Stable Fruit Preparation Without Additives
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fruit preparations require thickening and gelling agents to maintain fruit pieces in suspension, but regulatory concerns and industrial needs demand a solution without these additives while ensuring stability and homogeneity.
Innovation Solution
A process involving mixing fruit pieces with sugar, treating the mixture at controlled temperatures and pressures to create a concentrated fruit preparation that maintains fruit pieces in suspension without the need for gelling or thickening agents, using a combination of steps including evaporation, optional heat treatment, and cooling to achieve stability and homogeneity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If thickening agents and gelling agents are added to maintain fruit pieces in suspension, then stability and homogeneity are improved, but the use of alimentary additives increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes thickening agents and gelling agents from the fruit preparation formulation. Instead of using these additives to maintain stability, the process relies on the natural properties of fruit pieces and the controlled concentration process to achieve suspension stability without any alimentary additives.
Solution Approach 2:
The fruit pieces themselves provide the necessary suspension properties through their natural characteristics. The controlled concentration process enhances these natural properties, allowing the fruit preparation to maintain stability through its own components rather than requiring external additives.
2Ease of operation
If thickening agents and gelling agents are used to confer texture and viscosity, then homogeneity and ease of pumping are improved, but the complexity of the formulation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes thickening agents and gelling agents from the formulation, simplifying the ingredient list while maintaining the necessary rheological properties through the controlled concentration process and natural fruit piece characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the concentration parameters of the fruit preparation through controlled evaporation and concentration processes. By adjusting the water content and concentrating the fruit pieces to specific Brix degrees, the formulation achieves optimal viscosity and pumping properties without requiring additional additives.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the fruit preparation is concentrated to high Brix degree, then stability and texture are improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the concentration parameters by controlling the Brix degree within a specific range (50-75°Bx). This balanced concentration level provides sufficient stability and texture improvement while minimizing energy consumption compared to higher concentration levels. The process uses controlled evaporation and concentration methods to achieve this optimal parameter range.
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 process results in a stable and homogenous fruit preparation with improved texture and firmness, allowing for uniform distribution of fruit pieces without sedimentation or floating, suitable for industrial pumping and potting, and maintaining quality over 30 days or more.
Implementation Method 1
treating the fruit mixture obtained in step (i) at a temperature comprised between 40° C. and 90° C., preferably comprised between 50° C. and 70° C., preferably comprised between 60° C. and 65° C., and at a pressure from 50 mbar to 1000 mbar, preferably comprised between 90 mbar and 200 mbar, during 15 to 90 minutes, so as to obtain a concentrated fruit preparation
Implementation Method 2
optionally, submitting the concentrated fruit preparation obtained in step (ii) to a heat treatment, at a temperature comprised between 90° C. and 120° C., preferably comprised between 90° C. and 100° C.
Implementation Method 3
cooling the concentrated fruit preparation obtained in step (ii) or, when step (iii) is performed, cooling the concentrated fruit preparation obtained in step (iii), to a storage temperature
Data Source
AI summary
A process for preparing a stable and homogenous fruit preparation, includes the steps of:(i) preparing a fruit mixture by mixing fruit pieces, optionally in the presence of a fruit matrix, with sugar in an amount included between 10% and 60% by weight relative to the total weight of the fruit preparation,(ii) treating the fruit mixture obtained in step (i) at a temperature ranging between 40° C. and 90° C., and at a pressure from 50 mbar to 1000 mbar, during 15 to 90 minutes, so as to obtain a concentrated fruit preparation having a Brix degree at 20° C. ranging between 50° and 75°,(iii) optionally submitting the concentrated fruit preparation to a heat treatment, at a temperature ranging between 90° C. and 120° C.,(iv) cooling the concentrated fruit preparation obtained in step (ii) or, when step (iii) is performed, cooling the concentrated fruit preparation obtained in step (iii), to storage temperature.