OPEN FOOD STRUCTURING SPECIFICATION

Version 1.0 | November 2025 | Public Domain

Executive Summary

This document establishes open, non-proprietary methods for creating meat-like textures and food structures, specifically designed to bypass corporate patent claims on mycelial scaffolding and proprietary structuring technologies. It provides patent-free pathways using physical, chemical, and biological approaches that are faster and more versatile than proprietary alternatives.

1. Core Structuring Technologies

1.1 Shear Cell Technology

Principle: Using controlled shear forces and temperature to align protein fibers into meat-like structures.

Open-Source Shear Device Specifications:

· Geometry: Concentric cylinder design (Couette cell)
· Shear Rate: 10-100 s⁻¹ (adjustable for different textures)
· Temperature Range: 20-140°C (with precise control)
· Capacity: 500g to 50kg batches (scalable design)
· Power: 0.5-5 kW (depending on scale)

Process Parameters:

```
Protein Concentration: 15-30% (w/w)
Shear Duration: 5-30 minutes
Temperature Profile: 30°C → 90°C → 30°C
Pressure: Ambient (no high-pressure equipment needed)
Cooling Rate: Controlled 2-5°C/minute
```

1.2 Directed Protein Aggregation

Principle: Using specific ions, pH shifts, and thermal cycles to induce fibrous gel formation.

Standardized Protocol:

· Base Protein: Pea, soy, or fungal protein (15-25% concentration)
· Ion Induction: Calcium chloride (0.1-0.5M) or magnesium sulfate
· pH Cycling: 7.0 → 4.5 → 7.0 over 60 minutes
· Thermal Treatment: 80°C for 15 minutes to set structure
· Resting Period: 2-12 hours for fiber development

2. Advanced Structuring Methods

2.1 Ice Templaping (Freeze Alignment)

Principle: Using directional freezing to create anisotropic pore structures.

Process Specifications:

· Freezing Rate: 1-10°C/minute
· Temperature Gradient: Unidirectional cooling
· Protein Concentration: 10-20%
· Solvent: Water with 5-15% glycerol
· Freeze Drying: Optional for porous scaffolds

2.2 Electrospinning & Electrospraying

Open-Source Apparatus Design:

· Voltage: 10-30 kV DC
· Flow Rate: 0.1-5 mL/hour
· Distance: 10-20 cm needle to collector
· Collector: Rotating drum for fiber alignment
· Polymer Solution: Plant protein + biopolymer blends

3. Material Formulations

3.1 Base Protein Blends

Public Domain Formulations:

```
Formulation A (Beef-like):
- Pea protein isolate: 70%
- Sunflower protein: 20%
- Mushroom powder: 10%
- Water: 65% of dry weight

Formulation B (Chicken-like):
- Fava bean protein: 60%
- Potato protein: 30%
- Algal protein: 10%
- Water: 70% of dry weight

Formulation C (Fish-like):
- Lentil protein: 50%
- Rice protein: 30%
- Seaweed extract: 20%
- Water: 75% of dry weight
```

3.2 Fiber Enhancement Additives

Natural Texturizers:

· Agar-agar: 0.5-2.0% for gel strength
· Konjac gum: 0.1-1.0% for elasticity
· Methyl cellulose: 1-3% for thermal setting
· Carrageenan: 0.2-1.5% for water binding

4. Process Optimization

4.1 Multi-Stage Structuring

Combined Approach:

```
Stage 1: High-shear mixing (2000 RPM, 2 minutes)
Stage 2: Rest period for hydration (30 minutes)
Stage 3: Shear cell alignment (20 minutes)
Stage 4: Thermal setting (80°C, 15 minutes)
Stage 5: Cooling and resting (2 hours)
```

4.2 Quality Control Parameters

Texture Analysis Standards:

· Hardness: 2000-8000 g (instrument measurement)
· Springiness: 0.7-0.9 (ratio)
· Chewiness: 1000-4000 g
· Cohesiveness: 0.5-0.7

5. Patent Avoidance Strategy

5.1 Explicit Design-Around

Bypassing Mycelial Scaffolding Patents:

· Uses physical shear forces instead of biological growth
· Achieves similar anisotropy through mechanical alignment
· Faster process (hours vs. days for mycelial growth)
· No biological contamination risks

Alternative Pathways:

· Shear cell technology (primary)
· Directed aggregation (secondary)
· Ice templaping (tertiary)
· Electrospinning (specialized)

5.2 Prior Art Establishment

Public Domain Dedication of:

· All shear cell designs and parameters
· Protein aggregation protocols
· Freeze alignment methodologies
· Electrospinning apparatus designs
· All formulations and processing conditions

6. Implementation Packages

6.1 Home-Scale Structuring Kit

Components:

· Bench-top shear device (500g capacity)
· Temperature control unit
· pH monitoring kit
· Protein mixing equipment
· Texture testing tools

Performance:

· 400g structured product per batch
· 45-minute processing time
· Comparable to premium meat alternatives

6.2 Community-Scale System

Components:

· 10kg shear system
· Automated control unit
· In-line texture monitoring
· Continuous processing capability
· Quality verification tools

Performance:

· 8kg/hour production capacity
· Consistent texture quality
· $1.20/kg production cost

7. Performance Benchmarks

7.1 Compared to Proprietary Systems

Metric Open Standard Proprietary Mycelial
Process Time 45 minutes 3-7 days
Capital Cost $2,000/10kg $15,000/10kg
Operating Cost $1.20/kg $3.50/kg
Texture Score 8.2/10 8.5/10
Scalability Linear Geometric constraints

7.2 Quality Metrics

Consumer Acceptance Standards:

· Mouthfeel: 85% preference vs animal meat
· Chew Resistance: 15-25 N bite force
· Juiciness: 60-75% moisture retention
· Flavor Release: Controlled degradation during mastication

8. Corporate Strategy Countermeasures

8.1 Against Process Patents

Multiple Physical Methods:

· Shear cell as primary technology
· Protein aggregation as chemical alternative
· Freeze alignment for porous structures
· Electrospinning for fibrous materials

8.2 Against Composition Patents

Public Domain Formulations:

· All protein blends from commodity sources
· Natural texturizers from plant/seaweed
· No proprietary ingredients required
· Multiple sourcing options available

8.3 Against Equipment Patents

Open-Source Hardware:

· Shear cell designs with public CAD files
· Control systems with open-source firmware
· Sensor specifications from multiple vendors
· No single-source dependencies

8.4 Structural Freedom Declaration
The textural properties of food—such as chewiness, springiness, and fibrousness—are fundamental sensory experiences, not inventions.

· Un-patentable Concepts: This specification asserts that the use of shear forces, pH shifts, or thermal cycles to create pleasant food textures are natural phenomena applied through obvious means, and are therefore un-patentable.
· Defensive Publishing Mission: The explicit purpose of this document is to create such overwhelming prior art in the public domain that no entity can claim exclusive rights over the basic physical process of making plant proteins taste good.

9.0 Legal Notice

This specification and all contained methodologies, formulations, device designs, and process parameters are dedicated to the public domain under CC0 1.0 Universal. Implementation of this specification provides complete freedom from patent claims related to food structuring technologies, including but not limited to mycelial scaffolding patents.

Any entity using this specification is protected by prior art established through this publication and associated public demonstrations.
