Shelf-Stable Plant-Based Fermented Drink Process
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current plant-based fermented dairy drink analogues face challenges in achieving shelf-stability, texture homogeneity, and extended shelf-life without off-flavors or protein aggregation, especially when stored at ambient conditions, due to issues like phase separation and protein aggregation during heat treatment.
Innovation Solution
A process involving a plant-based food composition with hydrophilic liquids, fermentable sugars, and pulse proteins, homogenized at high pressure, heat-treated, inoculated with lactic acid-producing bacteria, and fermented to a specific pH, followed by a second heat treatment with added high methoxyl pectin to prevent protein aggregation and ensure stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If a second heat-treatment is applied after fermentation to ensure shelf-stability, then the shelf-life is extended, but off-flavors are generated and protein aggregation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a preliminary heat treatment before fermentation to denature proteins and prevent aggregation during the subsequent heat treatment. This preliminary action modifies the protein structure in advance, allowing the second heat treatment to achieve shelf-stability without causing protein aggregation or off-flavor formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the temperature and duration parameters of both heat treatment steps. The first heat treatment uses specific parameters to denature proteins, while the second heat treatment uses different parameters to ensure shelf-stability. By carefully controlling these parameters, the process achieves shelf-stability while minimizing harmful effects.
2Stability of the object's composition
If chilled storage is used to maintain product quality, then texture and freshness are preserved, but the shelf-life is limited and cold storage is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses heat treatment to induce phase transitions in the protein structure, transforming it into a more stable configuration that resists degradation at ambient temperatures. This thermal phase transition allows the product to maintain its composition stability without requiring cold storage, effectively extending shelf-life while preserving texture.
3Stability of the object's composition
If multiple thickening agents and soy-based ingredients are added to improve texture, then the desired consistency is achieved, but the ingredient list becomes excessive and less transparent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and utilizes the natural thickening properties of pulse proteins through controlled heat treatment and fermentation. By focusing on the functional properties of the main protein ingredient, the process achieves desired texture without requiring multiple additional thickening agents, thereby simplifying the ingredient list and improving transparency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the pulse proteins to serve their own thickening function through the heat treatment and fermentation process. The proteins naturally develop the desired viscosity and texture properties through the processing steps, eliminating the need for external thickening agents and reducing ingredient complexity.
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 process results in a shelf-stable plant-based fermented dairy drink analogue with a shelf-life of several months at ambient temperatures, maintaining a homogeneous and smooth texture without phase separation or protein aggregation, and minimizing off-flavors.
Implementation Method 1
inoculated with lactic acid-producing bacteria, and fermented to a specific pH
Implementation Method 2
homogenized at high pressure
Implementation Method 3
heat-treated
Implementation Method 4
heat-treatment provides drawbacks in relation to the fermented dairy drink, especially drinkable yogurts, such as the generation of off-flavours, a loss of texture, the formation of serum, the appearance of separation of phases, the appearance of sedimentation/settling phenomenon, and the appearance of an unpleasant granular texture due to protein aggregation
Implementation Method 5
added high methoxyl pectin to prevent protein aggregation and ensure stability
Data Source
AI summary
A process for preparing a shelf-stable plant-based fermented dairy drink analogue is disclosed. A plant-based food composition comprising a hydrophilic liquid, a fermentable sugar and from 0.5 wt % to 3.4 wt % of plant proteins is first provided. Thereafter, the plant-based food composition is homogenized and heat treated. The heat-treated and homogenized plant-based food composition is then inoculated with at least one starter culture. The inoculated plant-based food composition is afterwards fermented until reaching a pH from 3.0 to 5.0 to obtain a plant-based fermented dairy drink analogue. Finally, the obtained plant-based yogurt analogue undergoes a second heat treatment to obtain a shelf-stable plant-based fermented dairy drink analogue. A shelf-stable plant-based fermented dairy drink analogue obtained by such a process and a food product comprising said plant-based fermented dairy drink analogue are also disclosed.