Water-Soluble Polydextrose Purification for Low-Bitterness Fiber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing polydextrose products contain low molecular weight compounds that contribute to bitter taste and off-flavors, and have insufficient levels of saccharide molecules with higher degrees of polymerization, leading to a need for improved water-soluble polydextrose with reduced digestible mono- and oligosaccharides and increased non-digestible fiber content.
Innovation Solution
A process involving pH adjustment to 6 to 8 and chromatographic separation into two fractions to enrich saccharide molecules with a degree of polymerization of 5 or more, resulting in a polydextrose with at least 75% by weight of these molecules and a non-digestible fiber content of at least 80% by weight, while minimizing degradation products like furans and 5-hydroxymethyl furfural.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If polydextrose is prepared by conventional acid-catalysed polymerisation, then the product contains residual low molecular weight compounds, but this results in bitter taste and off-flavors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies extraction by removing low molecular weight compounds (bitter tasting substances) from the polydextrose product through chromatographic separation on a cation exchanger. This extracts the harmful components while retaining the desired polydextrose polymer, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and harmful taste factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent discards the low molecular weight contaminants (1,6-anhydroglucose, sorbitol, glucose) that cause bitter taste during the purification process on the cation exchanger. By discarding these harmful components and recovering only the purified polydextrose, the contradiction is resolved.
2Quantity of substance
If polydextrose products contain residual low molecular weight compounds, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the fiber content is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a cation exchanger as an intermediary substance to achieve purification. The cation exchanger mediates between the crude polydextrose and the purified product, enabling removal of low molecular weight compounds while concentrating the high molecular weight polydextrose fibers, thus increasing fiber content without excessive process complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional polydextrose is used, then the production process is straightforward, but the product has considerable digestible mono- and oligosaccharides
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical separation methods with chemical chromatographic separation on a cation exchanger. This substitution allows for precise control of polymerisation degree by exploiting the charge differences between polydextrose molecules and low molecular weight compounds, achieving high manufacturing precision while maintaining ease of manufacture through a single purification step.
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 new polydextrose achieves a high non-digestible fiber content, reduced bitterness, and improved texture in food and pharmaceutical products, with enhanced health benefits such as stool regulation, colonic fermentation, and reduced post-prandial blood sugar and insulin levels.
Implementation Method 1
The polydextrose solution is added to an anion exchanger. The eluate (containing polydextrose) is free from the citric acid
Implementation Method 2
chromatographic separation into at least two fractions, wherein one fraction is enriched in saccharide molecules having a degree of polymerisation from 1 to 4 and one fraction is enriched in said new water-soluble polydextrose
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a new type of water-soluble polydextrose. This new type of polydextrose contains at least 75% by weight of saccharide molecules having a degree of polymerisation (DP) of 5 or more and characterised in that the non-digestible fiber content is at least 80% by weight. Further, the present invention relates to a process for preparing this new type of polydextrose and to the use of this polydextrose in products such as food products, pharmaceutical products and personal care products.