Wood Lignan Mixture for Cholesterol Reduction
Solution Overview
Problem
Current food products often lack essential nutrients and contain unhealthy fats, leading to high cholesterol levels, while plant lignans are insufficient in quantity to provide significant health benefits, and wood lignans are hindered by their dark color and bitter taste, limiting their use as food additives.
Innovation Solution
A lignan mixture comprising 7-hydroxymatairesinol, conidendrin, lariciresinol, and secoisolariciresinol, or their geometric isomers, extracted using an alcohol-water solution, is used as a dietary supplement to lower cholesterol levels, with a concentration of 1-50 wt-%, overcoming the taste and color issues and enhancing nutritional value.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wood lignans are used as food additive, then cholesterol lowering effect is achieved, but dark color and bitter aftertaste occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the beneficial lignan compounds (secoisolariciresinol, lariciresinol, matairesinol) from wood material through controlled extraction processes, separating them from the problematic dark pigments and bitter-tasting components. This selective extraction maintains the cholesterol-lowering efficacy while eliminating the sensory defects that would prevent food acceptance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different processing conditions to different components of the wood extract. By controlling extraction parameters (solvent type, temperature, pH), the process selectively dissolves and isolates the desirable lignan compounds while leaving behind the undesirable dark colorants and bitter substances, creating a product with localized quality improvements.
2Reliability
If plant lignans are used as dietary supplement, then health benefits are provided, but insufficient quantity is obtained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes wood material as an alternative source for lignans, expanding the resource base beyond traditional plant sources. Wood serves multiple functions: it provides abundant lignan precursors, offers a sustainable renewable resource, and enables industrial-scale production. This multi-functional use of wood material solves the quantity limitation of plant-based lignans.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the source material parameter from low-lignan plant foods to high-lignan wood material, and adjusts processing parameters (extraction solvent, temperature, time) to maximize lignan recovery. This parameter transformation enables obtaining sufficient quantities of bioactive lignans for effective dietary supplementation.
3Quantity of substance
If wood lignans are extracted using conventional methods, then lignan compounds are obtained, but dark color and bitter taste remain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary treatment steps before the main extraction process, including wood pretreatment and extraction optimization, to prevent the formation of dark pigments and bitter compounds. By preparing the wood material and controlling extraction conditions in advance, the process achieves high lignan recovery while preventing the generation of unwanted byproducts.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite extraction systems combining multiple solvents or processing agents that work synergistically to selectively extract lignan compounds while leaving behind colorants and bitter substances. The composite extraction medium enhances selectivity and efficiency, separating desired compounds from unwanted components in a single integrated process.
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 lignan mixture effectively lowers cholesterol levels in mammals with minimal daily dosage, improving cardiovascular health and providing antioxidative and antimicrobial benefits, extending the shelf life of food products and enhancing gut health.
Implementation Method 1
A lignan mixture comprising 7-hydroxymatairesinol, conidendrin, lariciresinol, and secoisolariciresinol, or their geometric isomers, extracted using an alcohol-water solution
Data Source
AI summary
A method to lower cholesterol level in a mammal blood serum is provided. A composition to lower the cholesterol levels and a method to make the composition is also disclosed. Food products with elongated shelf life as well as beneficial effects on human health are disclosed.