User research
After a series of investigations, we have found that the incidence of colorectal cancer in today's society is alarmingly high and continues to rise. Furthermore, we have identified a significant gap in the market for colorectal cancer preventive supplements. Virtually no one is addressing this need, except for sulforaphane from cruciferous vegetables.
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sulforaphane Following our research, we decided to create a juicer fermentation tank. Broccoli contains glucoraphanin, which, when broken down by myrosinase, produces sulforaphane. However, our bodies often lack sufficient myrosinase to generate an adequate amount of sulforaphane. Our juicer differs from those available on the market. It ferments broccoli juice to yield a high concentration of sulforaphane. This device will help individuals better prevent colorectal cancer and potentially aid in the postoperative recovery of early-stage colorectal cancer patients.
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After conducting our research, we decided to develop a juice fermentation tank. Broccoli contains glucoraphanin, which, when broken down by myrosinase, generates sulforaphane. However, the myrosinase in our bodies is often insufficient to produce an adequate amount of sulforaphane.
First generation design
Our juicer is different from the juicers available in the market. It ferments the broccoli juice, resulting in a high concentration of sulforaphane. This device we've created aims to assist in the better prevention of colorectal cancer and postoperative recovery for early-stage colorectal cancer patients. Once we had a clear objective, we immediately initiated the first phase of the design process.
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We centered our design around a spherical structure, consisting of two layers. At the top, a motor is positioned, extending into the interior and connected to blades. A thermometer is located on the side of the sphere. Below the sphere, we incorporated an opening with a funnel and a bacterial filtration membrane. Lastly, a supporting frame surrounds the sphere. The motor-blade connection serves the dual purpose of stirring and juicing, while the bacterial filtration membrane ensures that impurities in the juice are filtered out. However, our initial design had significant issues. It failed to maintain the desired temperature control, and we couldn't find a spherical model on the market that matched our vision. Moreover, the slow filtration of juice through the bacterial filtration membrane led to unacceptable waiting times—up to two days for complete filtration. This inefficiency rendered the juice extractor impractical.
Second generation design:
To address these challenges, we introduced a second version of the design. This time, we shifted to a cylindrical container as the core, retaining the motor-blade unit and the thermometer. We also added two pipelines. Here is a representation of our updated design:
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We then proceeded to fabricate this hardware device. We designed it to be compact to ensure it doesn't occupy too much space, and we planned to add some decorations to enhance its aesthetics. We adorned it with our team's name (1). Firstly, we chose a food thermometer to ensure its durability at high temperatures and in contact with liquids, as well as to provide a clearer Celsius reading (2). Two pipelines allow people to observe the changes in the thermometer as it ferments. Injecting cold or hot water into the pipelines facilitates temperature reduction or elevation (3). The motor operates on battery power, making it durable and eliminating the need for recharging (4). In the design, there are protrusions and grooves between the container's lid and the container itself. Aligning the protrusions with the grooves prevents the lid from slipping and ensures a tight seal. Due to a lack of suitable materials, we used a screw cap to provide the necessary sealing (5). To prevent air from entering or disrupting fermentation, we meticulously sealed every gap with a hot glue gun, such as where the motor meets the lid and the connection points between the pipelines and the container body (6). After fermentation, to ensure there are no residual engineered bacterial strains in the fruits and vegetables, we utilized a coffee press with a 0.22-micron bacterial filtration membrane (7).
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Based on this hardware device, we have also developed a complementary bioreactor kit. The kit primarily includes our engineered bacterial freeze-dried powder and the necessary allicin for the ginger system.
How to use:
Begin by purchasing some broccoli and using a common household homogenizer or juicer to break it down. Then, add it to the aforementioned device. Next, introduce our prepared engineered bacterial materials into the device. Activate the motor's stirring function. Start the circulation of water to maintain a fermentation temperature of 37 degrees Celsius. After an overnight fermentation, increase the water circulation temperature to 42°C to initiate the suicide system. Finally, take the fermented vegetable juice and pour it into a coffee press with a bacterial filtration membrane (0.22-micron membrane) for hydraulic filtration. This process yields a cup of broccoli juice rich in sulforaphane.
Fermentation Process Overview:
During the fermentation process. Pouring the fermented mixture into the filtration vessel. Initiating the filtration. Close-up of the filtered residue. Broccoli juice rich in sulforaphane.
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Cost (Object/RMB/USD)
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After the launch of our juicer, we conducted a second round of surveys with potential users. The majority of users raised two key concerns. First, they found our existing device too cumbersome and unattractive for placement in their homes. Second, they were hesitant to introduce another new appliance into their already crowded kitchens.
Third generation design:
As a result, we developed the third-generation hardware device. In the design process of the third generation, we took into account the feedback from users, striving to utilize common kitchen tools found in most households to facilitate the fermentation process. The following is an overview of our design process:
Main Procedure:
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We have also developed a complementary product, a disposable bioreactor bag, which primarily contains our engineered bacterial freeze-dried powder and the allicin required for the ginger system. We plan to manufacture this product in a factory setting. The process involves fermenting our engineered bacteria, followed by freeze-drying to create the freeze-dried powder. We use food-grade plastic to produce the bioreactor bags. The freeze-dried powder, along with food-grade allicin, is then loaded into the disposable bioreactor bag, which is vacuum-sealed. Leveraging the exceptional stability of the engineered bacterial freeze-dried powder, this bioreactor bag has an approximate shelf life of up to two years.
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The user first buys some broccoli and breaks it with the wall breaking machine and juice machine commonly used in the family.
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Then, the ideal procedure involves pouring the broccoli juice, processed using a blender or food processor, into our freeze-dried powder bag containing the engineered bacterial strain. A gentle shake ensures the fusion of our freeze-dried powder with the broccoli juice. Alternatively, we can directly introduce our engineered bacterial strain into a sealed, clean container.
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Next, place the bag into a commonly used household yogurt maker, creating a water bath. Adjust the temperature to approximately 37°C. After an overnight incubation, the following morning, raise the temperature to 42°C. While this yogurt maker may not provide direct temperature control (due to cost constraints), it maintains a constant temperature of 37°C in yogurt-making mode and can be set for up to eight hours. In its natto mode, it maintains a steady temperature of 42°C, which aligns with our requirements.
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Subsequently, transfer the fermented vegetable juice into a coffee press equipped with a bacterial filtration membrane (0.22-micron membrane) and press it to extract the vegetable juice. This final step yields a cup of broccoli juice rich in sulforaphane.
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This production method significantly reduces user costs. After our calculations, the cost per single use is less than one U.S. dollar. Furthermore, we interviewed 50 households, and the results revealed that 84% of these households have a juicer, 48% have a yogurt maker, and 74% own a coffee press. Interestingly, some households that were initially reluctant to purchase our second-generation hardware expressed a willingness to buy after learning that they can use this project by acquiring common kitchen tools. These findings indicate the success of our third-generation hardware fermentation solution. It's important to note that, to ensure biosecurity, we understand the importance of not taking engineered bacterial strains out of the laboratory. Therefore, all the content captured in the aforementioned footage did not involve the use of engineered bacterial strains.
Summary:
Our team created a user-friendly hardware system for making healthy broccoli juice rich in sulforaphane, known for its potential to prevent colorectal cancer and aid in early-stage colorectal cancer recovery. After considering user feedback, we designed a third-generation device that is cost-effective and integrates seamlessly into the home kitchen. By using common kitchen tools and a yogurt maker, users can achieve controlled fermentation. This approach significantly reduces costs, with each use costing less than a dollar. Our project's success lies in its innovation, user-centric design, and a strong emphasis on biosecurity. It makes colorectal cancer prevention and recovery accessible to a wider audience.