Textured Porous Barrier Transfer Casing for Food Additive Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current food casings fail to effectively transfer functional additives like liquid smoke or caramel solutions onto food products while maintaining a net-like pattern and preventing weight loss during cooking and storage, due to their permeable nature and limited absorbance capacity.
Innovation Solution
A multi-layered coextruded thermoplastic food casing with a thermoplastic porous absorbing layer comprising (co)polyolefin and (co)polyamide, featuring areas with reduced and non-reduced average layer thickness for differential porosity and retaining capacity, allowing for the transfer of functional additives and creation of a net-like pattern on the food surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If the casing is made permeable for smoke, then the meat product can be smoked and gain flavor, but the casing allows water vapor loss leading to weight reduction during cooking and storage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a multi-layered casing structure where different layers have different properties. The inner layer is smoke-permeable to allow flavor penetration, while the outer layer provides water vapor barrier protection. This resolves the contradiction by giving different parts of the casing different functions - the inner layer handles smoke absorption while the outer layer prevents moisture loss.
2Loss of substance
If the casing has high water vapor barrier properties, then weight loss during storage is prevented, but the casing cannot effectively transfer functional additives like liquid smoke onto the food product
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the casing into multiple functional layers. The outer layer provides water vapor barrier properties to prevent moisture loss, while the inner layer is designed with smoke-permeable characteristics and functional additive absorption capacity. This segmentation allows each layer to specialize in one function, resolving the contradiction between moisture retention and additive transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining different polymer layers with distinct properties. The outer layer uses water vapor barrier materials while the inner layer uses smoke-permeable materials with functional additives. This composite structure enables the casing to simultaneously achieve both water vapor retention and effective additive transfer capabilities.
3Shape
If a net is used to shape and stabilize the meat product, then the product gains textured appearance, but the net blocks smoke access to the product surface and requires additional casing layers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the net's shaping function with the casing's protective and flavoring functions into a single integrated structure. The net is incorporated as part of the multi-layered casing system, where the net provides the textured appearance and shaping, while the surrounding casing layers provide smoke permeability and water vapor barrier protection. This merging eliminates the need for separate net and casing components.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If the casing uses a multi-layered structure with different functions, then both smoke permeability and water vapor barrier properties are achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the multi-layered casing to perform multiple functions simultaneously. Each layer is optimized for specific functions (smoke permeability, water vapor barrier, additive transfer), but the overall structure provides comprehensive protection and flavoring in a single integrated component. This multi-functionality approach resolves the contradiction by making the complex structure justify its value through enhanced performance.
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 casing efficiently transfers functional additives, maintains food moisture, and achieves a visually appealing net-like pattern on the food product, enhancing the product's appearance and reducing weight loss during storage.
Implementation Method 1
a thermoplastic porous absorbing layer comprising areas having a non-reduced average layer thickness and areas having a reduced average layer thickness
Implementation Method 2
able to transfer a pattern consisting of at least two different amounts of said functional additive onto a surface of the foodstuff enclosed by said food casing
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention provides a multi-layered coextruded thermoplastic food casing comprising: at least one thermoplastic porous absorbing layer; and at least one layer having a barrier effect for water vapor and/or oxygen, wherein the at least one layer having a barrier effect for water vapor and/or oxygen has an average layer thickness in a range of from 5 to 60 µm over the entire surface area, wherein the at least one thermoplastic porous absorbing layer comprises as a main component at least one thermoplastic polymer material selected from the group consisting of (co)polyamides and (co)polyolefins, wherein the at least one thermoplastic porous absorbing layer comprises areas having a reduced average layer thickness and areas having a non-reduced average layer thickness, wherein the average layer thickness of the at least one thermoplastic porous absorbing layer in areas having a non-reduced average layer thickness is in a range of from 10 to 200 µm, wherein the average layer thickness in areas having a reduced average layer thickness is lower by 7 to 140 µm and is reduced by a range of from 30 to 85% compared to the areas having a non-reduced average layer thickness of the at least one thermoplastic porous absorbing layer, and wherein both areas having a reduced average layer thickness and a non-reduced average layer thickness comprise pores which are able to absorb a functional additive.