Monk Fruit Sweetener Iron Supplement Formulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional iron supplements for infants and young children are often unpalatable, leading to nausea, vomiting, and noncompliance due to their unpleasant taste and alcohol content, which can result in inaccurate dosing and potential iron poisoning.
Innovation Solution
A non-nutritive sweetener derived from monk fruit, combined with natural flavorings like grape and raspberry, is used to create an iron supplement formulation that masks the unpleasant taste of polysaccharide iron complex, eliminating alcohol and maintaining stable blood glucose levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional iron supplements are used, then iron deficiency can be treated, but the unpleasant taste and alcohol content cause nausea, vomiting, and noncompliance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes alcohol from the formulation entirely, extracting the harmful component that causes nausea and vomiting in traditional iron supplements, while retaining the therapeutic iron content
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces flavor掩蔽 agents as intermediaries that mask the unpleasant taste of iron supplements, making them palatable for infants and children without affecting the iron content or therapeutic effectiveness
2Reliability
If polysaccharide iron complex is used, then iron absorption is improved, but the formulation contains alcohol and has unpleasant taste leading to inaccurate dosing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates alcohol from the polysaccharide iron complex formulation, removing the component that interferes with physiological functions and complicates dosing in infants
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs flavor掩蔽 agents as intermediaries that enable accurate dosing by making the formulation palatable, preventing spitting out and ensuring the full dosage is consumed by infants and children
3Reliability
If conventional iron fortificants are used, then iron deficiency can be corrected, but safety concerns arise from intolerance and accidental overdosing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by using iron complexes with controlled iron content and eliminating alcohol, reducing toxicity risks while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces flavor掩蔽 agents as intermediaries that prevent vomiting and ensure accurate dosing, thereby preventing accidental overdosing and reducing hospitalization risks in children
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 formulation significantly improves palatability, reducing gag reflex and vomiting, allowing for accurate dosing and safer administration of iron supplements without altering blood glucose levels or causing toxicity.
Implementation Method 1
A non-nutritive sweetener derived from monk fruit, combined with natural flavorings like grape and raspberry, is used to create an iron supplement formulation that masks the unpleasant taste of polysaccharide iron complex
Implementation Method 2
A non-nutritive sweetener derived from monk fruit... does not disrupt blood glucose levels and allows for a formulation of an iron supplement that avoids alcohol
Data Source
AI summary
An iron supplement nutritional formulation for infants and adults is provided using a non-nutritive sweetener including an extract from monk fruit (Siraitia grosvenorii) in combination with a polysaccharide iron complex. The formulation improves the taste and palatability of the supplement, thereby increasing the dosage accuracy within children and infants who tend to spit out or regurgitate other forms of polysaccharide iron complexes.