Potassium-Stabilized Fish Eggs for Fertile Caviar Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing caviar and caviar-like products from mature eggs of fish and crustaceans often involve killing the animals, use harmful preservatives, or result in poor quality due to egg bursting or denaturation, leading to environmental concerns and quality issues.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of potassium cations in a physiological saline solution to stabilize the egg envelope of live, mature, unfertilized eggs, followed by optional calcium treatment, without altering the natural potassium content, to create a new elastic stabilization layer, ensuring the eggs remain fertile and maintain metabolic activity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional methods are used to produce caviar from mature eggs, then the eggs can be processed into caviar products, but the animals must be killed and harmful preservatives are used
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by treating live mature eggs with solutions containing specific concentrations of potassium cations (0.1-3.0 mmol/l) and calcium cations (0.1-3.0 mmol/l) at controlled temperatures (0-20°C) for defined durations (5-60 minutes). These parameter changes stabilize the egg envelope through biochemical reactions, forming a new elastic stabilization layer that preserves egg quality without requiring harmful preservatives or animal killing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs self-service by utilizing the eggs' own metabolic activity and natural biochemical processes. The treatment solutions trigger endogenous reactions within the eggs themselves, causing them to form the stabilization layer through their own cellular mechanisms rather than requiring external harmful substances. The eggs' natural potassium content is preserved while the treatment induces beneficial structural changes.
2Reliability
If harmful preservatives are used to stabilize egg envelope, then the caviar can be preserved, but the quality deteriorates due to denaturation and bursting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes by applying controlled concentrations of potassium and calcium cations at specific temperatures and for defined durations. This creates optimal conditions for the eggs to form a new elastic stabilization layer through biochemical reactions, achieving reliable envelope stability without denaturation or bursting that occurs with harmful preservatives.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces treatment solutions containing potassium and calcium cations as intermediary substances that mediate between the live eggs and the desired stabilization outcome. These cationic components act as intermediaries that trigger beneficial biochemical reactions within the eggs, forming the stabilization layer without directly damaging the egg structure or requiring harmful preservatives.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If the eggs are treated to stabilize the egg envelope, then the shelf life is extended, but the natural potassium content may be altered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by using controlled concentrations of potassium cations (0.1-3.0 mmol/l) that do not exceed the eggs' natural potassium content. The treatment duration (5-60 minutes) and temperature (0-20°C) are optimized to stabilize the egg envelope through biochemical reactions without altering the eggs' natural potassium composition, thereby extending shelf life while preserving nutritional quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs self-service by utilizing the eggs' own metabolic processes and natural potassium content to achieve stabilization. The treatment solutions work with the eggs' existing biochemical systems rather than imposing external substances that would alter their natural composition. The eggs' natural potassium content serves as a foundation for the stabilization process, ensuring no harmful alterations occur.
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
Produces high-quality caviar or caviar-like products with improved texture and shelf life, allowing for freezing without quality loss, while avoiding harmful preservatives and respecting the animals' welfare.
Implementation Method 1
treating the live, mature eggs in a solution of water and potassium in a concentration which does not damage the live, mature eggs and does not change the eggs' potassium content
Implementation Method 2
wherein the live, mature eggs are treated in the solution for a duration of a potassium exposure time until an egg envelope of the live, mature eggs obtains a desired elastic stabilization
Implementation Method 3
wherein the water is deionized prior to the addition of a potassium donor for forming a cationic component in the solution
Implementation Method 4
treating the live, mature eggs in a saline solution which does not damage the eggs
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing caviar or a caviar-like product from live, mature eggs of fish or crustaceans, wherein the eggs are in a fertile but unfertilized state and have a natural potassium content in the egg plasma, includes: treating the eggs in a saline solution which does not damage the eggs and subsequently treating the live, mature eggs in a solution of water and potassium in a concentration which does not damage the eggs and does not change the eggs' potassium content. The water is deionized prior to the addition of a potassium donor for forming a cationic component in the solution, the solution has a temperature that does not damage the eggs, and the eggs are treated in the solution for a duration of a potassium exposure time until an egg envelope of the eggs obtains a desired elastic stabilization.