Salt Substitute Using Plant Tissue Carrier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional salt substitutes dissociate in food processing operations, leading to undesirable tastes in processed foods due to the metallic flavor of potassium chloride, making them unsuitable for widespread use in culinary applications.
Innovation Solution
A salt substitute is created by dispersing inorganic food-grade salts, such as potassium chloride, throughout plant tissue, like fruit or vegetable tissue, along with an organic food-grade acid, which is then processed into a particulate solid to maintain flavor and texture, using a method involving an aqueous solution and drying to ensure stability and taste masking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional salt substitutes are used, then sodium content is reduced, but metallic taste and dissociation occur during food processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces plant tissue as an intermediary carrier that absorbs and holds the salt substitute particles. This mediator prevents direct contact between the metallic-tasting potassium chloride and the food matrix, while also preventing dissociation during processing. The plant tissue acts as a protective carrier that maintains both taste masking and processing stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite material system combining plant tissue with salt substitute particles. This composite structure integrates the beneficial properties of both components: the plant tissue provides taste masking and processing stability, while the salt substitute provides sodium reduction. The composite form prevents the harmful metallic taste while maintaining reliability during food processing operations.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If potassium chloride is used as salt substitute, then sodium intake is reduced, but undesirable metallic flavor is released
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by distributing salt substitute particles throughout the plant tissue matrix rather than using bulk potassium chloride. The plant tissue creates localized zones that mask the metallic flavor while maintaining the sodium-reducing function. This distributed approach allows potassium chloride to be present but masked, improving flavor quality while maintaining health benefits.
3Ease of operation
If salt substitute dissolves quickly, then flavor is released, but dissociation occurs during food processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-absorbing the salt substitute particles into the plant tissue structure before food processing occurs. This preliminary incorporation ensures that the salt substitute remains stable during subsequent cooking or processing operations, preventing dissociation. The plant tissue acts as a pre-prepared carrier that maintains composition stability while still allowing flavor release when the plant tissue itself is consumed.
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 resulting salt substitute maintains flavor and texture, providing a suitable alternative to sodium chloride with reduced sodium content, suitable for various food applications without the metallic taste issues of traditional substitutes.
Implementation Method 1
contacting the plant tissue with an aqueous solution including the inorganic food-grade salt and the food-grade acidulant to disperse the inorganic food-grade salt and the food-grade acidulant throughout the plant tissue
Implementation Method 2
dispersing inorganic food-grade salts, such as potassium chloride, throughout plant tissue
Implementation Method 3
contacting the plant tissue with an aqueous solution including the inorganic food-grade salt and the food-grade acidulant
Implementation Method 4
removing water from the wet, infused plant tissue to yield a dry, infused plant tissue
Data Source
AI summary
A salt substitute including an inorganic food-grade salt, an organic food-grade acid as an acidulant, and edible plant tissue. The inorganic food-grade salt and the organic food-grade acid are dispersed throughout the plant tissue. The inorganic food-grade salt may include sodium and non-sodium salts. The salt substitute is a particulate solid, and may include one or more additives.