Industrial Roux Production via Homogenization and Preliminary Action

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Solution Overview

Problem

Industrial production of edible roux is hindered by clogging and storage issues due to incomplete mixing with liquid, and existing binders are costly, energy-intensive, or require emulsifiers and stabilizers, lacking freeze-thaw stability.

Innovation Solution

A process involving mixing large amounts of flour and fat to form a sweat without water, then introducing a liquid with energy input using homogenization devices to create a stable emulsion without additives, achieving a freeze-thaw stable roux with high binding and emulsifying properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If traditional roux production method is used, then binding effect is achieved, but clogging and incomplete mixing with liquid occur during industrial production

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemixing completenessVSAvoidclogging
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-cooking the flour and fat together to create a sweat mixture before adding liquid. This pre-treatment modifies the starch structure and creates a matrix that prevents clogging during subsequent liquid addition, ensuring complete mixing without harmful blockages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs dynamic mixing by continuously agitating the sweat mixture during liquid addition and maintaining controlled temperature and viscosity conditions. This dynamic approach ensures homogeneous distribution of liquid throughout the flour-fat matrix, preventing incomplete mixing and clogging.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Stability of the object's composition

If traditional roux production method is used, then binding effect is achieved, but storage stability is poor as flour settles and becomes solid

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage stabilityVSAvoidusability after storage
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the temperature, viscosity, and composition of the roux during production. By optimizing these parameters, the patent creates a stable emulsion structure that prevents flour settling and maintains usability during storage, transforming the unstable traditional roux into a storage-stable product.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite material structure by combining flour, fat, and liquid in specific proportions and arrangements. This composite structure forms a stable matrix where components are uniformly distributed and prevented from separating during storage, ensuring both stability and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Productivity

If industrial binders are used, then production scalability is improved, but emulsifiers and stabilizers must be added

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindustrial scalabilityVSAvoidadditives required
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies self-service by enabling the flour-fat mixture to naturally form a stable emulsion through its own components without requiring external emulsifiers or stabilizers. The controlled production process allows the natural ingredients to perform the binding and stabilizing functions, eliminating the need for additional substances.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses parameter changes in temperature, mixing intensity, and composition ratios to optimize the natural emulsifying properties of the flour and fat. By adjusting these parameters, the patent achieves industrial-scale production with stable results without needing to add emulsifiers or stabilizers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Manufacturing precision

If existing binders are used, then binding effect is achieved, but production cost and energy input are high

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebinding effectVSAvoidenergy input
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses basic, inexpensive ingredients (flour and fat) that are readily available and require minimal processing. By relying on these simple components rather than expensive pre-treated starches or specialized binders, the patent reduces both material costs and the energy required for complex processing while maintaining effective binding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

5Quantity of substance

If natural binders are used, then cost is reduced, but freeze-thaw stability is poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveraw material simplicityVSAvoidfreeze-thaw stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the temperature profile during production and storage, and by adjusting the composition ratios of flour and fat. These parameter optimizations enable the natural binder to withstand freeze-thaw cycles without separating or losing binding effectiveness, achieving both simplicity and stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses preliminary action by pre-cooking the flour and fat to create a sweat mixture with modified starch structure before final cooling and storage. This pre-treatment creates a more resilient matrix that maintains its structure during freeze-thaw transitions, improving stability without adding complex ingredients.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 process produces a cost-effective, energy-efficient, and sensory-pleasing roux that is stable for hours at room temperature and months when frozen, suitable for industrial-scale production without the need for emulsifiers or stabilizers.

Implementation Method 1

the sweat is mixed with the liquid already metered in using at least one homogenization, mixing and/or kneading device, in particular at least one homogenization device, with the introduction of energy of at least 0.1 J/kg of sweat

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHomogenization:

Implementation Method 2

a highly creamy emulsion is formed between fat and water

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEmulsion: Emulsion

Implementation Method 3

By heating a mixture of flour and fat or butter, the starch in the flour loses its crystalline state and adopts a three-dimensional network with a high affinity for water

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 4

the starch in the flour loses its crystalline state and adopts a three-dimensional network

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGel: Gel

Implementation Method 5

the starch chains are partially hydrolyzed and new chemical bonds are formed between the lipids and the proteins of the flour

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydrolysis: Hydrolysis

Data Source

PatentEP3103353B1Roux, foodstuff and methods for producing same
Publication Date: 2018.06.27 FROSTA
  • EP3103353B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

The present invention relates to an industrial process for producing an edible roux, an edible, in particular largely freeze-thaw stable, and emulsifier- and stabilizer-free binding agent without the addition of emulsifiers, and a corresponding food product. The industrially used binding agents known from the prior art have the disadvantage that they either contain emulsifiers, stabilizers, or emulsifying agents, or are comparatively expensive or complex to produce, for example, due to pregelatinization or thermal treatment. Furthermore, numerous binding agents known from the prior art are not freeze-thaw stable. It is an object of the invention to provide a process for producing a binding agent that overcomes these disadvantages, as well as such a binding agent.This is solved by an industrial process for producing an edible roux, wherein flour and fat are mixed and heated to form a roux, a liquid is dosed into the roux under emulsification, and wherein the roux and the dosed liquid are treated with at least one homogenization, mixing and/or kneading device (5).