Processed Soy Milk Food With Coagulant-Stabilized Meat-Like Texture

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional meat-like foods made from plant-based protein materials suffer from dryness and crumbliness after freezing and thawing, and have a spongy, gummy texture with a strong odor.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the use of soy milk coagulum, a coagulant, and a protein material, with specific mass ratios, followed by heating and freezing, to create a texture similar to cooked processed meat products that maintains elasticity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If plant-based protein materials are heated and pressurized using an extruder to create meat-like food, then the food can be produced as a dried product, but the texture becomes dry and crumbly after freezing and thawing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction of dried meat-like foodVSAvoidtexture stability after freezing and thawing
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses a composite material system consisting of soy milk coagulum (tofu), protein material (soy protein isolate or other plant/animal proteins), and coagulant. This composite structure creates a cohesive matrix that maintains texture stability after freezing and thawing, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and texture reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the physical and chemical parameters of the food structure by controlling the coagulation process and heating conditions. By adjusting parameters such as heating temperature, coagulant amount, and protein content ratios, the food achieves a stable texture that prevents dryness and crumbliness after freezing and thawing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If plant-based protein materials are processed to create meat-like food, then the food can be made without animal fat, but the texture becomes spongy and gummy with a strong odor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelimination of animal fatVSAvoidspongy gummy texture and strong odor
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the physical state and chemical composition parameters by using soy milk coagulum as a base and controlling the protein content (9.5-34% by mass). This parameter optimization eliminates the spongy and gummy texture while reducing the strong odor, achieving a more desirable mouthfeel without animal fat.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The coagulant acts as an intermediary substance that facilitates proper protein coagulation and texture formation. By introducing the coagulant, the invention mediates between the plant-based protein materials and the desired meat-like texture, eliminating the spongy and gummy characteristics while maintaining the health benefits of being animal-fat-free.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If soy milk coagulum and protein material are mixed with coagulant and heated, then a meat-like texture is achieved, but the process requires precise control of mass ratios

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeat-like textureVSAvoidcontrol of mass ratios
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention establishes specific parameter ranges for the mass ratios: protein material at 9.5-34% by mass and soy milk coagulum at 2.5-30% by mass. By defining these parameter ranges, the invention makes the manufacturing process more controllable and reproducible, reducing the difficulty of precise ratio control while ensuring reliable meat-like texture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 method produces processed soy milk food with good mouthfeel and texture, remaining elastic and non-dry even after freezing and thawing.

Implementation Method 1

a step of mixing the soy milk coagulum, a coagulant, and a protein material to obtain a raw material mixture

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCoagulation: Coagulation

Implementation Method 2

step 3: a step of heating the raw material mixture

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal coagulation: Heating

Implementation Method 3

The method of producing processed soy milk food according to [1], wherein the amount of the coagulant used in step 2 is 0.3 to 10 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of the protein derived from the protein material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFreezing: Freezing

Data Source

PatentUS20250318550A1Production method of processed soy milk food
Publication Date: 2025.10.16 NIPPON KK

AI summary

A solution to address the problem of providing a processed soy milk food that has a good meltability in mouth without any roughness or coarseness and an elastic texture similar to a processed and cooked meat product and that maintains the good texture even after freezing and thawing is disclosed. This problem is solved by using a coagulant in addition to a coagulated product of soy milk and a protein material.