Pre-Bake Cheese Slurry Toppings for Crispy Snack Adhesion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional seasoning powders applied to baked snacks suffer from poor adhesion, undesirable texture, and undesirable browning or burning, failing to provide a multi-textural aspect and intense flavor.

Innovation Solution

A cheese slurry composition comprising cheese powder solids, emulsifier, oil, and pregelatinized starch, with minimal reducing sugars and no enzyme-modified cheese, is applied to the snack surface before baking, forming a crispy, highly-flavored topping that simulates melted cheese.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional seasoning powders are applied to baked snack crackers, then flavor is provided, but adhesion is poor and seasoning rubs off

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveadhesionVSAvoidseasoning retention
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The seasoning slurry is applied to the snack cracker before baking, allowing the seasoning to be set into the cracker surface during the baking process. This preliminary application ensures the seasoning adheres properly and does not rub off during handling, resolving the adhesion problem of post-bake application.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the physical state of the seasoning from dry powder to a slurry form (liquid suspension). This parameter change allows the seasoning to be applied as a fluid that can penetrate and adhere to the cracker surface, then set during baking to prevent rubbing off.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If seasoning powders are applied prior to baking, then adhesion improves, but texture becomes hard and undesirable

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveadhesionVSAvoidtexture
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses a composite slurry formulation containing cheese powder, starch, oil, and water. The starch component provides binding and adhesion, while the oil and water create a matrix that bakes to a crispy rather than hard texture. This composite approach achieves both good adhesion and desirable texture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the composition parameters of the seasoning application medium from simple dry powder to a complex slurry with specific ratios of starch, oil, and water. These parameter changes control the baking behavior to produce a crispy texture rather than a hard one, while maintaining adhesion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Quantity of substance

If conventional cheese powders are used for seasoning, then cheese flavor is provided, but browning and burning occur quickly when exposed to heat

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecheese flavorVSAvoidbrowning and burning
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses starch and oil as intermediary substances in the slurry formulation. These intermediaries protect the cheese powder particles from direct exposure to high heat during baking, allowing the cheese flavor to be released gradually without rapid browning or burning. The starch matrix acts as a heat buffer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention modifies the chemical composition parameters of the seasoning by replacing pure cheese powder with a slurry containing cheese powder suspended in starch and oil. This parameter change alters the thermal behavior, reducing the rate of browning and burning while maintaining cheese flavor intensity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Quantity of substance

If conventional seasoning powders are applied, then flavor is provided, but multi-textural aspect is not achieved

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveflavorVSAvoidmulti-texture
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The invention creates a multi-textural surface by applying a composite slurry that contains cheese powder particles suspended in a starch-oil-water matrix. Upon baking, this forms a complex surface structure with crispy starch components and melted cheese components, providing multiple textures rather than a uniform powdery layer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention adds a dimensional aspect to the seasoning by creating a multi-layered surface structure through the slurry application. The slurry forms a matrix that embeds cheese particles, creating depth and varied surface topography rather than a flat powdery coating, thus achieving multi-texture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 slurry achieves excellent adhesion and uniform coverage, providing a crispy, flavorful topping that resembles melted cheese without undesirable browning or burning, enhancing flavor intensity and texture.

Implementation Method 1

pregelatinized starch in amounts effective to provide a generally uniform crispy topping having an appearance of melted cheese

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGelatinization: Gel

Implementation Method 2

The cheese slurry compositions include cheese powder solids, an emulsifier, oil, water

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEmulsification: Emulsion

Data Source

PatentEP3989727B1Cheese toppings for baked snacks suitable for pre-bake application
Publication Date: 2025.08.13 INTERCONTINENTAL GREAT BRANDS LLC
  • EP3989727B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3989727B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3989727B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A cheese slurry suitable for topical application on a snack product prior to baking includes natural cheese powder solids, an emulsifier, oil, water, and pregelatinized starch in amounts effective to provide a crispy topping having an appearance of melted cheese uniformly adhered to the outer surface of the baked dough product, and up to 1 percent reducing sugars, polyols, or a combination thereof and substantially no enzyme-modified cheese, buttermilk, whey, maltodextrins, or yeast extract so that the cheese slurry composition is resistant to undesirable browning and burning upon baking.