Structured Oil-in-Water Emulsion With Low Water Activity Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing structured emulsions suffer from poor stability, short shelf-life, and reliance on saturated and trans fatty acids to achieve desirable texture and consistency in food products, while also being susceptible to microbial growth and destabilized by preservation techniques.
Innovation Solution
A structured oil-in-water emulsion comprising 1-8% emulsifier, 8-55% sugar and/or sugar alcohol, 12-40% water, and 25-70% oil, which forms a stable alpha gel phase with low water activity, resisting mesomorphic changes and microbial growth without artificial additives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If structured emulsions are formulated to replace saturated and trans fatty acids, then health benefits are improved, but stability and shelf-life deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by introducing sugar and sugar alcohol components (8-55 wt.%) along with specific emulsifier types and ratios. This compositional parameter change creates a new emulsion system that achieves both health benefits and stability without relying on saturated and trans fatty acids
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite emulsion system combining oil, water, emulsifiers, and sugar/sugar alcohol components in specific ratios. This composite material approach allows the emulsion to exhibit enhanced stability and long shelf-life while maintaining health benefits by eliminating harmful fatty acids
2Reliability
If preservation techniques are applied to extend shelf-life, then microbial stability is improved, but emulsion structure is destabilized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the continuous water phase, which normally promotes microbial growth, into a beneficial component by formulating it with sugar and sugar alcohol. These components lower water activity to inhibit microbes while simultaneously stabilizing the emulsion structure, turning a harmful feature into a benefit
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of water activity through the addition of sugar and sugar alcohol components. This parameter change achieves dual benefits: reducing microbial growth potential while stabilizing the emulsion structure against destabilization
3Reliability
If salt content is increased to lower water activity, then microbial shelf-life is improved, but emulsion structure is destabilized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of high salt content on mesophase structure into a beneficial approach by using sugar and sugar alcohol instead. These components achieve the same water activity reduction and microbial inhibition without the structural destabilization caused by salt
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sugar and sugar alcohol as intermediary substances that mediate between the need for microbial preservation and the need to maintain emulsion structure. These intermediaries lower water activity to inhibit microbes while being compatible with and stabilizing the mesophase structure
4Shape
If structured emulsions are designed to provide fat-like consistency, then texture is improved, but stability and shelf-life are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite emulsion system combining multiple components (oil, water, emulsifiers, sugar, sugar alcohol) in specific ratios. This composite approach provides fat-like texture and consistency while the synergistic interactions among components enhance stability and extend shelf-life
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the compositional parameters by incorporating sugar and sugar alcohol at specific concentrations (8-55 wt.%). This parameter change enables the emulsion to achieve desirable texture and consistency while simultaneously improving stability and shelf-life
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 emulsion provides high stability, long shelf-life, and desirable texture, while eliminating saturated and trans fatty acids, and maintaining structural integrity under elevated temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
structured oil-in-water emulsion which exhibits high stability
Implementation Method 2
forms a stable alpha gel phase with low water activity
Implementation Method 3
the particular combination of emulsion components, and their relative amounts, has been found to readily form a structured oil-in-water emulsion
Implementation Method 4
low water activity which means that it has substantially longer shelf life
Implementation Method 5
resisting mesomorphic changes and microbial growth without artificial additives
Implementation Method 6
such structured emulsions or mesophases containing oil and water phases together with an emulsifier component, which typically exhibit a lamellar-type structure and gel-type consistency
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a structured oil-in-water emulsion for use in a food product, a food product, such as a bakery product, comprising the same, and a method of preparing the food product and the emulsion itself. In one aspect the present invention provides an oil-in-water structured emulsion for use in a food product; said structured emulsion comprising: i) from 1 to 8 wt. % emulsifier; ii) from 8 to 55 wt. % of sugar and/or sugar alcohol; iii) from 12 to 40 wt. % water; and iv) from 25 to 70 wt. % oil.