EP1551237A1

EP1551237A1 - Continuous production of couscous

Info

Publication number: EP1551237A1
Application number: EP03807720A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Werner Seiler
Original assignee: Buehler AG
Current assignee: Buehler AG
Priority date: 2002-10-08
Filing date: 2003-08-19
Publication date: 2005-07-13
Also published as: DE10246843A1; WO2004032650A1; AU2003250716A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and an installation for the continuous production of couscous or similar products containing semolina and/or flour agglomerates. Said method comprises the following steps: a) semolina and flour are dosed and mixed in order to obtain a semolina/flour mixture; b) water is dosed into the semolina/flour mixture and mixed thereinto with sufficiently fast mixing movements for an at least partial liquidisation of the semolina/flour mixture, in order to evenly wet the semolina and flour particles of the semolina/flour mixture; c) the semolina/flour mixture wetted with water is mixed again with less rapid mixing movements, avoiding the liquidisation of the semolina/flour mixture, in order to create an agglomeration of semolina and/or flour particles to form agglomerates of semolina and/or flour particles; d) the agglomerates obtained in step c) are cooked, optionally adding more water in order to cause the starch contained in the semolina and flour particles to swell; and e) the swollen, starch-containing agglomerates obtained in step d) are dried, the agglomerates being mixed at least intermittently in the course of the drying process in order to prevent the agglomerates obtained in step c) and cooked in step d) from sticking together.

Description

Continuous production of couscous

The invention relates to a method and a plant for the production of couscous.

The invention is based on the object of optimizing previously known methods for producing couscous, in which conventional dryers are used, in such a way that a uniform product quality, in particular a particle size of the couscous that is as uniform as possible, is achieved.

In terms of the method, this object is achieved by the method according to claim 1 and in terms of the device by means of the system according to claim 21.

According to the method according to the invention for the continuous production of products containing couscous or similar semolina and / or flour agglomerates, the following steps are carried out:

a) metered addition and mixing of semolina and flour in a first process area in order to produce a semolina / flour mixture comprising semolina particles and flour particles; b) metered addition and mixing of water into the semolina / flour mixture in a second process area, in which sufficiently rapid mixing movements for at least partial fluidization of the semolina / flour mixture take place in order to uniformly wet the semolina and flour particles of the semolina / Effect flour mixture; c) continued mixing of the semolina / flour mixture wetted with water in a third process area, in which less rapid mixing movements take place while avoiding fluidization of the semolina / flour mixture in order to agglomerate semolina and / or flour particles into semolina and / or to effect agglomerates containing flour particles; d) cooking the agglomerates obtained in step c), optionally with further addition of water, in a fourth process area in order to cause the starch contained in the semolina and flour particles to swell; e) drying the swollen starch-containing agglomerates obtained in step d) in a fifth process area, the agglomerates being mixed at least during partial sections in the course of the drying process in order to prevent the agglomerates obtained in step c) from being caked and cooked in step d).

Due to the fact that the still moist and sticky starch-containing agglomerates are mixed at least during part of the time in the course of the drying process, the formation of too large agglomerates is largely prevented towards the end of the process, so that a relatively uniform product with regard to the particle size and the degree of drying is obtained.

To mix the agglomerates during drying in step e), a surface which is arranged at least on the bottom of the fifth process area and on which the agglomerates rest is vibrated. Vibrating results in effective comminution into large agglomerates. It also ensures that the particles to be dried are all exposed to the drying effect in the fifth process area (drying area) on average during the drying step, so that in addition to the relatively uniform particle size, a relatively uniform degree of drying or water content of the couscous particles is achieved ,

Alternatively or additionally, to mix the agglomerates during the drying in step e), a fluidizing and drying gas for drying and fluidizing the agglomerates can be blown into the fifth processing area through a perforated surface at least at the bottom of the fifth processing area on which the agglomerates rest , The fluidization is very effective, since on the one hand it prevents the formation of too large agglomerates and on the other hand it leads to a good purging of all the particles with drying gas, whereby preferably a sufficient sufficient dry and warm drying gas is used, which flows around and fluidizes the agglomerates.

Alternatively or additionally, the drying in step e) can be carried out by irradiating the agglomerates with infrared radiation. A high drying performance is achieved by a combination of drying gas flow and infrared radiation. It is essential that the particles heated by infrared absorption and / or by heat conduction from the drying gas emit water vapor, which is immediately removed by the gas stream.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the fifth process area comprises a predrying area in which a predrying e1) of the agglomerates takes place, and a final drying area in which a final drying e2) of the agglomerates takes place. As a rule, each process area, i.e. Both the predrying area and the final drying area have a degree of dryness which is scattered over a more or less broad spectrum, the spectrum generally following approximately a normal distribution. The division of the drying area into two separate drying areas connected in series, each with its own residence time spectrum, means that the resulting residence time spectrum and the spectrum of the degree of drying of the couscous particles for the connection in series of the two drying areas is significantly narrower than if one used the same energy expenditure and one drying area volume , which corresponds to the sum of the volumes of the two separate drying areas, would work in only one drying area.

The predrying that takes place in e1) can take place, for example, by vibrating and / or fluidizing the agglomerates in a first vibration and / or fluidizing chamber. Likewise, the final drying taking place in e2) can take place by vibrating and / or fluidizing the agglomerates in a second vibration and / or fluidizing chamber. Even if the two vibration and / or fluidization chambers have different dimensions and residence time spectra, the separation of the two drying areas into a first chamber and a separate second chamber, within which the Particles are mixed in each case, a narrowing of the resulting residence time spectrum and thus the resulting spectrum of degrees of drying is achieved.

The final drying at e2) can also take place in a belt dryer. Such a belt dryer works with little or no fluidization of the particles, which is why it has a very narrow residence time spectrum. The combination of a vibration and / or fluidization chamber for pre-drying e1) with a drum or belt dryer for final drying e2) combines the advantages of the good mixing achieved with e1) with the narrow residence time range with e2).

Steps a) to e) are expediently carried out continuously. This applies in particular to the pre-drying e1) and the final drying e2), which, as mentioned above, take place continuously in series.

Steps a) to c) can each take place in at least one continuous mixer which has a mixing chamber in which at least one rotating mixing and conveying element is mounted, which through the mixing chamber contains the semolina / flour mixture or the semolina and flour agglomerates promoted. Similar to the fifth process area (drying area e), which is divided into two or more separate areas with a wide residence time spectrum (e1) and a narrow residence time spectrum (e2), the division of the mixing area into an area for the initial mixing and wetting of the product (second process area) b) and an area for further mixing and swelling of the product (third process area c) contributes to a relatively narrow overall residence time spectrum in areas b) and c).

The mixing and conveying elements are preferably rotated at a speed of approximately 200-2000 rpm during the metered addition and mixing of water into the semolina / flour mixture, while the mixing and conveying elements in step c) ) continued mixing of the semolina / flour mixture wetted with water can be rotated at a speed of approx. 20 - 200 rpm. In step b) the product is fluidized and wetted. The residence time spectrum in area b) is wide. In step c) the product swells, which is relatively compact due to the process space is transported. The residence time spectrum in area c) is narrow. The resulting residence time spectrum of areas b) and c) and the degree of swelling of the particles after passing through areas b) and c) is also relatively narrow.

The initial moisture content of the semolina and flour added and metered in step a) is preferably in the range of about 12-15% by weight. The metered addition and mixing of water into the semolina / flour mixture in step b) then results in a mixture moisture of about 30-40% by weight of water. Preferably, about 1-2% by weight of water is added during the boiling in step c), and finally a product moisture of about 8-13% by weight is finally set during the drying in step e), expediently during predrying in step e1) a product moisture of approximately 15-20% by weight is initially set and the desired product moisture of approximately 11-12.5% by weight is set in the subsequent final drying in step e2).

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the process according to the invention, wet screening takes place between steps c) and d), in which the product is divided into a wet fine fraction with too fine a product, into a wet medium fraction with an acceptable product and into a wet coarse fraction with too coarse Product is divided, the wet fine fraction being fed back to the process in step b) or c), the wet middle fraction being fed to step d) and the wet coarse fraction first being wet-crushed and then being fed to step d). The advantage is that if only "good", i.e. uniform or equally large product, a uniform treatment of all couscous particles takes place, which also enables minimal product return, if necessary after a dry sifting before packaging the end product.

In a further preferred embodiment, dry screening is carried out after step e), in which the product is divided into a dry fine fraction with too fine product, into a dry medium fraction with acceptable product and into a dry coarse fraction with too coarse product, the dry fine fraction in step a) is fed back to the process, the dry medium fraction is removed as the end product is packed and the dry coarse fraction is first dry-crushed and then packaged as the end product.

Both wet sieving and dry sieving, in which, on the one hand, the fine fraction is subsequently returned to the process for renewed agglomeration in step c) and, on the other hand, there is a subsequent deagglomeration of the coarse fraction, contribute to the optimal utilization of the raw materials semolina and Flour with. Since the resulting fine fractions are returned to the process in closed circuits by means of pneumatic lines and cyclone separators both in the wet and in the dry area of the process according to the invention, the process according to the invention is also distinguished by being free of dust and thus high hygiene and cleanliness.

The system according to the invention for performing the described method has the following elements:

a dosing device for the metered addition and mixing of semolina and flour to produce a semolina and flour particle-containing semolina / flour mixture; a first mixing device for the metered addition and mixing of water into the semolina / flour mixture by means of sufficiently rapid mixing movements for at least partial fluidization of the semolina / flour mixture for uniform wetting of the semolina and flour particles of the semolina / flour mixture; a second mixing device for the continued mixing of the water-containing semolina / flour mixture by means of less rapid mixing movements while avoiding fluidization of the semolina / flour mixture for the agglomeration of semolina and / or flour particles to form agglomerates comprising semolina and / or flour particles; a cooking device for cooking the agglomerates originating from the second mixing device to swell the starch contained in the semolina and flour particles; and a drying device for drying the starch-containing agglomerates originating from the cooking device, in which the agglomerates at least during rend temporal sections of the drying process are mixed to prevent caking of the cooked agglomerates, the drying device having a pre-dryer and a final dryer.

A fluidized bed / vibro dryer is preferably used as the pre-dryer and the final dryer. Alternatively, a fluidized bed / vibro dryer can also be used for the pre-dryer, while a belt or drum dryer is used as the final dryer. Both alternatives contribute to the narrowing of the overall residence time spectrum in the two dryers and thus to a product quality that is as uniform as possible.

The system can additionally have a wet classifier and a device for wet comminuting the wet coarse fraction from the wet classifier. Alternatively or in addition, the system can have a dry sifter and a device for dry comminuting the wet coarse fraction from the dry sifter. This guarantees a practically complete utilization of the raw materials flour and semolina as well as a uniform particle size of the couscous obtained.

The product according to the invention has a swelling behavior in lukewarm water (30-40 ° C.) of at least 1: 3.

Further advantages, features and possible uses of the invention result from the following description of two exemplary embodiments of the method according to the invention or the system according to the invention with reference to the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the system according to the invention; and FIG. 2 shows a second exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention.

1 is a schematic illustration of a first exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention for carrying out the method according to the invention. Via a raw material supply line 1, the raw materials semolina and flour with an initial moisture content of about 12 to 15% are fed into a metering device 3. tion of the raw materials flour and semolina in a first mixing device 4. In addition, the first mixing device 4 is supplied with water via a water supply line 2. The first mixing device 4 is a "high-speed mixer" in which the initially relatively dry raw materials flour and semolina are fluidized together with the metered water, so that the surface of the semolina and flour particles is completely wetted. The high-speed mixer 4 operates at speeds in the range from 200 to 1000 rpm, so that the product has a relatively short residence time in this first mixing device.

The product which has been pretreated and wetted in this way then passes into a second mixing device 5, which is designed as a "slow mixer", which operates at a speed of 20 to 200 rpm and thus has a longer residence time of the product than the first mixing device 4. During this relatively long dwell time in the second mixing device 5, the product is also soaked inside, so that the raw materials, which mainly consist of starch, swell. The water content of the product in the mixing device 5 is about 30 to 40%. Due to the low speed of the mixing elements and the associated much longer dwell time of the product in the slow mixer or agglomerator 5, the tendency of the particles to stick together is counteracted by the movement of the shaft in the chamber of the agglomerator 5, so that a balance is achieved between agglomeration and deagglomeration of the particles comes. By adjusting the amount of water added in the high-speed mixer or agglomerator 4 and by adjusting the speeds of the respective shafts in the mixing chambers of the high-speed mixer 4 or the slow mixer 5, agglomerates with different average sizes can be produced at the outlet of the slow mixer.

The agglomerate obtained in this way reaches a wet classifier 6 via a pneumatic line 17a and a cyclone separator 17b. Here, the product is classified into a wet fine fraction, a wet medium fraction and a wet coarse fraction. The wet fine fraction contains particles that are smaller than the desired particle size. They are again fed to the first mixing device 4 via a scale 15 together with the raw materials semolina and flour which are metered in via the metering device 3. The wet middle fraction is one via a pneumatic line 18a and a cyclone 18b Cooking device 7 supplied. The wet coarse fraction of the particles passes through a reductor 16, in which wet comminution of too large agglomerates takes place, again into the second mixing device or the slow mixer 5. This ensures that too fine particles and too coarse particles agglomerate again or again be deagglomerated so that they can also be passed on to the cooking device 7 as an acceptable wet middle fraction on the next pass through the wet sifter 6.

In the cooking device or the band cooker 7, the wet particles are cooked at an elevated temperature and with the addition of 1 to 2% water. This causes the starchy particles to swell completely.

The cooked starch particles then go first to a pre-dryer 8 and then to a final dryer 9, each of which is a fluidized bed / ibro dryer. The particles are dried in the first fluidized bed / vibratory dryer 8 using conventional heat or infrared radiation to a water content of 15 to 20%. In the subsequent second fluidized bed / vibratory dryer 9, further drying takes place with conventional heat or infrared radiation to a water content of 11 to 12%. Drying in a fluidized bed with a hot drying gas and / or by infrared radiation is very effective. By connecting two dryers in series, each of which has a fluidized bed characteristic with a relatively large residence time spectrum, the resulting residence time spectrum of the series connection of the two dryers 8, 9 can be significantly reduced. This ensures a uniform water content in the dried particles.

The dried but still hot product reaches a fluidized bed cooler 10 via a further pneumatic line 19a and a further cyclone separator 19b. This fluidized bed cooler 10 is constructed similarly to the two fluidized bed / vibro dryer 8 and 9. However, it does not work with hot air but with cold air.

Via a further pneumatic line 20a and a further cyclone separator 20b, the now dry and cooled product reaches a dry sifter H in this dry sifter 11, similar to the wet sifting previously carried out, Corner sifting of the added product into a dry fine fraction, a dry middle fraction and a dry coarse fraction.

The coarse fraction expelled by the dry sifter 11 is fed to a granulator 12, in which the particles are comminuted, similarly to the previously too large wet particles in the reductor 16. The comminuted particles reach the dry classifier 11 again via the pneumatic lines 21a and 22a and the cyclone separators 21b and 22b. The dry fine fraction, which results from the particles which are already too small when they are fed into the dry classifier 11, and from the particles in the granulator 12 strongly comminuted particles, the raw materials semolina and flour are fed again via a return line 13 (only partially shown), and thus reaches the process described so far again via the metering device 3. The dry middle fraction represents the desired end product with the correct particle size and is filled into storage container 14. The end product is stored or packaged there.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a second exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention for carrying out the method according to the invention. All elements of FIG. 2, which are identical to elements of FIG. 1, have the same reference numbers. Similar to the first exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1, in the second exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2, the raw materials semolina and flour are agglomerated with the aid of the metering device 3, the first mixing device 4 (high-speed mixer), and the second mixing device 5 (slow mixer or agglomerator ) and the wet sifter 6. The subsequent cooking also takes place here in a belt cooker 7. In contrast to the first exemplary embodiment, however, in the second exemplary embodiment the product particles are dried by means of a pre-dryer 8, which is a vortex / vibro dryer as in the first Embodiment, and by means of a final dryer 9 ', which, in contrast to the first embodiment here is a belt or drum dryer.

The transport from the pre-dryer 8 into the final dryer 9 'takes place via a pneumatic line 23a and via a cyclone separator 23b. While the fluidized bed / vibro dryer working as a pre-dryer 8 has a large residence time spectrum, the dryer 9 'working belt or drum dryer a very narrow dwell time. Similar to the connection of two fluidized bed / vibratory dryer 8, 9 in series, here in the second exemplary embodiment, an extremely efficient and uniform drying of the product can be achieved by connecting a fluidized bed / vibratory dryer 8 and a belt or drum dryer 9 'in series.

Similar to the first exemplary embodiment, product cooling is carried out here with the aid of a fluidized bed cooler 10. The subsequent dry classification using a dry classifier 11 in conjunction with a granulator 12 for the rejected dry coarse fraction takes place in a manner similar to that in the first exemplary embodiment. The dry fine fraction is again fed to the raw materials semolina and flour, while the dry medium fraction acceptable as the end product is fed to the storage containers 14 for storage or subsequent packaging.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

Raw material supply line Water supply line Dosing device for raw materials first mixing device second mixing device wet sifter cooking device or belt cooker pre-dryer or fluidized bed / vibro dryer end dryer or fluidized bed / vibro dryer 'end dryer or belt or drum dryer 0 fluidized bed cooler 1 dry sifter for end product 2 granulator (for dry comminution) 3 return line for dry fine fraction 4 storage containers (for end product) 5 scales 6 reductor (for wet comminution) 7a pneumatic line 8a pneumatic line 9a pneumatic line 0a pneumatic line 1a pneumatic line 2a pneumatic line 3a pneumatic line 7b cyclone separator 8b cyclone separator 9b cyclone separator 0b cyclone separator 1 cyclone separator 1 cyclone separator 1 cyclone separator 1 cyclone separator

Claims

claims

1. A process for the continuous production of products containing couscous or similar semolina and / or flour agglomerates, which comprises the following steps:

a) metered addition and mixing of semolina and flour in a first process area in order to produce a semolina / flour mixture comprising semolina particles and flour particles; b) metered addition and mixing of water into the semolina / flour mixture in a second process area, in which sufficiently rapid mixing movements for an at least partial fluidization of the semolina / flour mixture take place in order to uniformly wet the semolina and flour particles of the semolina / Effect flour mixture; c) continued mixing of the water / semolina mixture in a third process area, in which less rapid mixing movements occur while avoiding fluidization of the semolina / flour mixture in order to agglomerate semolina and / or flour particles into semolina and / or to effect agglomerates containing flour particles; d) cooking the agglomerates obtained in step c), optionally with further addition of water, in a fourth process area in order to cause the starch contained in the semolina and flour particles to swell; e) drying the swollen starch-containing agglomerates obtained in step d) in a fifth process area, the agglomerates being mixed at least during partial sections in the course of the drying process in order to prevent the agglomerates obtained in step c) from being caked and cooked in step d).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that for mixing the agglomerates during drying in step e) at least at the bottom surface of the fifth process area, on which the agglomerates lie, is vibrated.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that for mixing the agglomerates during drying in step e) through a perforated surface arranged at least at the bottom of the fifth process area, on which the agglomerates lie, a fluidizing and drying gas for drying and Fluidizing the agglomerates is blown into the fifth process area.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the drying in step e) is carried out by a sufficiently dry and warm drying gas which flows around and fluidizes the agglomerates.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the drying in step e) is carried out by irradiating the agglomerates with infrared radiation.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the fifth process area has a predrying area in which a predrying e1) of the agglomerates takes place, and a final drying area in which a final drying e2) of the agglomerates takes place.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the pre-drying at e1) takes place by vibrating and / or fluidizing the agglomerates in a first vibration and / or fluidizing chamber.

8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the final drying at e2) takes place by vibrating and / or fluidizing the agglomerates in a second vibration and / or fluidizing chamber.

9. The method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the final drying at e2) takes place in a drum or belt dryer.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that steps a) to e), in particular the predrying e1) and the final drying e2), take place continuously.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that steps a) to c) each take place in at least one continuous mixer which has a mixing chamber in which at least one rotating mixing and conveying element is mounted, which the semolina / flour mixture or the agglomerates containing semolina and flour are conveyed through the mixing chamber.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the mixing and conveying elements are rotated at a speed of approximately 200-2000 rpm during the metered addition and mixing of water into the semolina / flour mixture taking place in step b).

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the mixing and conveying elements are rotated at a speed of about 20 - 200 rpm during the continuous mixing of the water-mixed semolina / flour mixture taking place in step c).

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the moisture agglomerates with little or no mechanical stress in a defined rest phase experience a moisture balance and a consolidation of the granules, whereby the bulk density of the end product is predetermined.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the initial moisture content of the semolina and flour which has been metered in and mixed in step a) is in the range of approximately 12-15% by weight.

16. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that by the metered addition and mixing in of water in step b) a mixture moisture of about 30-40% by weight is achieved in the semolina / flour mixture.

17. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that about 1-2% by weight of water in the form of steam is added during the boiling in step c).

18. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that in the drying taking place in step e) a product moisture of about 8-13, in particular 11, 5 - 12, 5 wt .-% is set.

19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that during the pre-drying in step e1) a product moisture of about 15-20% by weight is initially set and during the subsequent final drying in step e2) the product moisture of about 11-12.5% by weight. -% is set.

20. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that between steps c) and d) wet screening takes place, in which the product is in a wet fine fraction with too fine product, in a wet medium fraction with acceptable product and is divided into a coarse wet fraction with too coarse product, the wet fine fraction being fed back to the process in step b) or c), the wet middle fraction being fed to step d) and the wet coarse fraction first being wet-crushed and then to step d ) is supplied.

21. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that after step e) a dry screening takes place, in which the product in a dry fine fraction with too fine product, in a dry medium fraction with an acceptable product and in a dry Coarse fraction is divided into coarse product, the dry fine fraction being fed back to the process in step a), the dry medium fraction being packaged as the end product, and the dry coarse fraction being first dry-crushed and then packaged as the end product.

22. Plant for carrying out the method according to one of claims 1 to 21, which comprises:

a metering device (3) for the metered addition and mixing of semolina and flour to produce a semolina / flour mixture comprising semolina particles and flour particles; a first mixing device (4) for the metered addition and mixing of water into the semolina / flour mixture by means of sufficiently rapid mixing movements for at least partial fluidization of the semolina / flour mixture for uniform wetting of the semolina and flour particles of the semolina / flour mixture; a second mixing device (5) for the continued mixing of the water / semolina / flour mixture by means of less rapid mixing movements while avoiding fluidization of the semolina / flour mixture for agglomeration of semolina and / or flour particles to form agglomerates containing semolina and / or flour particles ; a cooking device (7) for cooking the agglomerates originating from the second mixing device to swell the starch contained in the semolina and flour particles; and a drying device (8, 9; 8, 20) for drying the starch-containing agglomerates originating from the cooking device, in which the agglomerates are mixed at least during partial periods of the drying process in order to prevent the cooked agglomerates from caking, the drying device comprising a pre-dryer ( 8) and an end dryer (9; 20).

23. Plant according to claim 21, characterized in that the pre-dryer (8) and the final dryer (9) are each a fluidized bed / vibratory dryer.

24. Plant according to claim 2, characterized in that the pre-dryer (8) is a fluidized bed / vibro dryer and the final dryer (20) is a belt or drum dryer.

25. Plant according to one of claims 21 to 23, in particular for carrying out the method according to claim 19, characterized in that the plant has a wet sifter (6) and a device (16) for wet comminution of the wet coarse fraction from the wet Sifter (6).

26. Plant according to one of claims 21 to 24, in particular for carrying out the method according to claim 20, characterized in that the plant has a dry sifter (11) and a device (12) for dry-crushing the wet coarse fraction from the dry Sifter (11).

27. Couscous product which was produced by a process according to one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that it has a swelling behavior of at least 1: 3 in lukewarm water at temperatures in the range from approximately 30 to 40 ° C.