Free Flowing Vegetable Powder for Snack Texture and Color
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for snack products that offer improved nutritional profiles, taste, appearance, and texture without artificial coloring or flavoring, and that can deliver a substantial serving of vegetables while maintaining product features such as texture, taste, and appearance.
Innovation Solution
A free-flowing vegetable powder is developed, comprising an intimate mixture of dehydrated vegetables including onion, moderately colored vegetables from the genus Cucurbita or Oleracea, and intensely colored vegetables, which provides nutritional benefits, natural color, and a mild taste, allowing for high vegetable serving sizes in snack products without affecting texture or taste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If vegetables are incorporated into fabricated snacks to improve nutritional profile and deliver substantial vegetable serving, then nutritional value and vegetable content are improved, but the texture, taste, and appearance of the snack product deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the particle size of dehydrated vegetables to be between 10-500 microns (preferably 20-400 microns) and moisture content to be less than 10% (preferably 2-7%). These parameter optimizations ensure the vegetable powder integrates smoothly into the dough without compromising snack texture, while delivering substantial vegetable content (at least 1/3 serving per ounce of snack).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by creating an intimate mixture of multiple dehydrated vegetables (onion, moderately colored vegetables from Cucurbita or Oleracea, and intensely colored vegetables) in specific proportions. This composite vegetable powder blend maintains bland taste and uniform color distribution, allowing high vegetable incorporation (5-60% of dough weight) without negatively affecting the snack's overall taste and appearance.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If artificial coloring and flavoring are removed to improve product naturalness and health profile, then product safety and consumer appeal are improved, but the consistency and reliability of taste and appearance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies homogeneity by ensuring uniform distribution of vegetable particles throughout the dough matrix through controlled particle size (10-500 microns) and intimate mixing. This homogeneous distribution, combined with the selection of vegetables having complementary colors and mild flavors, ensures consistent taste and natural color appearance across the final snack product without requiring artificial additives.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If dehydrated vegetables are processed to maintain storage stability, then shelf life and storage reliability are improved, but the hydratability and reconstitution quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the moisture content of dehydrated vegetables to be less than 10% (preferably 2-7%) and particle size to be between 10-500 microns. These parameter settings create a balance where the vegetable powder remains storage stable with extended shelf life while maintaining excellent hydratability, allowing instant reconstitution when incorporated into the dough during snack fabrication.
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 vegetable powder enhances the nutritional value and natural color of snack products, delivering a substantial serving of vegetables while maintaining desirable taste and texture aspects, and is instantly hydratable with excellent storage stability.
Implementation Method 1
comprising an intimate mixture of dehydrated vegetables
Data Source
AI summary
A free flowing vegetable powder comprises an intimate mixture of at least three different dehydrated vegetables including:5-60% of onion by weight of vegetable dry matter;20-90% by weight of vegetable dry matter of moderately colored vegetable selected from the group consisting of vegetables belonging to the genus Cucurbita, vegetables belonging to the genus Oleracea, sweet corn, sweet potato, green bean, edamame, celery and combinations thereof; and5-75% by weight of vegetable dry matter of intensely colored vegetable selected from the group consisting of tomato, red bell pepper, red beet, radicchio, swiss chard, rhubarb, peppers, yam, Adzuki beans, carrot, green pea, green bell pepper, asparagus, spinach, Brussels sprouts, kale, egg plant and combinations thereof. The vegetable powder according to the present invention can advantageously be employed in fabricated savory snacks to deliver nutritional benefit, a considerable vegetable serving size, color and taste.