Fresh Sous Vide Cooking via Infrared Searing and Wet Steam
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial-scale food preparation methods often result in dry and tough products due to heat-induced juice loss, with existing sous vide solutions being inefficient and limited in accommodating larger package sizes or being eco-unfriendly.
Innovation Solution
A commercial-scale fresh sous vide cooking method involving searing food with infrared radiation, vacuum sealing in a water-impermeable package, and cooking in a wet-steam cookhouse, along with a control system to manage various parameters, enabling efficient and flexible cooking of larger quantities while preserving moisture and quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional high-temperature cooking methods are used to kill pathogens, then food safety is improved, but the food becomes dry and tough due to juice loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from high-temperature cooking to low-temperature sous vide cooking (below 212°F), and changes the time parameter to extended cooking duration. This parameter transformation allows pathogen elimination through prolonged exposure to moderate heat while preventing juice loss that occurs with traditional high-temperature methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of water from liquid to vapor in a controlled manner through vacuum sealing. The vacuum-sealed environment controls moisture phase transitions, preventing excessive evaporation and juice loss while maintaining sufficient heat for pathogen elimination during the extended cooking period.
2Loss of substance
If sous vide cooking is used to preserve moisture and tenderness, then food quality is improved, but water and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary vacuum sealing to the food before cooking. This preliminary action creates a controlled microenvironment that retains moisture during cooking, eliminating the need for large amounts of water to maintain humidity. The vacuum seal is prepared in advance, allowing efficient cooking with minimal water and energy input.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses vacuum-sealed packaging that creates a controlled environment mimicking ideal cooking conditions. This 'copy' of a moisture-retentive environment allows the food to cook efficiently with minimal external water and energy input, as the sealed package itself maintains the necessary conditions.
3Productivity
If water cascade systems are used for sous vide cooking, then cooking efficiency is improved, but larger package sizes cannot be accommodated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a vertical water cascade system to a horizontal or multi-dimensional cooking chamber system. This dimensional change allows vacuum-sealed packages of any size to be accommodated on racks or shelves within the cookhouse, eliminating the height limitation of water cascade systems while maintaining cooking efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal cooking system using vacuum-sealed packages that can accommodate any package size. The standardized vacuum-sealed format allows small and large packages to be cooked simultaneously in the same chamber using the same method, providing versatility across different package dimensions while maintaining efficiency.
4Loss of substance
If vacuum sealing is applied before cooking, then moisture retention is improved, but additional processing time is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies vacuum sealing as a preliminary action before cooking. Although this adds a step to the process, it enables significantly reduced cooking times compared to traditional methods because the controlled environment accelerates heat transfer and pathogen elimination. The preliminary sealing action pays off by allowing faster, more efficient cooking.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum seal maintains a continuous controlled environment throughout the cooking process, preventing moisture loss and maintaining optimal cooking conditions without interruption. This continuous protective action eliminates the need for repeated sealing or monitoring, making the additional processing time worthwhile by ensuring consistent results throughout the entire cooking duration.
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 method produces food products that are superior in taste, texture, and appearance, with improved safety and shelf-life, using significantly less water and energy, and accommodating larger package sizes, thus addressing the inefficiencies and limitations of existing sous vide solutions.
Implementation Method 1
searing food using infrared radiation
Implementation Method 2
positioning the vacuum-packaged food in a wet-steam cookhouse to fresh sous vide cook the food
Data Source
AI summary
A commercial-scale fresh sous vide cooking method includes searing food using infrared radiation, positioning the seared food in a water-impermeable package and vacuum sealing the water-impermeable package using a packaging machine, and positioning the vacuum-packaged food in a wet-steam cookhouse to fresh sous vide cook the food in the wet-steam cookhouse.