Steeped Whole Grain Sprouting Process for Palatability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional whole grain products often have decreased palatability as whole grain concentration increases, making it challenging to produce baked goods and beverages that maintain desirable taste while providing nutritional benefits.
Innovation Solution
A novel process for producing sprouted whole grains involves steeping grains to achieve a desired moisture content, optionally germinating, and kilning to produce sprouted grains, which are then used to create flour and products like dough, baked goods, and beverages, allowing for controlled enzyme activation and deactivation to enhance nutritional benefits and taste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If whole grain concentration is increased in baked goods and beverages, then nutritional benefits are improved, but palatability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by sprouting the grains before processing into flour and products. The sprouting process (germination) is performed in advance to activate enzymes that break down anti-nutrients and improve digestibility, thereby enhancing palatability before the grains are incorporated into baked goods and beverages. This preliminary biochemical transformation allows higher whole grain concentrations to be used without sacrificing taste.
2Quantity of substance
If traditional malting process is used to increase enzymatic activity, then nutritional benefits are improved, but production time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the traditional multi-day malting process from the production workflow. Instead of using the complex traditional malting procedure involving extended germination (3-4 days) and multiple turning cycles, the invention achieves the desired enzymatic activity through a simplified sprouting process that can be completed more quickly and with less operational complexity, while still activating the necessary enzymes for nutritional enhancement.
3Quantity of substance
If grains are steeped to higher moisture content to activate enzymes, then nutritional benefits are improved, but risk of spoilage and mold increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potential harm of high moisture content (spoilage and mold risk) into a benefit by carefully controlling the sprouting process. The elevated moisture content during sprouting is used to activate enzymes and improve nutritional value, but the process is tightly controlled in terms of duration and environmental conditions. After sprouting, the moisture is reduced through drying to safe levels, thereby achieving nutritional enhancement without allowing spoilage to occur.
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 sprouted whole grain products with improved palatability and nutritional benefits, requiring less sugar and yeast, and maintaining stability over time, suitable for various baked goods and beverages.
Implementation Method 1
The seeds soak up the water in the steep tank, where the temperature of the water ranges from about 3° C. to about 21° C. thereby increasing the seed moisture content.
Implementation Method 2
Kilning circulates warm air to dry the seeds, helps develop flavor and color in the seeds, and arrests the biochemical reactions taking place in the seeds.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a process for producing a steeped grain comprising steeping at least one grain at a temperature from about 2° C. to about 29° C. for a period of time less than about 24 hours to a moisture content ranging from about 29% to about 38%; optionally, germinating the at least one grain for less than about 2 days; and kilning with controlled air circulation the at least one grain at a temperature ranging from at least about 49° C. to about 93° C. for less than about 20 hours to a moisture content of about 7% to about 16%. Also disclosed herein is a sprouted grain prepared from the processes disclosed herein. Further disclosed herein are a dough comprising steeped whole grains prepared from the processes disclosed herein, as well as baked goods and beverages comprising steeped whole grains prepared from the processed disclosed herein.