Molded Minced Meat Portions with Localized Protrusions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for packaging minced meat fail to produce portions with new organoleptic properties that enhance taste perception and juiciness, while maintaining nutritional and regulatory standards, particularly in the context of fast food and classic consumption.

Innovation Solution

A method and installation for molding minced meat portions with raised, localized sections and protrusions to create mechanical and chemical stimuli, increasing surface area and retaining juices, resulting in a more tender and flavorful product.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the ground meat portion is molded with raised, localized sections and protrusions to increase surface area, then flavor perception and juiciness are enhanced, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflavor perception and juicinessVSAvoidmolding process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mold incorporates localized recessed portions and protrusions that create raised sections on specific areas of the ground meat patty surface. This local quality variation increases surface area in key flavor-generation zones without requiring complete surface complexity, thereby enhancing flavor perception while maintaining reasonable manufacturing simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The mold surface is segmented into multiple functional zones including recessed portions for creating protrusions, flat areas for smooth surfaces, and raised portions for containment. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally, achieving enhanced organoleptic properties through structured complexity rather than uniform complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of manufacture

If protrusions are formed around surface portions to create mechanical stimuli, then taste perception is modified and flavor is enhanced, but the demolding difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetaste perception enhancementVSAvoiddemolding ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The protrusions formed by the recessed portions of the mold have rounded, frustoconical shapes with curved surfaces rather than sharp edges or flat tops. This spheroidality reduces friction between the ground meat and mold surfaces during demolding, allowing the protrusions to be released easily while still providing the mechanical stimuli needed for enhanced taste perception

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Ease of manufacture

If the surface area of the ground meat portion is increased through molding, then more olfactory compounds are generated during cooking, but the cooking time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveolfactory compound generationVSAvoidcooking time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The mold creates concentrated areas of increased surface area through localized protrusions and raised sections rather than uniformly increasing the entire surface area. This allows olfactory compounds to be generated more intensely in specific zones during cooking, achieving enhanced flavor perception with shorter overall cooking times compared to uniform surface area expansion

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3744180B1Method for packaging ground meat and installation for implementing the method
Publication Date: 2026.03.25 CHARAL
  • EP3744180B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3744180B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3744180B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a method and installation for packaging minced meat. The method comprises the following steps: a) a minced meat preparation is provided; b) at least a portion of said minced meat preparation is packaged into a flattened minced meat portion (56; 56'; 56") having two opposing surfaces and an edge. In step b), at least one of said surfaces (60; 60'; 60") is molded to form first surface portions (66) and second surface portions (68) extending in projections around each of said first surface portions (66).