Laminated Snack Bar Moisture Barrier Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Laminated snack bars face the issue of moisture from the filling being absorbed by the adjacent dough layers, causing the dough to become soggy, which is undesirable.

Innovation Solution

A laminated baked snack bar design featuring two crunchy dough layers with a moist filling in between, using a dough composition of wheat flour, oat flour, modified starch, and enzyme, and a filling composition with high solid content and low moisture, such as fruit, to maintain the crunchy texture and prevent moisture transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If a laminated snack bar with fruit filling is produced, then the snack bar has pleasant taste and appearance, but moisture from the filling is absorbed by the adjacent dough layers causing them to become soggy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemoisture content in fillingVSAvoidtexture stability of dough layers

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

A fat layer is introduced as an intermediary substance between the fruit filling and the dough layers. This fat layer acts as a barrier that prevents moisture migration from the filling to the dough, while still allowing the desired moisture content to be maintained in the filling for taste and texture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The composition of the dough layers is modified by adding specific ingredients such as fat, sugar, and starch in controlled amounts. These parameter changes in the dough composition enhance its resistance to moisture absorption and improve its ability to maintain a crunchy texture despite the presence of moist filling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Volume of moving object

If the dough layers are made thin to reduce total thickness, then the snack bar has lower calorie content and is more portable, but the dough layers become more susceptible to becoming soggy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetotal thickness of snack barVSAvoidmoisture absorption by dough

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The fat layer serves as a protective intermediary that becomes increasingly important as the dough layers are made thinner. This barrier prevents moisture from the filling from reaching the thin dough layers, allowing them to maintain their crunchy texture despite reduced thickness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The dough composition is optimized with increased fat content and specific starch types that provide structural integrity even in thin layers. This allows the dough to be made thinner for lower calorie content while resisting moisture absorption through compositional adjustments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9060531B2Laminated baked snack bar

Publication Date: 2015.06.23 CORPORATIVO INT MEXICANO S DE R L DE CV

AI summary

A laminated baked snack bar includes a layer of low moisture filling laminated between two thin layers of dough. The dough layers of the snack bar have a crunchy, cracker-like texture while the filling layer remains soft. The total thickness of the baked snack bar is preferably less than 7 millimeters. The snack bar is prepared by calibrating dough sheets to a thickness of less than 1 millimeter each, followed by depositing a filling composition having a high heat resistant stability on one of the calibrated dough sheets and placing a second calibrated dough sheet on top of the filling to form a laminate. The laminate is then calibrated, cut into bars and baked, using a mild baking profile. The snack bar may have a design molded on the top surface and/or a topping composition, preferably including oats, deposited on the laminate.