Screen Separator for Surimi Protein Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing surimi production processes result in significant loss of desirable myofibrillar protein during the washing and separation steps, leading to reduced yield and environmental concerns due to protein discharge into oceans, which affects aquatic life by depleting oxygen.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a screen separator where the wash water with sarcoplasmic proteins is combined with previously dewatered minced fish and then passed through a stationary or slowly advancing perforated screen, minimizing shear forces to retain more myofibrillar protein, with the screen stationary or vibrating only in the up and down direction to match the speed of the fish flesh mixture, allowing gravity-driven separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If wash water is used to remove impurities from fish flesh, then purification is improved, but myofibrillar protein is lost with the wash water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the protein separation process into distinct stages: first removing water-soluble sarcoplasmic proteins through washing, then selectively retaining myofibrillar proteins through controlled dewatering and screen separation. This multi-stage approach allows purification while preventing loss of the valuable myofibrillar protein.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary screen separator that acts as a mediator between the wash water and the fish flesh. The screen allows water and sarcoplasmic proteins to pass through while retaining myofibrillar proteins, enabling selective separation without direct contact between wash water and the protein-rich fish flesh.
2Productivity
If screen separator speed is increased to improve processing efficiency, then productivity is improved, but shear forces increase causing myofibrillar protein loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by allowing the screen separator to move at variable speeds matched to the flow rate of the fish flesh mixture. The screen speed is dynamically adjusted to maintain optimal conditions for protein retention while still achieving efficient processing, preventing excessive shear forces that would occur at fixed high speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the screen separator, specifically matching its speed to the mixture flow speed. This parameter adjustment ensures that the screen moves through the mixture without creating excessive relative motion or shear forces, thereby retaining myofibrillar proteins while maintaining productivity.
3Manufacturing precision
If wash and separate steps are repeated multiple times to improve purification, then purification is improved, but myofibrillar protein loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous action by maintaining the screen separator in a steady state where wash water continuously passes through the screen while myofibrillar proteins are continuously retained. This continuous process achieves high purification without the cumulative protein loss that would result from repeated batch washing operations.
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
This method achieves a retention of at least 80% of natural myofibrillar protein in the fish flesh, reducing protein loss and enhancing the removal of impurities like blood, thereby improving surimi yield and minimizing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
allowing gravity-driven separation
Implementation Method 2
passed through a stationary or slowly advancing perforated screen
Implementation Method 3
reduces or eliminates shear forces at the interface between the screen separator and the fish flesh
Data Source
AI summary
A method for washing fish flesh to remove water soluble sarcoplasmic proteins includes producing a mixture by combining wash water with fish flesh having sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins, wherein the wash water removes some of the sarcoplasmic protein from the fish flesh; depositing the mixture on a screen separator. The wash water having sarcoplasmic proteins is separated from the mixture while a speed of the screen separator and a speed of the mixture at the interface with the screen separator remains about equal and reducing or eliminating shear forces at the interface between the screen separator and the fish flesh. Thus, washed fish flesh fish flesh with an increase in a percent of myofibrillar protein retained in the fish flesh is produced. In order to have a speed of the screen separator belt be equal with a speed of the mixture at the interface, the perforated screen separator is stationary, vibrating only in the up and down direction, advancing slowly or fast, or advancing only intermittently, while the wash water is allowed to percolate through the fish flesh and exit the perforated screen.