Noodle-Form Protein Aggregate Cohesion via Surface Binding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional heat-coagulated protein processed food products in noodle-shaped bodies often result in uneven aggregates due to non-uniform cohesion, leading to variations in dried state, water retainability, microbial growth, and increased packaging and transportation costs.

Innovation Solution

A method involving continuous internal heating and molding of a protein-lipid-moisture mixture within a cylinder, followed by dynamic cutting to form noodle-shaped bodies that cohere with each other, ensuring uniformity and compactness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If noodle-shaped bodies are formed from heat-coagulated protein processed food product, then the product can be produced, but the aggregate becomes uneven and bulky due to non-uniform cohesion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuniformity of aggregateVSAvoidcohesion of noodle-shaped bodies
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by coating the surface of each noodle-shaped body with a binding agent before aggregation. This pre-treatment ensures that when the noodle-shaped bodies are brought together, they will cohere uniformly, preventing the formation of uneven and bulky aggregates. The binding agent is applied in advance to prepare the surfaces for subsequent cohesive bonding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by treating only the surface of the noodle-shaped bodies with a binding agent, rather than altering the entire structure. This localized treatment ensures that the cohesion issue is addressed at the critical interface where noodle-shaped bodies contact each other, while maintaining the original characteristics of the noodle-shaped bodies themselves.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Quantity of substance

If the aggregate is made bulky to accommodate noodle-shaped bodies, then all noodle-shaped bodies can be included, but packaging costs, storage costs, and transportation costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveamount of noodle-shaped bodiesVSAvoidpackaging and transportation costs
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies merging by causing the noodle-shaped bodies to cohere with each other through surface coating with a binding agent. This merging allows the noodle-shaped bodies to stick together and form a compact aggregate, eliminating the need for bulky packaging to accommodate individual noodle-shaped bodies. The cohesive aggregation reduces the overall volume required for packaging and transportation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of manufacture

If noodle-shaped bodies are not cohered compactly, then formation is simple, but variations occur in dried state, oxidized state, water retainability, and freeze tolerance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveformation simplicityVSAvoiduniformity of properties
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by coating the surface of noodle-shaped bodies with a binding agent before aggregation. This pre-treatment ensures that when the noodle-shaped bodies are brought together, they will cohere uniformly, preventing the formation of uneven and bulky aggregates. The binding agent is applied in advance to prepare the surfaces for subsequent cohesive bonding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by treating only the surface of the noodle-shaped bodies with a binding agent, rather than altering the entire structure. This localized treatment ensures that the cohesion issue is addressed at the critical interface where noodle-shaped bodies contact each other, while maintaining the original characteristics of the noodle-shaped bodies themselves.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 produces a uniform and compact noodle-shaped body aggregate with improved storability, freeze tolerance, and transportation compatibility by ensuring consistent cohesion and reduced bulkiness.

Implementation Method 1

continuously heat-coagulating and molding a mixture that includes a protein, a lipid, and moisture and has fluidity, by an internal heating method while the mixture is moved within a cylinder having a heating part

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

A heat-coagulated protein processed food product can be produced by coagulating the protein of a raw material using heat

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat coagulation: Coagulation

Data Source

PatentEP4098126B1Noodle-form body aggregate and method for producing same
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 NISSUI CORPORATION
  • EP4098126B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4098126B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP4098126B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A heat-coagulated protein processed food product obtained by continuously heat-coagulating and molding a mixture that includes a protein, a lipid, and moisture and has fluidity, by an internal heating method while the mixture is moved within a cylinder (20) having a heating part (21), and a non-heating part (22) following on from the heating part (21), is dynamically cut with a cutting blade (45, 46) to form plural noodle-shaped bodies (60), and the plural noodle-shaped bodies (60) after the cutting cohere with each other at surfaces along a longitudinal direction of the noodle-shaped bodies (60).