FR3042688A1 - PROCESS FOR EXTRACTING COCO WATER AND CORRESPONDING SYSTEM - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of extracting water from at least one coconut comprising successively the following operations: - marking (D) of a cutting line (15) on the coconut (1), this cutting line ( 15) defining a cap (15a); - separation (F) of the cap (15a) of the rest of the coconut (1) by cutting substantially along the line of section (15); - Harvesting (H) water contained in the coconut (1) with the delivery of water through a pipe (4) opening into a container (5). In addition, all or part of said operations are performed under controlled atmosphere.

Description

PROCESS FOR EXTRACTING COCO WATER AND SYSTEM

CORRESPONDING

TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to the field of the extraction of water or fruit pulp. More specifically, the invention relates to a method and a system for extracting water and coconut pulp.

State of the art

The coconut palm (cocos nucifera) is a species of palm, whose fruit, coconut, contains a liquid, water or coconut juice, and a pulp or gelatinous flesh when the coconut is young, and a fibrous and hard pulp when the coconut is mature. More specifically, as illustrated in Figure 2A, a coconut 1 consists of an epicarp 10, or epidermis, forming the outer wall of the coconut and generally green when the coconut is young. This epicarp 10 covers a very thick filamentous mesocarp 11, commonly called wad, surrounding a hard bone endocarp 12 forming a shell. The hull contains the coconut pulp 13 and the coconut water. The embryo 14 of the nut is at the level of the thickest portion of the wad. Like many fruits, the nutritional and taste values of coconut water and coconut pulp vary throughout its ripening process. The water contained in young coconuts is particularly nutritious, sterile and isotonic. It is particularly rich in mineral salts such as potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, zinc, etc ... It also contains bioactive enzymes such as catalase, acid phosphatase, dehydrogenase, diastase, peroxidase, polymerase, etc ... , and phytohormones such as cytokinin, auxin, leucoanthocyanin, gibberelin, etc. ... It is therefore understood that coconut water has many advantages both nutritionally and cosmetically.

However, when exposed to oxygen, coconut water undergoes a process of fermentation and oxidation and quickly loses most of its organoleptic and nutritional characteristics. Moreover, its shelf life is also reduced. It is therefore understood that in order to take full advantage of the qualitative properties of coconut water, it is necessary to maintain this water in its most original state during the entire extraction process and throughout its storage and transport period.

A traditional method recommended by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for the recovery of coconut water is to manually open the coconut, collect the water and filter it. decanting it into a sterilized container equipped with a silk or fabric filter. The filtered water must then immediately be transferred to a refrigerated container, then bottled and capped. However, with this method, the water is brought into contact with oxygen during the extraction process and filtration is not optimal.

Another method presented in US Pat. No. 8,679,562 consists in extracting the coconut water by using a probe which is introduced into the coconut through one of the germination pores of the nut. A gas is injected into the nut through a pipe of this probe so as to force the water to flow through another pipe of this probe. To avoid the contact of water with oxygen, these operations are performed in a controlled atmosphere room, including oxygen free. This solution is limited to the recovery of water and is not suitable for the recovery of coconut pulp.

Presentation of the invention

The present invention therefore proposes an alternative solution for recovering water and / or coconut pulp which reduces the risk of contamination and oxidation of water and / or pulp.

In particular, the object of the present invention is to provide an extraction solution which avoids the degradation of amino acids by ultraviolet rays, the oxidation of water and / or coconut pulp, and the contamination of water. and / or pulp by sprouts, as well as the production of ethylene.

The present solution avoids in particular an alteration of the qualitative properties (nutritional and taste) of water and coconut pulp during their extraction.

Another object of the invention is to propose an extraction solution that can be implemented automatically.

Thus, the subject of the present invention is a method for extracting water from at least one coconut comprising successively the following operations or steps: marking a line of cut on the coconut, this line of cut defining or delimiting a cap; separating the cap from the remainder of the coconut by cutting substantially along the section line; - harvesting the water contained in the coconut with the delivery of water through a pipe opening into a container.

According to the invention, all or part of the operations of the extraction process are carried out under a controlled atmosphere.

In practice, to limit or avoid any contact of the coconut water with oxygen and any other germ, at least the cutting and harvesting operations are performed in a chamber under controlled atmosphere. In particular, the complete volume of the air inside the enclosure in which these operations take place must preferably be free of oxygen or have a level of oxygen substantially identical to that contained in the coconut. Advantageously, the gas mixture injected into the chamber is substantially identical, in terms of composition and percentage, to the gas composition contained in a coconut. For example, this enclosure may be of the clean room or clean room type meeting, for example, the ISO 3 class 1 standard. The stage of marking the coconut advantageously comprises a step of detecting a region where the nut presents the smaller thickness of mesocarp. This detection makes it possible in particular to distinguish an upper portion and a lower portion of the coconut, the upper portion being the one where the thickness of the mesocarp is the lowest. It is thus possible to position the coconut substantially vertically, that is to say the upper portion above the lower portion in the direction of the line of gravity and to draw the line of cut above the level of coconut water contained in the nut. The cap is advantageously defined in this upper portion to facilitate cutting, and preferably comprises a portion of mesocarp and an endocarp portion.

In other words, the cutting line is such that during cutting, the cutting blade successively encounters the mesocarp layer, the endocarp layer and the pulp layer, without ever coming into contact with the coconut water contained in the nut.

Alternatively, the cut line can be drawn on the surface of the coconut epicard.

According to another variant, the section line can be defined using a laser beam. The step of removing the cap can be performed via a cutting device provided with a cutting blade with translational movement, for example of the guillotine type. The cutting device may also be a cutting system formed of cutting blades mounted to define a cutting diaphragm, the coconut being decanted during the closing of the diaphragm.

Furthermore, prior to the removal of the cap, it is preferable to provide a positioning operation of the coconut with respect to the cutting device used, so as to avoid gravity flow of the water out of the nuts during the cutting operation.

This positioning step may for example consist of placing the nut so that the cutting line is substantially in or parallel to a reference plane of the cutting device. In practice, this reference plane is preferably substantially perpendicular to the line of gravity.

The water harvest can include: - the pouring of coconut water into an inlet of the pipe located outside the container; and - the conveyance of coconut water poured to an outlet of the pipe, said outlet of the pipe being located inside the container at a predetermined minimum distance from the inner wall of the container and / or at a minimum distance predefined bottom of the container.

In practice, the delivery of coconut water is preferably carried out without suction to prevent the formation of air bubbles. For example, the water can be conveyed via an eccentric or positive displacement type pump, for example a progressive cavity pump type gear pump, also called a Moineau pump (PCM).

Thus, the simple discharge of coconut water avoids the use of suction pump and thus the creation of air bubble in the water. Moreover, the routing via a PCM pump and the positioning of the pipe outlet as close as possible to the walls of the container greatly limit the splashing, and therefore the formation of air bubbles during the deposition of water or pulp. in the container. Advantageously, the pipe outlet is positioned closer to the side wall and the bottom of the container, for example between 1 to 5 cm from the wall and the bottom wall.

Of course, the method may also include a step of recovering the coconut pulp after the step of harvesting the coconut water. The recovery of the coconut pulp consists in particular in peeling the pulp from the internal walls of the coconut, for example by scraping the inner walls of the nut with a suitable tool.

According to one variant, the pulp thus peeled off can then be poured into another container via the same routing technique used for the coconut water.

According to another variant, instead of being poured, the pulp which is detached from the walls of the coconut can be recovered by suction. In practice, the scraping tool may be provided with a suction channel and be coupled to suction means of the pulp and means for conveying this pulp into the dedicated container.

For example, the scraping tool may be formed of a rod whose one end is intended to be coupled to suction means, the other end being coupled to a body shaped to substantially conform to the internal walls of the body. 'a coconut. In particular, the body comprises a scraping edge and the rod forms a suction channel which extends into the body and is open on the scraping edge.

Thus, the pulp is detached from the inner walls of the coconut via the scraping edge and the suction channel allows to harvest this pulp.

According to one embodiment, the method may comprise, prior to the marking of the coconut, a step of selecting coconut from a batch of nuts. This selection stage consists in particular in determining the quality of the water contained in each of the coconuts in the batch, and in selecting the nuts meeting a predefined quality criterion. According to this embodiment, only the nuts thus selected will be cut.

In practice, the selection step comprises measuring at least one predefined qualitative parameter for each of the coconuts in the batch. This parameter may be representative of the taste and / or nutritive quality of the coconut water, such as, for example, the level of sugar contained in the water, or any other compound representative of the quality of the water. For example, it is possible to take into account the molecules indicating a degree of fermentation of the coconut water, or those indicating the degree of maturity of the coconut.

For example, it is possible to use an FTIR spectrometer (or Fourier transform infrared spectrometer) to identify and quantify these organic compounds.

The result of the measurement is then compared to a template or to one or more reference values.

According to another embodiment, the extraction process comprises successively the following operations: the selection of coconut from a batch of coconut, satisfying at least one predefined qualitative criterion; - the cleaning and sterilization of the external surfaces of the selected nuts; - the marking on each nut of a cutting line defining a cap; for each of the nuts marked, the deposition of the nut on a receiving zone and the positioning of the nut to substantially align the cutting line with a reference plane or circle; - The separation of the cap of the rest of the coconut by cutting substantially along the section line; - the control of the quality of the coconut water and the ejection of the extraction process nut when the coconut water does not meet at least the predefined qualitative criterion; - The harvesting of coconut water by pouring water at the entrance of a pipe and routing water through the channel whose outlet leads into a container; - The recovery of the coconut pulp including scraping the inner walls of the nut, the payment of the pulp at the entrance of the pipe and the routing of the pulp through this pipe to another container.

All or part of these operations are performed under controlled atmosphere. The invention also relates to a system for extracting water from at least one coconut. This system comprises: a device for marking a cutting line on the coconut, this cutting line defining or delimiting a cap on the coconut; - A device for cutting the cap substantially along the line of section; - A water harvesting device contained in the coconut comprising a water pouring system coupled to a system for conveying water through a pipe opening into a container; - A conveyor belt nuts successively to each of the devices described above.

It is also possible to provide at least one chamber under controlled atmosphere containing all or part of the extraction system devices.

The extraction system may also include a device for recovering coconut pulp comprising a device for scraping the inner wall of the nut and a system for pouring the pulp coupled to a system for conveying the pulp through the pulp. a pipe opening into another container. For example, the scraping device comprises a rigid spatula type tool, part of which is shaped to conform to the shape of the inner wall of the coconut.

According to another variant, the device for recovering the coconut pulp may comprise a scraping system of the inner wall of the nut coupled to a suction system for the pulp, such as a pump, and to a system for transporting the pulp into a dedicated container.

The marking device advantageously comprises: means for identifying an upper portion of the coconut where the thickness of the mesocarp of the nut is the lowest; identification means in the portion of a cap comprising at least the mesocarp layer and the endocarp layer; - Tracing means on the coconut of a cut line defining the cap. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which is given below, by way of indication and in no way limiting, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a flow chart which presents the various steps of the extraction method according to one embodiment of the invention; - Figure 2A is a schematic representation in section of a coconut and its various layers; - Figure 2B is a schematic representation illustrating the marking of the coconut according to one embodiment; - Figure 2C is a schematic representation illustrating the marking of the coconut according to another embodiment; FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C are schematic representations of a coconut and of the receiving zone, during the various stages of positioning the coconut for the purpose of cutting, according to one embodiment of the invention ; - Figure 3D is a schematic representation of the positioning device of a coconut which aligns the cutting line of the nut relative to the reference plane of the cutting device, according to one embodiment of the invention ; FIG. 3E is a diagrammatic representation of the positioning device of a coconut which makes it possible to align the cut line of the nut with respect to the reference plane of the cutting device, according to another embodiment of FIG. invention; FIG. 4A is a schematic representation of the guillotine type cutting device according to one embodiment of the invention; FIGS. 4B and 4C are simplified schematic representations illustrating the section of the coconut with the cutting device of FIG. 4A; FIG. 5 is a simplified and partial schematic representation of the device for conveying water and / or the pulp coupled to a container, according to one embodiment of the invention; - Figure 6 is a schematic representation of the scraping tool according to one embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of an embodiment of the invention

The various steps of the coconut water extraction method according to a particular embodiment are presented in FIG.

The method for extracting coconut water according to this embodiment comprises in particular: a step (A) for selecting coconut from a batch of coconut, satisfying predefined qualitative criteria; a step (B) of cleaning and sterilizing the external surfaces of the selected nuts; - A marking step (D) on each nut of a cutting line defining or defining a cap; - For each of the nuts marked, a step (E) of depositing the nut on a receiving zone and the positioning of the nut to substantially align the section line to a reference line or circle; a step (F) of separating the cap from the remainder of the coconut by cutting substantially along the section line; a step (G) for controlling the quality of the coconut water; - A step (H) of harvesting coconut water comprising the pouring of water at the entrance of a pipe and the routing of water through the channel whose outlet opens into a container; - A step (I) of harvesting the coconut pulp comprising scraping the inner walls of the nut.

Moreover, as previously stated, all or part of these operations are performed under controlled atmosphere. In particular, in order to avoid the contact of oxygen with the water and / or the pulp, it is preferable that the cutting and harvesting operations are carried out under a controlled atmosphere, for example in the same enclosure under a controlled atmosphere or in Controlled atmosphere well separate speakers.

For example, it is possible to choose to perform all operations, except for the selection (A) and cleaning (B), in the same controlled atmosphere room. Thus, according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the extraction method also comprises a step (C) of introducing the sterilized nuts into this room. The coconut selection step (A) makes it possible to eliminate the coconuts from a batch that does not already meet the predefined quality criteria, such as, for example, a nut containing water with an insufficient amount of sugar, a nut contaminated with germs, etc.

This step (A) can be carried out using conventional means of detection and measurements, for example those using contactless technology such as, for example, infrared spectroscopy (IR spectroscopy).

Thus, the selection of nuts may comprise a step of determining the quality of the water contained in each of the nuts, for example by measuring one or more parameters relating to the quality of the coconut water, to compare the result of the measurement to one or more reference values or to a predefined template, and to select only the nuts having a quality that meets the predefined quality criteria.

The selection of nuts may also be based on the determination of the quality of the coconut pulp contained in each of the nuts, also by measuring one or more parameters relating to the quality of the coconut pulp, to compare the result of the measurement to one or more reference values or to a predefined template, and to select only the nuts having a quality that meets the predefined quality criteria.

The nuts thus selected are cleaned and sterilized (step B). This step (B) can also be carried out according to conventional methods of washing and sterilization.

For example, the selected nuts are dipped in an ozonated (O3) water bath, for example at 15% and at a temperature between 15 ° C and 35 ° C. Ozone cleaning makes it possible to reduce the number of microorganisms on the surface of the nuts without altering their appearance or leaving traces or chemical residues.

The nuts are then rinsed and dried, and are finally sterilized via a conventional non-toxic sterilization method. For example, the sterilization may be hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) sterilization carried out at low pressure at a temperature generally between + 6 ° C and + 60 ° C.

After sterilization, the nuts are introduced (step C) into a chamber under a controlled atmosphere. Such a chamber is preferably of the cleanroom or clean room type meeting for example the ISO 3 class 1, the purpose being to reconstitute a sterile atmosphere close to that present in a coconut that meets the predefined quality criteria.

In this clean room, each of the nuts is preferably fed via a treadmill to various nut processing devices.

In particular, each of the nuts is brought to a device to be marked (step D) of a cutting line 15 as illustrated in FIGS. 2B and 2C. In these Figures 2B and 2C the shell contained in the coconut is shown in dashed lines.

This cutting line 15 can be concretely marked on the nut 1 as illustrated in FIG. 2B, but can also be marked virtually by means of a laser beam generated by a laser device 6 as illustrated in FIG. 2C.

To mark the line of cut, the coconut is scanned by an ultrasound device 7 which makes it possible to determine the region of the nut having the smallest thickness of mesocarp 15. In particular, the coconut generally has a low portion 16b in which the mesocarp 15 is of great thickness and ", and a high portion 16a in which the mesocarp 15 is of thinner thickness ea. In addition, by the flared shape of the lower portion 16b with respect to the upper portion 16a, the coconut is generally positioned substantially vertically in the direction of the line of gravity, that is to say with the upper portion. 16a substantially above the lower portion 16b in the direction of the line of gravity.

Thus, the ultrasonic device 7 scans the coconut over its entire height h and can detect the different layers of the coconut and identify the upper portion of the lower portion. Once this upper portion has been identified, the ultrasonic device also makes it possible to locate the height hc at which the line of section must be marked (FIG. 2B) or positioned (FIG. 2C) on the coconut. This cutting line 15 is preferably placed in the upper portion 12a and above the level 17 of water contained in the coconut. The cut line 15 thus drawn or positioned delimits a cap 15a in the upper portion.

Once the nut is marked, it is then brought to a second positioning device to guide (step E) the nut adequately with respect to the cutting device and in particular with respect to the cutting tool to avoid any gravity flow of the water out of the nut when it is cut.

In practice, the nut is deposited roughly on a reception zone 2 with a random orientation but substantially vertical because of the flared shape, as shown in Figures 3A, 3B and 3C. It is therefore sometimes necessary to pre-straighten the coconut 1 so that the cap is found at the top, that is to say farthest from the reception zone 2.

The receiving zone 2 may for example be provided with a system of hydraulic jacks 21 which enable the coconut to be straightened and a system for detecting the position of the cut line coupled to a processing unit able to control the cylinder system according to the results of the detection system.

In particular, the positioning device is configured to straighten the coconut so as to place the cut line drawn on the nut substantially in a reference plane regardless of the initial position of the nut on the reception zone 2. This reference plane is in particular representative of the height hc of the cutting portion 30 of the cutting device with respect to a flat surface 20 of the receiving zone 2. Moreover, this step makes it possible to avoid gravity flow of the water outside the nut at the time of cutting, the flat surface 20 of the receiving zone being well understood substantially perpendicular to the line of gravity.

For example, in the case of a cutting line drawn on the nut, it is possible to use a laser system which makes it possible to position a laser beam substantially aligned with the line of cut. It is then sufficient to position the blade of the cutting device with respect to this laser beam.

It is of course possible to provide a solution in which, the nut is already positioned, during marking, in a suitable position for cutting the cap by the cutting device. In particular, in the case of laser marking (FIG. 2C), it suffices then to position the blade of the cutting device with respect to the laser beam (FIG. 3E).

Thus, once positioned, the coconut is decanted (step F) with a cutting device whose cutting portion comes to cut the nut substantially at the level of the cutting line 15.

As illustrated in FIG. 4A, the cutting device may be of the horizontal guillotine type, that is to say that the cutting surface is shaped to move in translation substantially parallel to the flat surface of the receiving zone. This guillotine 3 comprises in particular an orifice 31 in which is positioned the coconut to be transferred, and a cutting blade 30 operable to make the cut of the nut through the orifice 31. As illustrated in FIG. 4B, the blade cutting edge 30 is actuated to cut the nut 1 at its cutting line 15. After cutting, the cap 15a is separated from the rest of the nut 1 as shown in Figure 4C. The cutting by guillotine avoids in particular the deposit of mesocarp particles in the coconut water. Of course, the coconut is kept fixed during cutting.

According to another variant, the cutting device may also be formed of knives mounted so as to define a cutting diaphragm, the coconut being decanted during the closing of the diaphragm.

Before harvesting the water or the pulp, it is possible to provide a step (G) for controlling the quality of the water and / or the pulp of the coconut. As before, the quality can be determined via non-contact type measuring devices, for example by ultrasound or infrared.

Nuts whose water and / or pulp no longer meet the predefined quality criteria are ejected from the extraction line, their water and / or pulp will not be harvested.

The other nuts are brought to a device for harvesting coconut water (step H) illustrated in FIG.

In particular, the water contained in the nut 1 is discharged at the inlet 40 of a pipe 4, in the form of a funnel for example, and conveyed through the pipe to an outlet 41 opening into a containing 5, by means of a pump 42, such as a progressive cavity pump also called Moineau pump (PCM).

In practice, to avoid the formation of air bubbles during the deposition of water in the container 5, the outlet 41 of the pipe is positioned to be at least as close to the bottom 50 of the container, for example to a distance of 1 to 5 cm from the bottom 50. According to another variant, the outlet 41 can also be placed closer to the bottom 50 and the inner lateral wall 51 of the container 5.

Once the water is harvested, it is also possible to harvest the pulp of the coconut (stage I). Harvesting the pulp can be done with a tool shaped to scrape the inner wall of the nut and take off the pulp, then sucked and conveyed to another container.

In particular, the scraping tool 8 (FIGS. 6A and 6B) of the pulp may be formed of a rod 80, one end of which is intended to be coupled to suction means, the other end being coupled a body 81 shaped to substantially marry the inner walls of a coconut. In particular, the body comprises a scraping edge 810 and the rod forms a suction channel 800 which extends into the body 81 and which is open on the scraping edge 810.

Of course, a last quality control of the water and / or pulp harvested can be achieved. The water and coconut pulp thus obtained have a taste and nutritional quality almost similar to their original state in the coconut.

Claims (14)

1. A method of extracting water from at least one coconut characterized in that it comprises successively the following operations: - marking (D) of a cutting line (15) on the coconut (1), this cutting line (15) defining a cap (15a); - separation (F) of the cap (15a) of the rest of the coconut (1) by cutting substantially along the line of section (15); - Harvesting (H) water contained in the coconut (1) with the delivery of water through a pipe (4) opening into a container (5); and in that all or part of said operations are performed under a controlled atmosphere. 2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the marking (D) of the coconut (1) comprises a step of detecting a region where the nut has the smallest thickness of mesocarp, the cap (15a) being defined in said region and comprising at least a portion of mesocarp and an endocarp portion. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the section line is defined by a laser beam. 4. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the cut line is drawn on the coconut epicarp. 5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising, prior to the elimination (F) of the cap (15a), the positioning of the coconut adapted to a cutting device used to avoid the gravity flow of water out of the nut when cutting the nut. 6. Method according to one of claims 4 to 5, wherein said positioning is to position the cutting line (15) drawn on the nut substantially in a reference plane of the cutting device. 7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the harvest (H) of the water comprises: - the pouring of coconut water in an inlet (40) of the pipe (4) located at l outside the container (5); and - conveying poured coconut water to an outlet (41) of the pipe (4), said outlet (41) of the pipeline being located at least at a minimum distance (z) predefined from the bottom (50) container. 8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising harvesting (I) of the coconut pulp after the harvesting step (H) of the coconut water. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the harvest of the pulp is to take off the pulp of the inner walls of the coconut, to suck the peeled pulp and to convey the pulp into another container. 10. System for extracting water from at least one coconut, comprising: - a device for marking a cutting line (15) on the coconut (1), this cutting line defining a cap (15a); - A cutting device (3) of the cap (15a) substantially along the section line; - A water harvesting device contained in the coconut comprising a water pouring system coupled to a water conveying system (42) through a pipe (4) opening into a containing (5); and at least one chamber under controlled atmosphere containing all or part of the devices of the extraction system. The extraction system of claim 10, further comprising a coconut pulp harvesting device comprising a scraper device of the inner wall of the nut, a pulp suction system and a delivery system. from the pulp to another container. 12. extraction system according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the marking device advantageously comprises: - means of identification of a high portion of the coconut where the thickness of the mesocarp of the nut is the most low ; identification means in the upper portion of a cap comprising at least the mesocarp layer and the endocarp layer; marking means on the coconut of a cutting line delimiting the cap. 13. extraction system according to one of claims 10 to 12, further comprising a positioning device of the coconut adapted to the cutting device. 14. extraction system according to one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the water harvesting device comprises: - means for discharging coconut water into an inlet of the pipe located outside the containing; and means for conveying poured coconut water to an outlet of the pipeline, said outlet of the pipe being located inside the container at a predetermined minimum distance from the inner wall of the container and at a predetermined minimum distance from the container. Bottom of the container.