Superheated Steam Meat Drying for Fast Reconstitution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods struggle to reconstitute meat-based dried foods within 3 to 5 minutes when the thickness exceeds conventional limits, and existing methods that enhance reconstitution properties often compromise on taste due to high sugar content.
Innovation Solution
A method involving superheated steam processing of meat raw materials or food, followed by freezing and freeze drying, which includes adding moisture before freezing to enhance reconstitution properties, allowing for thicker meat-based dried foods to reconstitute quickly with hot or cold water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the thickness of meat-based dried food is increased to provide voluminous instant food, then the volume and consumer appeal are improved, but the reconstitution time exceeds 3 to 5 minutes
Solution Approach 1:
The meat is subjected to superheated steam processing before freezing and drying. This preliminary treatment creates a porous structure and pre-cooks the meat, enabling faster reconstitution even at increased thickness of 10mm or more, while maintaining the desired voluminous appearance
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical and chemical parameters of the meat through superheated steam processing (temperature, moisture content, protein structure) before freezing and drying. This parameter modification allows the meat to reconstitute quickly in 3-5 minutes despite having increased thickness, resolving the contradiction between volume and reconstitution speed
2Loss of time
If conventional freeze drying method is used to maintain reconstitution time of 3 to 5 minutes, then the reconstitution speed is preserved, but the thickness is limited to approximately 10 mm or less
Solution Approach 1:
Superheated steam processing is applied as a preliminary step before conventional freeze drying. This pre-treatment modifies the meat structure to be more porous and receptive to water absorption, allowing the meat to achieve thickness of 10mm or more while still reconstituting within the 3-5 minute target time frame
3Loss of time
If sugar solution is injected to enhance reconstitution properties, then the reconstitution speed is improved, but the taste is compromised due to high sugar content
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the sugar injection step from the process. Instead of relying on sugar to enhance reconstitution, the method uses superheated steam processing combined with freeze drying to achieve the same effect without adding unwanted sugar, thereby preserving the natural taste of the meat
Solution Approach 2:
The chemical method of sugar injection is replaced with a physical method involving superheated steam processing and freeze drying. This substitution achieves enhanced reconstitution properties through physical structure modification rather than chemical additives, avoiding taste compromise
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 effectively enhances reconstitution properties of meat-based dried foods, enabling them to reconstitute uniformly and efficiently in 3 to 5 minutes, even with increased thickness, without compromising taste.
Implementation Method 1
a step of processing a meat raw material or meat-based food with superheated steam
Implementation Method 2
a step of freezing the meat raw material or meat-based food processed with superheated steam
Implementation Method 3
a step of drying the frozen meat raw material or meat-based food under reduced pressure
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method for producing meat-based dried food that is to be reconstituted by pouring hot or cold water thereto before eating, comprising: a step of processing a meat raw material or meat-based food with superheated steam; a step of freezing the meat raw material or meat-based food processed with superheated steam; and a step of drying the frozen meat material or meat-based food under reduced pressure. It is possible to reconstitute the dried food produced by the production method in a short time of about 3 to 5 minutes even if the dried food is thick.