Stabilized liquid enzyme compositions for brewing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid enzyme products face challenges in maintaining microbial stability without using preservation agents, which also affect enzyme and physical stability, particularly in the food industry.
Innovation Solution
A liquid enzyme composition comprising 0.01 to 30% w/w active enzyme protein, more than 30% w/w polyols, less than 10% w/w inorganic salts, and a pH of less than 5, with at least 40% w/w non-sugar polyols, and being free of benzoates, sorbates, and sulfites, ensures microbial, physical, and enzymatic stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If preservation agents (benzoates, sorbates, sulfites) are used to achieve microbial stability, then microbial stability is improved, but enzyme stability and physical stability deteriorate due to biocidal effects and incompatibility issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes preservation agents (benzoates, sorbates, sulfites) from the liquid enzyme composition entirely. Instead of using these biocidal chemicals to achieve microbial stability, the formulation relies on a preservative-free system composed of polyols, inorganic salts, and controlled pH conditions to maintain both microbial and enzyme stability simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves microbial stability without preservation agents by carefully controlling formulation parameters: polyol concentration (30-70% w/w), inorganic salt concentration (5-20% w/w), and pH (3.0-5.0). These parameter changes create an environment that is microbially stable while remaining compatible with enzyme stability and physical stability, eliminating the need for biocidal preservation agents.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If preservative-free formulations are developed to avoid biocidal effects, then harmful factors are reduced, but the choice of formulation ingredients becomes complex due to multiple stability requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent simplifies preservative-free formulation development by establishing specific parameter ranges: polyols (30-70% w/w), inorganic salts (5-20% w/w), and pH (3.0-5.0). Within these parameter ranges, the formulation automatically achieves microbial stability, enzyme stability, and physical stability, reducing the complexity of ingredient selection while eliminating biocidal effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite formulation system combining polyols (such as glycerol, sorbitol, mannitol) with inorganic salts (such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride) at controlled concentrations. This composite material approach creates synergistic effects that provide microbial stability without biocidal agents while maintaining enzyme and physical stability, simplifying the overall formulation process.
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 composition maintains microbial stability, physical clarity, and enzymatic activity for up to 8 weeks at 25°C, with residual activity of at least 90% and a >1 log reduction in microbial growth.
Implementation Method 1
more than 30% w/w of one or more polyols, less than 10% w/w of one or more inorganic salts
Implementation Method 2
a pH of less than 5
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides liquid enzyme compositions which are physically and microbially stable. The compositions are used, for example, in beer brewing processes.