling capabilities, and independently controllable processing parameters to produce various food structures and textures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a complex industrial extrusion system is used, then food products can be manufactured with controlled conditions, but the system is not easily adaptable to diverse food materials and structures
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the extrusion process into separate functional modules: a dosing system for material preparation, a reconstitution food processing unit for core processing, and a depositing area for product formation. This modular segmentation allows each module to be independently optimized and reconfigured for different food materials while maintaining controlled processing conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The depositing area is designed to be moveable with respect to the food processing unit, enabling dynamic adjustment of the system configuration. This dynamic capability allows the system to adapt to diverse food materials and structures by changing the relative positions and orientations of components during operation.
2Device complexity
If a fixed configuration extrusion system is used, then the system structure is simple, but it cannot produce diverse food shapes and patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates moveable components including the depositing area and processing unit that can change their relative positions and orientations. This dynamic configuration capability enables the production of diverse food shapes and patterns without requiring a completely different system design, maintaining relative simplicity while achieving versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The reconstitution food processing unit is designed as a multi-functional device that can process different dehydrated food materials and produce various food structures. The universal design allows a single unit to perform multiple functions (reconstitution, structuration, texturization) for diverse materials, reducing the need for multiple specialized systems.
3Loss of time
If dehydrated materials are used as input, then storage and transport are improved, but reconstitution and processing become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Food materials are pre-dehydrated before processing, which simplifies storage and transport by removing water that would increase weight and require refrigeration. The dehydrated materials can be stored and transported efficiently, then reconstituted on-demand in the processing system when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The reconstitution process is separated into distinct stages within the modular system: material dosing from containers, liquid addition in the reconstitution unit, and structured deposition in the moveable depositing area. This segmentation of the reconstitution process manages complexity by organizing it into manageable, independent functional blocks.
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
Enables the flexible production of diverse food products with different structures and textures by using dehydrated materials, improving adaptability and efficiency in food manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
the processing unit 10 comprising at least one product inlet 17 for the food material coming from a container 20, at least one liquid inlet 18 for liquid to be mixed with the food material
Implementation Method 2
heating means allowing heating one or a plurality of pre-defined areas in the processing unit 10 to pre-heat the deposited food material
Implementation Method 3
at least a cooling area arranged after the heating area where the material structure is established and aligned to the shape of the outlet 16
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a food processing system (100) allowing reconstitution and/or structuration and/or texturization of dehydrated food materials such as powders, the system comprising: —a dosing system (50) comprising one or a plurality of containers (20) each container comprising a dehydrated or partially dehydrated food material; —at least one reconstitution food processing unit (10) to which the containers (20) from the dosing system can be connected, the processing unit (10) comprising: at least one product inlet (17) for the food material coming from a container (20), at least one liquid inlet (18) for liquid to be mixed with the food material, and at least one product outlet (16) at one end of the unit (10) for in-line depositing the formed food; —a depositing area (60) where the formed food from the processing unit (10) is dispensed; the depositing area (60) and the at least one food processing unit (10) being moveable with respect to each other in such a way that different food shapes and/or patterns from one or different food materials can be formed in the depositing area (60). The invention further relates to a method for operating a food processing system (100) as the one described.