Trichoderma Protease Coagulation for Dairy Solidity and Flavor

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Solution Overview

Problem

Dairy products coagulated with rennet often have a bitter taste and insufficient solidity, and yogurt may require thickening agents for shape retention during distribution and storage.

Innovation Solution

A dairy product using a protein with an amino acid sequence of 90% or more identity to SEQ ID NO: 1 from a microorganism in the genus Trichoderma, which coagulates milk with lactic acid bacteria or yeast, providing a cheese-like solidity and favorable flavor without bitterness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If rennet is used to coagulate milk, then the dairy product becomes solid, but it generates a bitter taste

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesolidityVSAvoidbitter taste
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional rennet with a plant-derived protease enzyme that achieves milk coagulation without producing bitter taste. This substitution uses a different biological catalyst (plant protease instead of animal rennet) that accomplishes the same coagulation function while avoiding the harmful bitter flavor byproduct, effectively using an alternative 'disposable' enzymatic pathway.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a plant-derived protease as an intermediary substance to mediate the coagulation process. This intermediary enzyme acts as a bridge between the milk proteins and the desired solid texture, facilitating coagulation through a different biochemical pathway that does not generate bitter compounds, thus resolving the contradiction between solidity and taste quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If lactic acid fermentation is used to solidify yogurt, then the yogurt becomes solid, but it has insufficient solidity and requires thickening agents

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesolidityVSAvoidneed for thickening agents
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the benefits of enzymatic coagulation with fermentation processes. By using plant-derived protease for initial coagulation followed by lactic acid fermentation, the system merges two solidification mechanisms to achieve superior solidity without requiring additional thickening agents. This combination creates a synergistic effect where the protease provides immediate structural framework and fermentation enhances and maintains the solidity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite coagulation system that uses both plant-derived protease and lactic acid bacteria working together. This composite approach combines the rapid coagulation action of the enzyme with the gradual acidification and texture development of fermentation, producing a yogurt with inherent solidity that eliminates the need for external thickening agents while maintaining product stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 dairy product achieves a cheese-like solidity and favorable flavor without the need for thickening agents, offering a new texture that is harder than yogurt but softer than conventional cheese, with adjustable solidity through reaction conditions.

Implementation Method 1

a protein and an analog thereof, which are predicted to be produced by a microorganism belonging to the genus Trichoderma, and which is nothing more than its amino acid sequences are predicted, have an excellent milk-coagulating action

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCoagulation: Coagulation

Implementation Method 2

fermented milk obtained by the fermentation together with lactic acid bacteria or yeast has a cheese-like solidity, and becomes a dairy product having no bitterness but having a favorable flavor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFermentation: Fermentation

Data Source

PatentEP3320781B1Dairy product
Publication Date: 2020.06.10 GODO SHUSEI CO LTD
  • EP3320781B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3320781B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3320781B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A novel dairy product that has a certain solidity and a favorable flavor is provided. A dairy product, including: a milk-derived raw material containing casein; and a protein consisting of an amino acid sequence having 90% or more identity to the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1.