Aseptic Protein Beverage pH Buffering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large-scale production of protein beverages, particularly those using milk as a protein source, faces issues like precipitation and gel formation due to interactions between gums and calcium, which are challenging to address while maintaining 'clean label' standards.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a buffering agent like baking soda and lemon juice concentrate to adjust the pH of the beverage to a range of 6.7 to 7.0, preventing protein precipitation during heating, and using direct steam injection for heat treatment, while ensuring the ingredients meet clean label standards by forming sodium citrate in situ.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If buffering agents like potassium citrate are used to prevent protein precipitation, then heat stability is improved, but clean label standards are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by using baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and lemon juice concentrate instead of traditional buffering agents like potassium citrate. This parameter change maintains the pH buffering function needed for heat stability while achieving clean label compliance through recognizable ingredients.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs food-grade baking soda and lemon juice concentrate as temporary, easily metabolized buffering agents that perform their function during processing and then dissipate, replacing the need for persistent chemical additives like potassium citrate that compromise clean label standards.
2Productivity
If direct steam injection heating is used for rapid processing, then productivity is improved, but protein precipitation and gel formation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by adding buffering agents (baking soda and lemon juice concentrate) to the beverage formulation before heating. This pre-establishes a pH buffer system that counteracts the harmful effects of rapid steam injection heating, preventing protein precipitation and gel formation while maintaining high processing speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffering agents act as intermediary substances between the heat source (steam injection) and the protein molecules. They mediate the thermal stress by stabilizing the pH environment, thereby preventing direct harmful interactions between rapid heating and proteins that would cause precipitation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If conventional buffering agents are used to maintain pH stability, then protein stability is improved, but ingredient recognition and clean label appeal deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical identity of the buffering agents from non-recognizable compounds like potassium citrate to food-grade ingredients (baking soda and lemon juice concentrate) that consumers can recognize and accept, thereby maintaining protein stability while improving clean label appeal.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffering system uses naturally occurring ingredients that provide their own buffering capacity through their chemical properties, eliminating the need for synthetic or obscure additives. The system serves its own function of pH stabilization through the inherent properties of baking soda and lemon juice concentrate.
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 solution effectively prevents protein precipitation and gel formation during heating, achieving heat stability and compliance with clean label standards by creating a stable beverage product.
Implementation Method 1
The beverage ingredients include at least one buffering agent, with the at least one buffering agent including baking soda. Preferably, the at least one buffering agent further includes lemon juice concentrate. The pH of the beverage ingredients is adjusted using the at least one buffering agent.
Implementation Method 2
Preferably, heating the beverage ingredients includes heating the beverage ingredients by direct steam injection.
Data Source
AI summary
Aseptic beverage products are prepared by mixing beverage ingredients together. The beverage ingredients include a protein source, such as a milk protein concentrate, and at least one buffering agent, with the at least one buffering agent including baking soda. Preferably, the at least one buffering agent further includes lemon juice concentrate. The pH of the beverage ingredients is adjusted to a level between 6.7 and 7.0 using the at least one buffering agent. The beverage ingredients are then heated to at least 139° C., and the at least one buffering agent prevents precipitation of the protein source during heating. Afterwards, the beverage ingredients are packaged as a plurality of aseptic beverage products.