Pea and Soy Proteins for Reduced Caseinate Gastric Coagulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Protein coagulation in the upper gastrointestinal tract, particularly in the stomach, leads to complications such as reflux, gastrointestinal discomfort, and aspiration pneumonia, especially in nutritional compositions containing casein and/or caseinate, delaying gastric emptying and causing issues like intestinal discomfort, reflux, aspiration pneumonia, high gastric residual volume, vomiting, nausea, bloating, and delayed gastric emptying.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating anti-coagulating proteins like pea and soy proteins into nutritional compositions to reduce protein coagulation, achieving a synergistic effect that minimizes coagulation by including a non-coagulating protein, such as pea or soy protein, in combination with caseinate, thereby reducing the formation of large protein particles in the stomach.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If nutritional compositions containing casein and/or caseinate are administered, then protein coagulation occurs in the stomach, but this leads to upper gastrointestinal complications like reflux, gastrointestinal discomfort, and aspiration pneumonia

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedigestive comfortVSAvoidgastrointestinal complications
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces vegetable proteins (pea, soy, rice, corn, potato) as intermediary substances that mediate between the coagulating casein proteins and the gastric environment. These intermediary proteins prevent direct coagulation of casein by interfering with the acid-induced aggregation process, thereby reducing gastrointestinal complications while maintaining the nutritional benefits of casein-containing compositions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates composite protein systems by combining casein/caseinate with vegetable proteins in specific ratios. This composite approach leverages the complementary properties of different protein sources: casein provides high nutritional value while vegetable proteins provide anti-coagulating properties. The composite material exhibits reduced coagulation behavior compared to pure casein, resolving the contradiction between nutritional efficacy and digestive comfort

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Quantity of substance

If casein and/or caseinate are used in nutritional compositions, then high protein content is achieved, but coagulation in the stomach delays gastric emptying and causes high gastric residual volume

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotein contentVSAvoidgastric emptying time
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Vegetable proteins act as mediators that prevent excessive coagulation of casein in the gastric environment. By interfering with the acid-induced coagulation process, they maintain protein solubility and prevent the formation of large coagulated masses that would delay gastric emptying, thus reducing gastric residual volume while preserving high protein content

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies the coagulation parameters of the protein mixture by combining casein with vegetable proteins having different isoelectric points and coagulation behaviors. This parameter change approach alters the overall coagulation characteristics of the nutritional composition, making it less prone to forming large coagulated particles that would delay gastric emptying

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If casein/caseinate coagulates in the stomach, then protein precipitation forms, but this results in vomiting, nausea, and bloating

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotein structureVSAvoiddigestive discomfort
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Vegetable proteins serve as protective intermediaries that prevent excessive coagulation and precipitation of casein in the gastric environment. They maintain protein solubility through steric hindrance and electrostatic repulsion, preventing the formation of large precipitates that would cause vomiting, nausea, and bloating, while still allowing controlled protein digestion

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 addition of pea and soy proteins significantly reduces protein coagulation in the stomach by more than expected, minimizing complications like reflux and discomfort, and promoting digestive comfort by maintaining gastric emptying.

Implementation Method 1

Incorporating anti-coagulating proteins like pea and soy proteins into nutritional compositions to reduce protein coagulation, achieving a synergistic effect that minimizes coagulation by including a non-coagulating protein, such as pea or soy protein, in combination with caseinate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAnti-coagulation: Coagulation

Data Source

PatentEP2424384B2Method for controlling the digestive coagulation of proteins
Publication Date: 2025.07.16 NV NUTRICIA
  • EP2424384B2 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

This invention relates to the coagulation of protein containing nutritional compositions in the upper gastro-intestinal tract, more in particular in the stomach and provides a method for reducing suchcoagulation.