Soya Drink Production Enzymatic Hydrolysis pH Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing soya milk often denature and oxidize the nutritional components of soya seeds, leading to loss of health-giving properties and unpleasant taste, while also being harmful to operators and the environment due to intense chemical and thermal treatments.
Innovation Solution
A method using whole, non-genetically modified organic soya seeds, decortication, and gentle thermal treatment with enzyme hydrolysis to preserve nutritional integrity, combined with natural additives for enhanced flavor and nutritional value, while adhering to organic production regulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If intense chemical and thermal treatments are used to denature soya proteins and eliminate unpleasant taste, then the drink resembles animal milk in flavor and texture, but the nutritional and supplement integrity of the soya components is harmed and counterproductively reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pH parameter from extreme values (pH 2-3 with acids or pH 10 with strong alkaline bases) to a physiological pH range (pH 6.5-7.5), and reduces thermal treatment intensity while extending treatment time. This allows protein denaturation and taste improvement without the harsh conditions that damage nutritional integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces enzymes as intermediary agents to facilitate protein hydrolysis and taste improvement. Enzymes like proteases, peptidases, and aminopeptidases are used to break down proteins into smaller peptides and amino acids, achieving taste modification without requiring extreme chemical or thermal treatments that would damage nutrients.
2Ease of operation
If high-temperature heat treatments, pressure/vacuum, and extreme pH conditions are applied to break down protein structures, then the unwelcome soya taste is conserved, but the nutritional components are damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the treatment parameters by using milder pH conditions (pH 6.5-7.5 instead of pH 2-3 or pH 10) and controlled thermal treatment at lower temperatures for extended periods. This prevents oxidation and denaturing of nutritional components while still achieving taste improvement through enzymatic hydrolysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical and chemical force-based protein breakdown methods (high-temperature heating, pressure/vacuum treatment, extreme pH) with biochemical enzymatic hydrolysis. This substitution allows protein structure modification for taste improvement without the harmful oxidative and denaturing effects of intense physical and chemical treatments.
3Productivity
If the production process uses simple decortication and gentle thermal treatment with enzyme hydrolysis, then the production process is simpler and faster, but thorough protein denaturation and taste modification may be insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses enzymes as intermediaries to achieve thorough protein hydrolysis under mild and efficient conditions. The enzymatic action continues during the extended holding period at moderate temperatures, ensuring complete taste modification without requiring complex or time-consuming intense treatment processes, thus maintaining high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous enzymatic hydrolysis during the heating and holding phases of processing. The enzymes remain active throughout the extended treatment period at moderate temperatures (60-80°C), ensuring continuous protein breakdown and taste improvement without interruption, thereby achieving both thorough modification and production efficiency.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If decorticated seeds are used instead of whole seeds, then the unpleasant smell from saponine and toxic substances is eliminated, but the nutritional completeness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent selectively removes only the seed coat (decortication) which contains saponine and anti-nutritional factors, while preserving the nutritious cotyledons. This targeted extraction eliminates harmful substances without discarding valuable nutritional components, achieving both safety and nutritional completeness.
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 results in a complete, digestible, and hypoallergenic soya drink that retains nutritional properties, reduces antinutritional factors, and is safer and more environmentally friendly, with a simpler and faster production process.
Implementation Method 1
complete enzymatic hydrolysis treatment of all the hydrolysable and available nutritional components in the seeds
Implementation Method 2
deactivate the endogenous enzymes contained in the seeds (protease, lipoxygenase) through immersion in preheated water
Implementation Method 3
The unpleasant smell, that is mainly formed by oxidation of the fatty fraction of the polyunsaturates, by endogenous enzymes (lipoxygenase) contained in the seeds
Implementation Method 4
Centrifugal filtration for eliminating from the obtained suspension the non-hydrolysed particulate that is indigestible
Data Source
AI summary
A complete whole soya natural drink, for human consumption, is obtained by means of a process comprising the steps of: deactivating endogenous enzymes contained in raw soya seeds, by immersing the decorticated or whole seeds in preheated water, preferably around 80-100°C for 10-15 minutes; simultaneous cooking and grinding, to obtain fine dispersion, and a temperature up to approximately 100°C; adjustment to the pH of the water-soya mixture with sodium carbonates and/or calcium, also of marine origin from algae such as lithothamnium calcareum, in a physiological interval comprised between pH 6.95-8; a complete enzyme hydrolysis treatment of the hydrolysable nutritional components and available in the seeds, with an enzyme mixture; a procedure for producing a complete whole soya natural drink, for human consumption, comprises the steps of: deactivating endogenous enzymes contained in raw soya seeds, by immersing the decorticated or whole seeds, in preheated water, preferably around 80-100°C for 10-15 minutes; simultaneous cooking and grinding, until fine dispersion is obtained to a temperature up to approximately 100°C; adjustment to the pH of the water-soya mixture with sodium carbonates and/or calcium, also of marine origin from lithothamnium calcareum type algae, in a physiological interval comprised between pH 6.5-8; complete enzyme hydrolysis treatment of the hydrolysable nutritional components and available in the seeds with an enzyme mixture.