JPH0243468B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

<Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a method for producing granules of hygroscopic powder. <Problems to be solved by the prior art and the invention> Highly hygroscopic edible powders such as amorphous crystalline saccharide powder, fermented milk powder, powdered coffee, powdered fruit juice, powdered amino acids, etc. should be stored in a place that is not dehumidified. When processing, it has poor fluidity and caking occurs quickly, making it extremely difficult to handle. On the other hand, even if it is poured into water or hot water and an attempt is made to dissolve it, the dispersibility and disintegration properties are poor, resulting in so-called lumps that are difficult to dissolve and reduce the commercial value. Therefore, by granulating the powder through a granulation process, it is easier to handle during the subsequent manufacturing process,
Efforts have also been made to improve the dispersibility in water and increase the commercial value of the final product. However, in the conventional method of using steam or water to bind powders together, the parts that come into contact with moisture quickly become candy-like and solidify, making it difficult to form good granules with only hygroscopic powder. is difficult to obtain. Therefore, conventionally, a large amount of sugar such as powdered sugar or low DE dextrin is added to hygroscopic powder as an excipient, and tumble granulation is carried out using steam, water, etc.
Extrusion granulation, fluidized bed granulation, etc. are used to bind powders together and granulate them, but this method adds a large amount of excipients, so the hygroscopic powder to be granulated is It is almost impossible to obtain single granules of hygroscopic powder with a small content. Therefore, instead of the above-mentioned wet granulation method, there is a dry granulation method in which the powder is compressed into a sheet shape and then crushed into granules without adding moisture, but since the granules obtained by this method are hard, Although it can speed up sedimentation in water or hot water, it has extremely poor dispersibility and solubility, and therefore does not dissolve well in the mouth. For the above reasons, efforts have been made for many years to obtain granules from a single hygroscopic powder that is soft and has excellent dispersibility and solubility. , high-purity alcohol with low moisture content is added to easily hygroscopic edible fine powder such as powdered amino acids, powdered soy sauce, powdered miso, powdered coffee, etc., and after kneading this, it is granulated by a conventional method and vacuum-dried. A method for granulating easily hygroscopic edible fine powder characterized by: (2) Special Publication No. 47-15722, salt, sugars, organic acids, powdered soy sauce, animal and plant extract powders, protein decomposition products,
When granulating powder foods with hygroscopic and deliquescent properties made from water-soluble powder raw materials such as chemical seasonings, an aqueous solution containing alcohols such as ethyl alcohol or methyl alcohol is mixed with a harmful water content of 0.1 to 0.1 to A method for producing a ready-to-dissolve granular food is disclosed, which is characterized by adding and mixing ingredients in a range of 5%, followed by drying and binding and granulation. However, according to method (1), it is necessary to add ethanol to the easily hygroscopic edible powder and knead it, and in order to form it into a lump, it is necessary to add approximately 30% or more of ethanol to the powder. The added ethanol is dispersed using a vacuum dryer, but evaporating such a large amount of ethanol is quite costly and dangerous.
Furthermore, if ethanol is to be recovered and reused, the recovery equipment will be large-scale, which is not economical. According to method (2), when granulating a powdered food that has hygroscopicity and deliquescent properties, it has a relatively strong hygroscopicity compared to organic acids, powdered soy sauce, animal and plant extract powders, protein decomposition products, and chemical seasonings. As shown in Examples 1 and 2 of the patent publication, more than half of the salt and saccharides are contained in the granules to provide a type of excipient effect. Therefore, it is extremely easy to granulate, and the present invention uses only highly hygroscopic amorphous crystalline saccharides, fermented milk powder, coffee powder, powdered soy sauce, amino acid powder, vegetable powder, fruit juice powder, etc., into granules containing ethanol or water. After adding and mixing with ethanol, contacting with humid air, drying and sizing, granules with better dispersibility and solubility than those in the cited publication are surprisingly obtained. (See Test Example 2 below) <Means and effects for solving the problem> As a result of intensive research to improve the above-mentioned defects, the present inventors added ethanol or water-containing ethanol to a hygroscopic low-lipid powder. In addition, we have completed a method for producing granules of hygroscopic powder, which is characterized by uniformly mixing without using excipients and then contacting with humidified air to form granules. That is, the hygroscopic powder in the present invention refers to amorphous crystalline saccharide powder, generally fermented milk powder prepared from low-fat skim milk powder with a fat content of 1.5% by weight or less,
It refers to extremely hygroscopic powders such as coffee powder, powdered soy sauce, amino acid powder, vegetable powder, fruit juice powder, etc., but relatively hygroscopic powders such as sucrose, glucose, lactose powdered sugar, or cocoa. It goes without saying that weak powders can also be granulated. Ethanol refers to commonly available pharmacopoeia anhydrous ethanol, reagent grade ethanol, food-added ethanol, etc., and contains some water. The amount of water in the ethanol added to the hygroscopic powder is approximately 2% by weight or less based on the hygroscopic powder. If this amount is exceeded, the powder will solidify into a candy-like shape during the processing process, resulting in poor dispersibility and dissolution. It is not possible to obtain granules with good quality.
(See Test Example 1) Methods for adding ethanol or water-containing ethanol to hygroscopic powder and mixing uniformly include dropping ethanol or water-containing ethanol into the powder little by little and kneading, or mixing the powder in a rotary pot. There is a method of spraying ethanol or water-containing ethanol while rolling it with a cylindrical drum, etc., and it is preferable to perform the addition operation at a low temperature and low humidity, considering the hygroscopicity of the powder, for example, at an absolute humidity of 0.01 [Kg]. - water vapor/Kg - dry air] or less is preferable. If work is carried out in an atmosphere of high humidity even at low temperatures,
Before the ethanol or water-containing ethanol is evenly mixed and dispersed, the powder absorbs moisture and hardens into a candy-like consistency, making subsequent operations impossible. Next, when ethanol or water-containing ethanol is added and mixed into the hygroscopic powder as described above, the amount of ethanol added is about 2% by weight or more based on the powder, and there is no particular upper limit, but it is economical. From the standpoint of danger, it is limited to about 20% by weight. The appearance of the hygroscopic powder uniformly mixed with ethanol or water-containing ethanol in this manner is a smooth and fluid powder that is easy to handle. Next, the smooth hygroscopic powder obtained as described above is allowed to fall naturally in a humidified atmosphere without applying pressure, or left to adhere to a large number of particles, and after drying, the powder is sized again. Obtain granules with good dispersibility and solubility. That is, in order to do this, steam is blown into a foil, steam oven, or circular tower that generates water vapor to create a humidified atmosphere, and ethanol or a powder mixed with water-containing ethanol is left or dropped into the above device. The water activity value is measured by gently contacting humidified air with
Adjust to about 0.30 to 0.74. Through this operation, the powders adhere to each other at multiple points and form a lump. Ethanol and excess moisture are removed from the nodules using a conventional hot air drying device, and after cooling, the nodules are sized through a sieving process. Example 1 13.9 kg of green coffee beans were roasted at 200℃ for 10 minutes in an open flame coffee roaster (manufactured by FUJI MFG).
11.4Kg of roasted beans were obtained. The roasted beans are ground with a coffee mill (manufactured by FUJI MFG) and heated with 98°C boiling water at 104.6°C.
Kg was extracted using a hand-held refractometer to obtain 85.7 Kg of Bx2° extract (hereinafter referred to as the same measuring device). The extract was concentrated to Bx30° using a vacuum concentrator (manufactured by ALFA-LAVAL) and dried using an atomizer spray dryer to obtain coffee powder with a water content of 1% by weight and a water activity Aw (hereinafter the same) of 0.25. Put 1 kg of the coffee powder into a rotary pot and heat at 20°C relative humidity (RH) (hereinafter the same) 40%.
70 ml of ethanol with a moisture content of 5.0% by weight was sprayed on the mixture to mix it uniformly while rotating in an atmosphere of . While blowing humidified air at a temperature of 55°C and RH of 81% from the side wall into a circular tower with a height of 2 meters and a diameter of 0.8 meters, the ethanol-containing coffee powder was passed through a 20 mesh sieve (Japanese Industrial Standards, hereinafter the same). The inside of the circular tower was dropped from above and brought into contact with humidified air for 1 second. The Aw of the nodules discharged from the circular tower was measured using a water activity measuring system Hydroscope DT model manufactured by Zuisai Rotronik Co., Ltd. (the same applies hereinafter). As a result, Aw0.45 coffee baby-like products
Obtained 1059g. Thickness
Spread it to 0.5 mm and leave it to dry at 50℃ for 1 hour, then pass it through a 10-mesh sieve to size the particles, and the moisture content is 2% by weight.
970g of coffee granules were obtained. These granules were prepared at 15°C in the same manner as in Test Example 1 as described below.
As a result of investigating the solubility of coffee powder in tap water, the dissolution time of ungranulated coffee powder was 10 seconds, while the granulated product obtained by the present invention was 5 seconds, indicating that the solubility was lower than that of ungranulated coffee powder. It was excellent. A sensory test was conducted by a panel of 20 experts on the ungranulated product and the granules obtained according to the present invention. The test was carried out with a risk of 5%. The results are shown in the table below, and no difference in taste was observed between the ungranulated product and the granules obtained according to the present invention.

[Table] Evaluation: No significant difference Example 2 0.6 kg of powdered dextrin (DE30) was added to 6 kg of squeezed Unshu orange juice, stirred and mixed well, and dried with an atomizer spray dryer to obtain orange juice powder. 1 kg of the fruit juice powder at 25℃
Ethanol with a water content of 0.5% by weight was added dropwise in a room with a RH of 50% and mixed uniformly using a mixer. After mixing
Spread it evenly on a tray to a thickness of 0.2 cm and store at 27℃RH65.
% humidified air for 130 seconds to obtain 1050 g of nodules having an Aw of 0.50. The baby-shaped product was heated at 40℃ for 1 hour.
After drying for several minutes to reduce the moisture content to 2% by weight, the mixture was passed through a 10-mesh sieve to obtain 970 g of fruit juice granules. The obtained granules were processed in the same manner as in Test Example 1.
As a result of examining the solubility in tap water at ℃, it was 15 seconds for orange juice powder, but 8 seconds for the granules obtained by the present invention, which showed that the solubility was superior to that of ungranulated products. . The difference in taste between the ungranulated product and the granules obtained according to the present invention was determined in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in the table below, and no difference in taste was observed between the ungranulated product and the granules obtained according to the present invention.

[Table] Evaluation: No significant difference Example 3 Add 18 kg of water to 2 kg of dried shiitake mushrooms, heat to 80°C, leave for 1 hour, separate the extract with a basket centrifuge, and use a vacuum concentrator to reduce Bx30°. After concentration, dry with an atomizer spray dryer. 1 kg of shiitake mushroom extract powder of less than 200 mush is 25
Moisture content in a twin-screw kneader in a room at ℃RH50%
While spraying 50ml of 0.5% ethanol.
Mix evenly for 3 minutes at 80 rpm. Then thickness 0.3
It was spread to a size of 1.5 cm and brought into contact with humidified air at 25°C and RH 66% for 180 seconds to obtain a nodular product with an Aw of 0.30. Then 1 at 50℃
Dry with ventilation for an hour and pass through a 10-mesh sieve to remove moisture.
950 g of 2.5% by weight granules were obtained. The solubility of these granules was examined in tap water at 15°C using the same method as in Test Example 1. The solubility of the shiitake extract powder was 12 seconds, while that of the granules obtained by the present invention was 7 seconds. It had better solubility than granules. The difference in taste between the ungranulated product and the granules obtained according to the present invention was determined in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in the table below, and no difference in taste was observed between the ungranulated product and the granules obtained according to the present invention.

[Table] Evaluation: No significant difference Example 4 1 kg of onion powder with Aw0.36, which was obtained by drying peeled onions with hot air and pulverizing them, was placed in a rotary pot and sprayed with 200 ml of ethanol with a moisture content of 10% by weight in an atmosphere of 20°C and RH40%. Mix evenly. Humidified air at 55℃RH81% height 2m, diameter 0.8m
The ethanol-containing onion powder was passed through a 20-mesh sieve while being blown from the side wall into the circular tower, and dropped from above into the circular tower, and was brought into contact with humidified air for 1 second to obtain 1100 g of nodules. of the baby-boom-like product
Aw is 0.55. The nodules are dried in a fluidized bed dryer.
Dry at 70°C for 10 minutes and pass through a 10 mesh sieve to obtain granules with a water content of 3% by weight. The obtained granules were processed in the same manner as in Test Example 1.
As a result of examining the solubility in tap water at a temperature of It had excellent characteristics. The difference in taste between the ungranulated product and the granules obtained according to the present invention was determined in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in the table below, and no difference in taste was observed between the ungranulated product and the granules obtained according to the present invention.

[Table] Evaluation: No significant difference Example 5 1 kg of coffee powder obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 was sprayed with 70 ml of ethanol with a water content of 5.0% by weight using a rotary pot in an atmosphere of 20°C and RH 40%. Spray and mix well using a container. The obtained ethanol-containing coffee powder was placed in a 40cm x
Spread on a 25cm tree to a thickness of 0.3cm and heat at 30℃.
It was brought into contact with humidified air at RH78% for 300 seconds to obtain 1040g of coffee nodules with Aw0.55. This stuff at 70℃
Dry for 15 minutes to scatter the ethanol and remove the moisture.
After drying to % by weight, it was sieved through a 10 mesh sieve to obtain 970 g of coffee granules. The solubility of the granules was examined in tap water at 15°C in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The solubility of the coffee powder was 15 seconds, but the solubility of the granules obtained by the present invention was 7 seconds. The solubility was superior to that of granules. The difference in taste between the ungranulated product and the granules obtained according to the present invention was determined in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in the table below, and no difference in taste was observed between the ungranulated product and the granules obtained according to the present invention.

[Table] Evaluation: No significant difference Example 6 Moisture mainly composed of 1-kestol, nystose, 1F-fructofuranosylnystose, etc. 1.5
Wt% fructooligosaccharide powder in amorphous crystalline form 1
20 ml of ethanol with a moisture content of 2.5% by weight is added dropwise to the mixture while stirring in a room at 20°C and RH 40%. The ethanol-containing fructooligosaccharide powder is
It was spread to 0.15 cm and brought into contact with humidified air at 30° C. and 78% for 125 seconds to obtain 1010 g of nodules having an Aw of 0.34. 70 for the item
After drying at °C for 15 minutes, the mixture was passed through a 10 mesh sieve to obtain 980 g of fructooligosaccharide granules with a water content of 2% by weight. The solubility of these granules was examined in tap water at 15°C in the same manner as in Test Example 1. As a result, the solubility of the fructooligosaccharide powder was 4 minutes and 55 seconds, whereas that of the granules obtained by the present invention was 2 minutes. The dissolution time was 5 seconds, and the solubility was superior to that of the ungranulated product. The difference in taste between the ungranulated product and the granules obtained according to the present invention was determined by the same method as in Example 1. The results are shown in the table below, and no difference in taste was observed between the ungranulated product and the granules obtained according to the present invention.

[Table] Evaluation: No significant difference Test example 1 Used in Example 4 indoors at 25℃RH50%
Moisture content 10% by weight per 1kg of onion powder with Aw0.36
Add and mix ethanol as shown in Table 1 to homogenize. Spread the mixture to a thickness of 0.15 cm.
It was left in a humidified atmosphere at 30°C and RH 98% for 120 seconds to form a nodule. The Aw at this time is shown in Table-1. Each of the nodules was air-dried at 70° C. for 15 minutes and passed through a 10-mesh sieve to obtain granules with a moisture content of 2.5% by weight.
Table 1 shows the time taken for the granules to dissolve at each water temperature of 5, 10, 15, and 20°C. What is the time to dissolve?
50 ml of water at each level of water temperature was collected in a 100 ml beaker, and an electromagnetic stirrer with a diameter of 5 mm and a length of 15 mm was placed in the beaker, and the mixture was placed on a stirrer manufactured by Yamato Scientific Co., Ltd. (Model M-21). , put 1.0g of each sample weighed separately into the above beaker and at the same time stir with a dial of 0.5. Time (seconds) until the sample is completely dissolved.
Measure.

【table】

[Table] As shown in Table 1, when the amount of water added to onion powder exceeds 2% by weight, the solubility of the resulting granules in water decreases. Test Example 2 To the same fructooligosaccharide powder as in Example 6 and fermented milk powder with a water content of 3% by weight, 1, 2, 3, 7, 10, and 20% by weight of pharmacopoeia absolute ethanol were added, respectively, at 25°C, RH 50%. It was mixed uniformly in the workshop.
After spreading the resulting mixture to a thickness of 0.2 cm, the temperature was 30°C.
The sample was left in an atmosphere of ℃ and RH 100% for 50 seconds, and the Aw was measured. (See Table 2) Each of the obtained granules was dried with ventilation at 50°C for 1 hour, and the fructooligosaccharide nodules with a moisture content of 1.5% by weight and the fermented milk nodules with a moisture content of 3% by weight were passed through a 10-mesh sieve. It was sized and granulated. The fructooligosaccharide granules and fermented milk granules obtained in this test and the fructooligosaccharide granules and fermented milk granules that had been treated in the same manner as in this test without adding ethanol were heated at various water temperatures of 5, 10, 15, and 20°C. It was poured into water and the dissolution time was measured in the same manner as in Test Example 1.
(See Table 2) As shown in Table 2, by adding 2% by weight or more of ethanol, the solubility of the final product granules in water is significantly improved.

【table】

[Table] <Effects> As described above, the hygroscopic powder granules obtained by the present invention can be mixed with ethanol or water-containing ethanol and then allowed to fall naturally or left to humidify without applying pressure. Since the powders are brought into contact with air and adhesion is caused by multiple contact points with each other, the amount of ethanol evaporated in the subsequent drying process is small, and a recovery device is not required. There is no difference from conventional granule manufacturing equipment. The thus obtained granules have superior dispersibility and solubility compared to conventionally disclosed techniques.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Ethanol or water-containing ethanol is added to a hygroscopic low-lipid powder, mixed uniformly without using any excipients, and then brought into contact with humidified air to form granules. Method for producing granules of hygroscopic powder. 2. The method for producing granules of hygroscopic powder according to claim 1, characterized in that approximately 2% to 20% by weight of ethanol is added to the hygroscopic low-lipid powder. 3. The method for producing granules of hygroscopic powder according to claim 1, wherein the amount of water in the ethanol added to the hygroscopic low-lipid powder is about 2% by weight or less based on the hygroscopic powder. .