GB1063535A - Method of agglomerating food powders - Google Patents

Abstract

In agglomerating food powders, the powdered material is mixed with 5-40% (preferably 5-15%) by weight of the final mixture, of powdered dried corn syrup solids having a dextrose equivalence of 15-60, to form a blended mixture, the mixture is dispersed while the moisture content is increased 1-5% (preferably 1-3%) by weight to tackify the surface portions of the corn syrup solids, the tacky corn syrup solids and powdered material make spaced point-to-point contact to form moist aggregates and the aggregates are dried to produce free-flowing agglomerates of high bulk volume and structural strength. Food powders particularly mentioned are sucrose and dextrose monohydrate; hydrophilic colloids such as pectin, gelatin, algin, carragheen, agar, locust bean gum and gum arabic; soup, pudding, sauce, cocoa and beverage mixes; and edible flavours, colours and food acids such as citric, adipic and fumaric acids enrobed with hydrophilic colloids such as gelatin by spray-drying. An example is directed to the agglomeration of 90 parts dextrose monohydrate of average particle size 110 microns with 10 parts dried corn syrup solids having a dextrose equivalency of 24 of average particle size 50 microns. Agglomeration is accomplished by causing the blended mixture to fall from a vibrating feeder in the form of a curtain 4 inches wide and approximately 1/4 inch thick between steam jets poised to intersect the curtain at a point 3 inches from the free feeding edge of the vibrator. The steam jets emit from a pair of horizontal pipes in planes parallel to the plane of the curtain and placed about 1 inch from either side of it, each pipe having 60 holes 0.40 inch in diameter and 1/8 inch apart. The moist aggregates (11% by weight moisture) thus produced fall under gravity into a vertical cylindrical chamber 3 feet in diameter and 4 feet high having a conical discharge section. Further mixing is achieved by a flow of air at a temperature of 70 DEG F. entering at the top of the chamber. The agglomerated particles are discharged on to a belt conveyer whereon they are retained for 1 minute to set and improve their final strength. The agglomerates are delivered to a fluidized bed drier having a conveyer 2 feet wide and 10 feet long consisting of 1/16 inch diameter horizontal rods just barely touching one another along their length and running in a direction perpendicular to the direction of intended travel of the aggregates. The aggregates are caused to proceed along the conveyer under the influence of dry air at 200 DEG F. forced under pressure through the narrow spaces between the rods. The dried aggregates are sized through a vibrating screen.