Pulse and Millet Puffed Composition for Airy Texture and Shaping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing puffed food compositions made from wheat flour lack an airy texture, are prone to sticking to teeth, and have limited shaping freedom due to insufficient puffing and low binding properties.
Innovation Solution
A puffed food composition comprising pulses and/or millet, blended with soluble carbohydrates, dietary fibers, and controlled particle diameter to enhance airy texture and shaping freedom, reducing tooth sticking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If wheat flour is used as the main raw material for puffing, then the production process is simple, but the puffing is insufficient resulting in poor airy texture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite raw material system consisting of pulse flour (30-70 wt%), starch (10-40 wt%), and sugar (5-20 wt%). This composite approach combines the protein structure of pulses with the puffing properties of starch and the binding properties of sugar, achieving both good airy texture and manufacturing feasibility without relying solely on wheat flour
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes specific parameter ranges for each component: pulse flour content (30-70 wt%), starch content (10-40 wt%), and sugar content (5-20 wt%). These parameter optimizations ensure sufficient puffing for airy texture while maintaining production simplicity
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional puffed food composition is used, then the production is straightforward, but the food easily sticks to teeth during chewing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the sugar content within a specific range (5-20 wt%) and uses pulse flour (30-70 wt%) which has different carbohydrate composition compared to conventional wheat-based puffs. This parameter optimization reduces excessive sweetness and starch stickiness that cause teeth adhesion, while maintaining production straightforwardness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enhances the surface and texture properties locally by optimizing the pulse-to-starch ratio, creating a texture that is less prone to sticking to teeth while maintaining overall production simplicity
3Strength
If the composition is compressively shaped to improve binding property, then the shaping is enhanced, but the degree of freedom in shaping is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the sugar content (5-20 wt%) and its interaction with pulse flour and starch to achieve adequate binding properties. This allows the composition to maintain sufficient binding strength without requiring excessive compressive shaping, thereby preserving shaping freedom and versatility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a dough composition with continuous binding properties through the sugar-pulse-starch matrix, allowing shaping to be performed continuously without requiring intense compressive steps that would limit design freedom
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 achieves an airy texture and improved shaping freedom while minimizing tooth sticking, with specific component ratios and controlled particle sizes.
Implementation Method 1
a number-based average diameter of puffed food composition particles in a 2 mass% aqueous dispersion liquid of the puffed food composition in an ultrasonicated state
Data Source
AI summary
Puffed food composition contains a pulse/millet and satisfies (1)-(7): (1) containing dietary fibers at 3 mass% or more (dry mass); (2) containing starch at 5 mass% or more (dry mass); (3) containing protein at 4 mass% or more (dry mass); (4) containing a soluble carbohydrate being contained in edible plants of pulses, millet, potatoes, seeds, vegetables and fruit at 2 mass% or more (dry mass); (5) containing edible parts of a pulse/millet and a dietary fiber localized portion of an edible plant at 10 mass% or more (dry mass) to the composition; (6) a number-based average diameter of composition particles in a dispersion liquid in an ultrasonicated state is 30 µm or less; and (7) a maximum particle diameter of composition particles in a non-ultrasonicated state is 300 µm or more.