Sweetener Particles with CMC for Mucosal Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sweetener formulations lack enhanced mucosal adhesion, which affects the prolonged presence and perceived sweetness of sweeteners on the tongue, leading to suboptimal taste experience in food products.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) into sweetener particles at a weight-to-weight ratio of 0.005% to 1.5%, resulting in increased mucosal adhesion and improved sweetness perception by forming mucoadhesive agents that attach to the mucosal surface of the tongue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If CMC is incorporated into sweetener particles, then mucosal adhesion is enhanced and duration of sweetness perception is increased, but formulation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining CMC (a polymer) with sweetener particles to create a new formulation system. The CMC-sweetener composite particles provide both the adhesion function of CMC and the sweetness function of the sweetener, resolving the contradiction by integrating multiple functions into a single composite structure rather than adding separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by incorporating CMC specifically within the sweetener particles rather than as a separate bulk component. This localized incorporation allows the formulation to maintain simplicity at the macro level while achieving enhanced mucosal adhesion at the particle level where it is most needed for taste perception.
2Strength
If CMC is incorporated into sweetener particles, then mucosal adhesion is enhanced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by establishing a specific weight-to-weight ratio range (0.005% to 1.5%) for CMC to sweetener. This quantitative parameter specification transforms the manufacturing challenge from a qualitative mixing problem to a controlled dosing problem, where precise measurement of CMC addition to the sweetener ensures consistent adhesion performance while maintaining manufacturability.
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 CMC-enhanced sweetener formulations exhibit enhanced mucosal adhesion, increasing the duration of sweetness perception and improving the taste experience by maintaining a greater adhesion compared to control formulations without CMC, while maintaining a balanced sweetness level.
Implementation Method 1
the CMC is a mucoadhesive agent, such that a mucosal adhesion of the sweetener formulation is greater than that of a control formulation
Data Source
AI summary
Sweetener formulations including sweetener particles containing a sweetener selected from the group consisting of a sweetener carbohydrate and a sweetener polyol, and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) disposed within the sweetener particles.