Segmented Cheese Kit for Precise Flavor Pairing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing culinary combinations of cheese with sweet or sweet and sour preparations often face challenges in achieving optimal sensory effects due to difficulties in dosing and reproducibility, as the right balance of flavors is hard to maintain, leading to unpleasant or unnatural flavor alterations.

Innovation Solution

A kit of parts comprising a hollow three-dimensional cheese piece and a pre-dosed natural food preparation, such as fruit, vegetable, or seed-based items, allows for precise pairing and reproducible sensory combinations by providing separate components that can be easily combined, ensuring the right amounts and variety of cheese and sweet or savory elements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cheese is paired with sweet or sweet and sour preparations using preferred amounts, then optimal sensory effect is achieved, but dosing precision and reproducibility become difficult to maintain

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensory effect consistencyVSAvoiddosing precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The kit divides the cheese product into pre-portioned individual units (pucks, wheels, or slices) with standardized weights and dimensions. Each unit is separately packaged to ensure precise dosing and maintain sensory consistency across multiple servings. This segmentation allows consumers to obtain reproducible sensory effects without requiring measurement skills.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cheese is pre-processed into specific shapes and sizes during manufacturing, with predetermined weights and surface areas optimized for pairing. The packaging is pre-prepared with compartments or structures that facilitate precise portioning and presentation, eliminating the need for consumer measurement and ensuring consistent dosing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If cheese and sweet/savory preparations are combined in desired ratios, then balanced flavor is achieved, but one flavor may overpower the other

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflavor balanceVSAvoidflavor combination flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The kit provides different cheese shapes (pucks with flat surfaces, wheels with curved surfaces, slices with varying areas) that have different surface-to-volume ratios. This allows optimization of local pairing characteristics - flat surfaces for even spread of toppings, curved surfaces for layered applications, and varying sizes for different intensity preferences. Each shape is designed for specific pairing scenarios to achieve balanced flavor distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The kit includes multiple cheese shapes and packaging configurations that can accommodate various sweet, savory, and sweet-savory preparations. The standardized units work with different types of toppings (jams, honey, chutneys, cheeses) while maintaining consistent dosing. The system is versatile enough to handle different flavor intensities and combinations while preserving balanced flavor profiles through proper portion control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Quantity of substance

If cheese is packaged in bulk, then storage efficiency is improved, but freshness and flavor are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage efficiencyVSAvoidfreshness maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cheese is divided into individual serving-sized units (pucks, wheels, or slices) that are separately packaged. This segmentation allows only the portion needed to be exposed to air and handling, while the remaining portions remain sealed and protected. The individual packaging maintains freshness and flavor for each unit while the entire kit provides efficient storage for multiple servings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cheese units are packaged in flexible, thin-film barriers that provide excellent protection against moisture loss, oxidation, and contamination. These films maintain the cheese's sensory properties while allowing compact storage. The packaging structure is designed to preserve freshness throughout the shelf life while enabling space-efficient storage and transport of multiple portions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentEP3177159B1Kit of parts containing a cheese food product and a natural food preparation
Publication Date: 2020.04.01 DEFOOD SRL
  • EP3177159B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP3177159B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3177159B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a kit of parts comprising a hollow, solid three-dimensional piece made of cheese or chocolate and, separately, a sweet, savory or sweet and sour natural food preparation, for example based on fruit or vegetables.