Vacuum Smoke-Infusing Method for Proteinaceous Foods
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for preserving and smoking proteinaceous foods, such as cheeses, crustaceans, and fish, face challenges in achieving uniformity of smoke flavor, color stability, and taste, while also dealing with contamination and efficiency issues in traditional smoking processes. Additionally, there is a need for methods that can preserve the freshness and flavor of fish without the negative side-effects of smoking, particularly for transporting and storing fish over long distances.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum smoke-infusing method that involves enclosing proteinaceous foods in a vacuum-treating zone, introducing smoke under negative pressure, and repeating cycles of smoke introduction, purging, and release to efficiently infuse smoke, combined with a post-chill resting cycle to enhance preservation and flavor. This method can also incorporate Cannabis-derived compounds for medicinal benefits without the negative side-effects of smoking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional smoking methods are used, then smoke flavor is imparted to the food, but the process is time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by using cyclic vacuum and atmospheric pressure alternation during the smoking process. The food is subjected to repeated cycles of vacuum exposure followed by atmospheric pressure exposure, which accelerates smoke penetration and reduces overall smoking time while maintaining flavor quality.
2Temperature
If hot smoking is used to cook and smoke food, then cooking is achieved, but moisture is lost and food becomes dehydrated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses vacuum (inert environment) during the smoking process to prevent oxidative degradation and moisture loss. By conducting smoking under vacuum conditions, the food is protected from dehydration while still receiving smoke flavor, avoiding the moisture loss associated with traditional hot smoking methods.
3Loss of substance
If cold smoking is used to preserve food, then moisture is retained, but the process takes up to one month
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic vacuum and atmospheric pressure cycles to accelerate the cold smoking process. This periodic action increases the rate of smoke penetration and preservation effectiveness, reducing the traditional one-month cold smoking period to a much shorter duration while maintaining moisture retention.
4Productivity
If liquid smoke flavoring is used, then the process is faster, but uniformity and color quality are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses vacuum technology (pneumatics) to enhance smoke penetration and distribution uniformity. The vacuum pressure differential ensures that smoke penetrates the food uniformly throughout, achieving better flavor consistency and color quality compared to liquid smoke methods, while maintaining faster processing speeds.
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 results in proteinaceous foods with improved, mild smoky taste and enhanced preservation at refrigeration temperatures, maintaining freshness and flavor, and allows for the deposition of medicinal compounds from Cannabis without the drawbacks of smoking, enabling efficient infusion and preservation suitable for local consumption or distant export.
Implementation Method 1
subjecting the proteinaceous food to vacuum purging at a negative pressure in the vacuum-treating zone, thereby infusing smoke into such proteinaceous foods
Implementation Method 2
introducing smoke directly or indirectly from a smoke generation zone into the vacuum-treating zone
Implementation Method 3
post-chill resting cycle to enhance preservation and flavor
Data Source
AI summary
A method of smoke-infusing proteinaceous foods comprises the following sequential steps: a) enclosing the proteinaceous foods in a vacuum-treating zone; b) introducing smoke directly or indirectly from a smoke generation zone into the vacuum-treating zone; c) subjecting the proteinaceous foods to vacuum purging at a negative pressure in the vacuum-treating zone, thereby infusing smoke into the proteinaceous foods; d) repeating the steps of introducing smoke directly or indirectly from the smoke generation zone into the vacuum-treating zone; subjecting the proteinaceous foods to vacuum purging at a negative pressure in the vacuum-treating zone at least fifty times in pulsed sequences of smoke introduction stage/vacuum purging stage/vacuum release stage for the efficient infusion of smoke into the proteinaceous foods; and e) a post-chill resting cycle of the smoke-infused proteinaceous foods at a suitable temperature and for a suitable period of time. An optional modification to the smoke-infusing process is the addition of Cannabis plant material in order to enable the deposition of Cannabis-derived compounds on the surface of the smoke-infused food.