RU2173055C2 - Soluble caramelized powder from chicory extract, composition containing this powder, method of preparation thereof, and apparatus for performing preparation procedure - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: food industry. SUBSTANCE: powder contains 40-65% inulin, 4-10% reducing sugars, and less than 5% fructose, its color saturation going from 1.0 to 2.5. Powder is prepared by drying up oven-dried chicory or squeezed chicory root extract. Powder undergoes caramelization in extruder at temperature 180 to 250 C. Cooled caramel is disintegrated. Apparatus includes means enabling each production step. EFFECT: improved organoleptic properties, reduced hygroscopicity, and improved biochemical characteristics. 12 cl, 4 dwg, 2 ex

Description

 The invention relates to a water-soluble caramelized powder from chicory extract, to a composition containing this powder, to a method for producing such a powder and to a device for implementing the method.

 The water-soluble chicory powders currently commercially available have unsatisfactory organoleptic qualities and are highly hygroscopic. In traditional processing (see, for example, F.G. Nakhmedov. Technology of coffee products. M.: Light and food. Industry., 1984, p. 120-121) use the roasting of chicory roots in a fryer. However, this process is difficult to control, since the pyrolysis of chicory inulin passes exothermically. Smaller pieces of chicory are fried faster and therefore become darker than larger pieces, and sometimes burn. Larger pieces of chicory are darker in the core than in the outer part. Uneven frying has an adverse effect on the smell of chicory extract. In addition, when frying and extracting, chicory inulin breaks down with the formation of fructose and glucose. Although there are other reducing sugars in the product, it is fructose and glucose that affect the hygroscopicity of the product and, therefore, its stability. Only when less than 5% fructose and glucose is present in the product can it be guaranteed that the resulting powder is stable due to reduced hygroscopicity. Therefore, inulin cleavage must be controlled so that the resulting product does not become excessively hygroscopic.

 In addition, in order to be able to obtain chicory powder by air drying, it is necessary to reduce the humidity of this air and, therefore, the production capacity of the drying towers. Over a long period of operation, scale forms in the tower, leading to loss of material.

Attempts have already been made to improve the quality of the obtained chicory powder by, for example, eliminating the roasting step. Instead of this step, in a method for the production of soluble chicory powder according to A.S. USSR 1658969, class A 23 F 5/44, 1991, it was proposed to heat treat a liquid chicory extract at 160-180 ^° for 30-40 minutes to provide partial and uniform caramelization of the product. However, to heat liquids to the indicated temperature, it is required to use a reactor capable of withstanding high pressure, and therefore the known method is periodic, inefficient and, in a sense, unsafe.

 Thus, there is still a need for a simple and effective method for producing a water-soluble chicory powder, allowing to obtain the desired levels of caramelization of the product to obtain the optimal taste.

 The authors of the present invention unexpectedly found that the optimal levels of caramelization can be achieved by frying the powder of chicory extract.

 A water-soluble chicory powder is obtained having good organoleptic properties, reduced hygroscopicity and containing from 40 to 65% inulin, from 4 to 10% reduced sugar, less than 5% fructose and glucose, and which has a color saturation of 1.0 to 2, 5.

 As a storage carbohydrate, chicory contains inulin, which consists of monosaccharides of fructose and glucose. Polysaccharide inulin has no reducing terminal groups and, therefore, is not capable of recovery. Upon extraction, inulin decomposes at elevated temperatures, forming oligo- and disaccharides, up to fructose and glucose. This increases the reducing ability, which is highest for monosaccharides. The value of reducing sugars depends on the reducing ability of saccharides and increases if the average molecular weight of saccharides decreases. Fructose and glucose are determined directly enzymatically, with inulin enzymatically following hydrolysis in an acidic medium. Color saturation is the absorption of light measured in a 1% aqueous solution of chicory powder in a 1 cm cuvette using light with a wavelength of 500 nm.

 If the content of reducing sugars (or “reducing” sugars) in the chicory powder before caramelization, i.e. in the non-hydrolyzed extract, is less than 4%, then the caramelized powder produced has a sharp pungent odor. If the content of reducing sugars in chicory powders before caramelization, that is, in partially hydrolyzed extracts, is from 5 to 8%, then the powder has a mild pleasant odor. The hygroscopicity of the powdery extract increases with hydrolytic cleavage of inulin. Inulin cleavage should only be carried out to the extent that the powders can be easily dried and have sufficient stability for their intended use. An inulin content of 40 to 65% provides reduced hygroscopicity of the powder.

 In the case of the powder according to the invention, its content in the formulations can be increased. Up to 50% of chicory powder can be mixed, for example, with coffee extract. Preferred is a water-soluble chicory powder which contains from 50 to 65% inulin, from 6 to 9% reducing sugars and less than 4% fructose and glucose and which has a color saturation of from 1.2 to 1.8. If the mixture with the coffee extract is considered as the starting one, then this extract can be either a standard instant roasted coffee that is mixed or agglomerated with the powder of the invention, or a standard instant roasted coffee in a liquid state that is mixed, dried or agglomerated together with the powder according to the invention.

The present invention also relates to a method for producing a powder, in which the dried chicory stalk is extracted in water, or the chicory root is ground and pressed into a powder, and the powder is caramelized in an extruder at a temperature of from 180 ^° C to 250 ^° C with a processing time of up to 5 min to obtain a color saturation from 1.0 to 2.5, and then cool and grind. The amount of chicory powder passed through the extruder depends on its size.

 The traditional processing of chicory includes operations such as roasting, extraction and drying. The disadvantages of the known technology are, on the one hand, the uneven color of the material to be fried, the risk of burning chicory pieces, and, on the other hand, the hygroscopicity of the extracted powders.

 The inventive method is carried out differently, that is, the material dried in the oven is first extracted or the root material is pressed, the obtained extract is dried, and then the chicory powder is caramelized in an extruder. Oven dried chicory can be used in the form of slices, cubes or crumbs. Slices, cubes and crumbs turn into medium pieces of chicory with a width of 20 to 40 mm, a thickness of 5 to 7 mm, with a variable length of 12 to 25 mm, or sifted small particles with a size of 2 to 10 mm, respectively. Due to the smaller size of the pieces, the yield during extraction with crumb is greater than with cubes or slices. When processed in an extruder, a degree of caramelization of chicory powders is achieved, which can also be set in a wide range and is characterized by a high degree of color uniformity of caramelized powder. For the caramelization process, a twin-screw extruder is used.

The dried chicory (about 90% dry weight) is extracted in an extractor, which is equipped with many diffusers in which the chicory is placed. Heated to 80-90 ^o C water flows through these diffusers, and then the liquid extract is fed to a separator, where undissolved solid particles are separated. The remainder of the diffuser is discarded. The aqueous extract is reheated to 110-130 ^° C. in a pipe extractor in order to achieve partial hydrolysis of inulin. At the outlet, the extract has a temperature of from 60 to 80 ^° C. The liquid extract is then dried in the traditional way in a tower sprayed with liquid spray using hot air.

Another possible processing method is to separate the extracted substances by pressing fresh chicory roots (about 26% dry matter). The washed chicory roots are finely ground, heated to temperatures from 60 to 70 ^o C in a steam coil and pressed in the press. As described above, the resulting extruded extract is then reheated at temperatures from 110 to 130 ^° C. in a tube extractor. This heat treatment provides partial hydrolysis of inulin, and the viscosity of the extract is significantly reduced. The liquid extracts are then separated. Finally, the liquid extracts are concentrated from 20 to 40% of the dry weight and spray dried.

 Green chicory powder should contain reducing sugars in an amount of 5 to 8%, so that the powder is easier to caramelize than non-hydrolyzed powder.

The temperature curve during caramelization should be below 250 ^o C, as otherwise there is significant turbidity, which negatively affects the smell of chicory powder. Caramelization is preferably carried out at a temperature of from 200 to 240 ^o C and at a processing time of up to 2 minutes. The amount of chicory powder passed through the extruder is set so that the desired color saturation is achieved.

 It is possible to extract chicory to obtain a mixture of an extract of green chicory powder with instant roasted coffee and / or a substitute for instant roasted coffee and for caramelization of this mixture in an extruder. The content of instant roasted coffee or a substitute for instant roasted coffee in this mixture is from 5 to 95%.

 A method similar to that used for chicory can also be used for coffee. Green coffee is extracted, and soluble powder is caramelized in an extruder. The two caramelized powders obtained, chicory and coffee, are then mixed in the desired ratio.

 The next solution is that coffee and chicory are extracted separately, and two green powders are mixed and caramelized together in an extruder.

 For these last two embodiments, the coffee content can be from 5 to 95% and the chicory content from 5 to 95%.

The present invention finally relates to a device for implementing this method, comprising the following elements connected by pipes:
- extractor (diffuser) or mill, steam coil and press,
- separator
- a pipe system with means for heating the extracted liquid,
- a means of drying and caramelization,
- screw feeder,
- twin screw extruder,
- cooling tape and
- means of grinding.

The present device is described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows curves of inulin, reduced sugars, and total fructose and glucose,
FIG. 2 and 3 are diagrams of two circuits of the device according to the invention to the caramelization section, and
FIG. 4 is a diagram of a caramelization portion of chicory powder.

 In FIG. 1, curves (A), (B), and (C) represent the changes in inulin, reduced sugars, and total fructose and glucose in caramelized chicory powder, respectively, as a function of color saturation E. As mentioned above, color saturation is determined by the absorption of light with a wavelength of 500 nm, measured in a 1% aqueous solution of chicory powder, placed in a cuvette, with a path length of 1 cm

 The claimed chicory powder has properties in the DFGH range, preferably in the IJKL range, with respect to inulin, reduced sugars, total fructose and glucose, and corresponding color saturation.

The device shown in FIG. 2, refers to an extractor 1, which includes 6 diffusers 2. Slices, cubes or chicory chips 3 are loaded into each diffuser. Hot water at a temperature of approximately 90 ^o C flows along arrow A. The effluent of the extract flows through the pipe 4 to remove air to an overflow tank 5, and then to a separator 6, where insoluble solids are removed using a centrifuge. The pump 8 transports the liquid extract from the intermediate storage tank 7 to the tubular reactor 9, in which a pressure of about 5 bar prevails. The extract is heated to approximately 115-120 ^o C using steam 10 when it enters the tubular reactor. The liquid extract flows through the first four tubes and after staying in them for 20-25 minutes it is cooled to approximately 85 ^o C in a tube cooler 11. The liquid extract is pumped 12 to the next intermediate storage tank 13, and then sprayed in the tower 15 and dried in a stream of hot air 14. The powder is separated from the trapped air in a separator 16, then cooled in a secondary refrigerator 17 and collected in a container 18 for subsequent caramelization.

The device shown in FIG. 3, comprises a hopper 49 and a mill 50 for grinding washed chicory roots. The milled material is transported by a Mohno 51 pump to a steam coil 52, where it is heated to 60-70 ^° C with hot steam. At the end of the coil, the chopped chicory falls into the hopper 53 of the next Mohno 54 pump and is collected in the storage tank 55. The hydraulic piston press 56 is loaded with material periodically using the pump 57, and the extract coming from the press is transported by pump 58 to the tank 59. From there, liquid extract supplied by the pump 60 into the tubular reactor 61, where it is heated to 130 ^o C and steamed 62 after 10 minutes cooled to 85 ^o C in a tubular cooler 63, and then flows through the pump 64 to the next storage tank 65. For To eliminate turbidity, the liquid extract is passed through the next pump 66 and separator 67 and concentrated from 20% dry matter to 35-40% dry matter in evaporator 68. Then, the liquid extract is spray dried (cf. FIG. 2), as already described, in tower 13.

 The chicory powder is transported from the hopper 20 to the caramelization extruder 27 (Fig. 4) with a screw feeder 22 with an engine 21. The feeder 22 is installed on the base 23, and the extruder is located lower on the base 24.

From the feeder 22, the powder enters the hopper 25, and from it into the first segment of the extruder 27. Use a twin-screw extruder having six or more segments and driven by an engine 26. The third to sixth segments or all segments are heated to a temperature of about 200 ^o C external heaters and circulating oil coolant (not shown). Built-in kneading devices on the left plasticize chicory powder between the first and third segments. In the heating zone, the internal pressure increases due to the formation of carbon dioxide. A homogeneous caramelized extract is obtained without white patches.

Leaving the extruder heads 28, hot viscous chicory falls on a conveyor belt 29, which moves between the two rollers 30. The conveyor is mounted on the base 24 on the frame 31 and is equipped with cooling chambers 32 through which the cooling brine flows at 15 ^o C. The extract is compressed to form thin layer with a rotating roller located on top of the conveyor, and cooled, so that uneven repeated caramelization is prevented. The chicory extract is further cooled by the air flow from the top 33 coming from the blower 34. The caramelized product is removed at the end of the conveyor 29 and crushed by a grinder 36. The gases generated during caramelization are removed by suction over the conveyor belt along line 38. The powder 39 falls into the tank 37, which is established on the basis of 35.

 With a constant temperature profile of the extruder segments, the degree of caramelization of the chicory extract depends on the speed of passage. At a low transmission speed, a darker powder is obtained, and at a high one, a lighter powder.

 During caramelization of non-hydrolyzed chicory powders (less than 4% of reducing sugars), especially at higher color saturation, there is a strong turbidity, which gives these extracts an astringent and pungent taste that persists in the mouth. On the contrary, caramelized extracts made from partially hydrolyzed chicory powders (from 5 to 8% reducing sugars) have a mild, pleasant taste and, in addition, give less turbidity.

 The chicory powder according to the invention has a good taste, less hygroscopicity and good uniformity of coloring. Consequently, higher amounts of soluble chicory powder can be used in the formulations, and the finished product will be more stable during storage and after opening the package.

 Below are links to sources that describe methods for analyzing chicory powders. Reducing sugars are evaluated using comprehensive measurements using the Potterat - Eschmann method. The content of reducing sugars indicates the total content of the reducing terminal groups of inulin saccharides based on the amount (grams) of fructose per 100 grams of dry matter. This method is presented in Handbuch der Lebensmittelchemie (Handbook of Food Chemistry) 11/2, 352 (1967) and Schweizerischen Lebensmittelbuch (Swiss Food Code), Volume 1, p. 562 (1964). Fructose and glucose in chicory extract powders are evaluated by the enzymatic method described in "Methoden der biochemischen Analytik und Lebensmittelanalytik", publ. by Bohringer Mannheim.

 Inulin in the powder extract was hydrolyzed with 0.5% hydrochloric acid in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes (cf. K. Taufel et al., Nahrung, 3, 701, 1959). The inulin content was calculated from the content of fructose and glucose before and after hydrolysis by multiplying the difference in the content of hydrolyzed sugars by a factor of 0.9.

 The following is a working example of obtaining chicory powder, in which all percentages are by weight. A method for analyzing chicory powders is also provided.

Example 1
An extractor with six diffusers is used. Each diffuser contains 120 kg of dried chicory chips in the oven. The extraction temperature is 90 ^o C, with a cycle of 30 minutes and an output stream volume of 360 liters. The effluent extract contains 20% dry matter, and the yield upon extraction is about 65%.

The residence time of the extract in the tubular system is 22 minutes at a pressure of 5 atm and a flow rate of 800 l / h. The temperature of the liquid extract in the refrigerator is 118 ^o C at the inlet and 85 ^o C at the outlet. The liquid extract contains 18.4% dry matter.

Spray drying is carried out in the usual way with an air temperature (inlet) of 265 ^° C. 120 kg of oven dried chicory chips with a dry matter content of about 90% give an average of 70 kg of green chicory powder.

For caramelization using a twin screw extruder. The temperature of the third to sixth segments is 200 ^° C., and the powder yield is from 50 to 60 kg / h with a color saturation of 1.21. The processing time in the extruder is approximately 30 seconds. The temperature of the cooling brine under the conveyor belt 29 is 15 ^o C, and the conveyor belt moves at a speed of 5 m / s. Chilled caramelized chicory is ground to particles less than 2.0 mm in size.

 120 kg of chicory, previously dried in an oven, gives an average of 65 kg of caramelized chicory with inulin content of 62.3%, reducing sugars of 7.4% and a total content of fructose and glucose of 2.1%.

Example 2
The roots of chicory are ground in a mill, and the ground material is heated in a steam coil to a temperature of 60-70 ^o C with hot steam at a yield of 300 kg / h.

 The hydraulic oil press is periodically loaded with chopped chicory. It takes about 2 hours to load the press, and 1 hour for the press itself. The pressure at the end of the treatment is 200 bar. Received 500 kg of pressed extract having a dry matter content of 20.1%, and 148 kg of waste formed during pressing, having a dry matter content of 37.8%. The extract yield was 64.3%.

In a tubular system, the pressed extract was subjected to further processing at a temperature of 130 ^° C. and a pressure of 5 bar. At a yield of 600 kg / h, the processing time of the extract is 10 minutes

 After separation, the concentration of the liquid extract increases, the dry matter content increases from 20.1% to 36.5%. Then, the liquid extract is spray dried.

 The caramelized powder extract was as described in Example 1.

The analysis of chicory powder includes the following evaluation methods:
Dry matter
About 2 g of powder is accurately weighed in a dry nickel plate and dried for 2 hours at 85 ^° C. in an oven. After cooling in a desiccator, the sample is re-weighed.

Цветонасыщение
1,0 г порошка, по сухому веществу, отвешивают в стеклянную колбу емкостью 250 мл и дополняют до 100 г дистиллированной водой. Определяют общий вес стеклянной колбы, стеклянной палочки, образца и воды и порошок растворяют путем размешивания. Пробу раствора нагревают примерно до 70^oC, затем вновь охлаждают в холодной водяной бане и дополняют до первоначального веса водой. Для оценки насыщенности цвета раствор разбавляют 1:5 (например, 20 мл до 100 мл), разбавленный раствор центрифугируют и поглощение света прозрачным раствором измеряют при 500 нм в 1 см кюветах.

Color saturation
1.0 g of the powder, on a dry basis, is weighed into a 250 ml glass flask and added to 100 g with distilled water. The total weight of the glass flask, glass rod, sample and water is determined and the powder is dissolved by stirring. A sample of the solution is heated to about 70 ^o C, then re-cooled in a cold water bath and supplemented to its original weight with water. To assess the color saturation, the solution is diluted 1: 5 (for example, 20 ml to 100 ml), the diluted solution is centrifuged, and the light absorption of the clear solution is measured at 500 nm in 1 cm cuvettes.

Reducing sugar
About 3 g of the sample material is weighed into a 150 ml glass flask with an accuracy of ± 1 mg along with 1 g of calcium carbonate. The total weight of the glass bulb and glass rod (G) is determined. After adding 70 ml of water, the suspension is placed for 30 min in a thermostat at a temperature of 60 ^o C. The volume of the solution is adjusted to 100 ml by adding water, then its weight is determined (G + 100 g). This solution is filtered through a pleated filter and 10 ml of the filtrate is used for sugar evaluation by the Potterat-Eschmann method.

Фруктоза и глюкоза
Раствор, использованный для определения редуцирующих сахаров, разбавляют 1:2, и 0,1 мл разбавленного раствора используют для ферментативного теста.

Fructose and glucose
The solution used to determine the reducing sugars is diluted 1: 2, and 0.1 ml of the diluted solution is used for the enzymatic test.

Инулин
Около 1,5 г образец материала отвешивают в мерную колбу с точностью до ± 1 мг и нагревают с 75 мл 0,5% соляной кислоты в течение 15 минут в кипящей воде. После охлаждения раствора добавляют 5 капель 0,5% бром-тимола синего в этиловом спирте и 2Н раствора гидроксида натрия, пока индикатор не поменяет цвет (для этого необходимо около 4,5 мл, если необходимо, проверьте pH бумажкой). После добавления 2 мл насыщенного раствора уксуснокислого свинца мерную колбу наполняют до отметки и встряхивают. Раствор фильтруют через гофрированный фильтр.

Inulin
About 1.5 g of a sample of material is weighed into a volumetric flask with an accuracy of ± 1 mg and heated with 75 ml of 0.5% hydrochloric acid for 15 minutes in boiling water. After cooling the solution, add 5 drops of 0.5% bromo-thymol blue in ethanol and a 2N sodium hydroxide solution until the indicator changes color (for this, about 4.5 ml are necessary, if necessary, check the pH with a piece of paper). After adding 2 ml of a saturated solution of lead acetic acid, the volumetric flask was filled to the mark and shaken. The solution is filtered through a pleated filter.

 20 ml of 2% sodium oxalate are placed in a 100 ml volumetric flask and 25 ml of pure filtrate are pipetted. After shaking the volumetric flask and adding it with water, the solution is filtered through a pleated filter, 20 ml of the clarified solution is diluted to 100 ml for enzymatic evaluation.

% инулина = 0,9 • (% общей Глю + Фру - % свободной Глю + Фру).

% inulin = 0.9 • (% of total Glu + Fru -% free Glu + Fru).

Claims (12)

 1. Water-soluble caramelized powder from chicory extract, characterized in that it contains from 40 to 65% inulin, from 4 to 10% reducing sugars and less than 5% fructose and glucose and has a color saturation from 1.0 to 2.5.  2. The powder according to claim 1, characterized in that it contains from 50 to 65% inulin, from 6 to 9% reducing sugars and less than 4% fructose and glucose and color saturation from 1.2 to 1.8.  3. A food composition comprising a water-soluble chicory powder and soluble coffee products, characterized in that as the specified water-soluble chicory powder, it contains the powder according to claim 1.  4. The composition according to claim 3, characterized in that as coffee products it contains from 5 to 95% instant coffee and / or its substitute. 5. A method of obtaining a water-soluble chicory powder, comprising extracting dried chicory in a furnace or pressing chicory root and drying the obtained extract to obtain a powder, characterized in that the obtained powder is caramelized in an extruder at a temperature of from 180 to 250 ^o C with a processing time of up to 5 min, and then cooled and ground to obtain chicory powder according to claim 1 or 2.  6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that they use a twin-screw extruder.  7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the dried chicory in the oven is processed in the form of slices, cubes or crumbs, and the chicory root is processed in the form of non-dried roots.  8. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the extract is obtained in the extractor or in the press, and the resulting extract is hydrolyzed in a tubular extractor. 9. The method according to p. 5, characterized in that the extract before drying has a temperature of from 40 to 80 ^o C, and the extract is dried by spraying.  10. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the powder before caramelization has a content of reducing sugars below 10%, preferably from 5 to 8%. 11. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that caramelization occurs at a temperature of from 200 to 240 ^o C and with a processing time of up to 2 minutes  12. A device for producing a water-soluble chicory powder containing the following pipe-connected elements: means for producing chicory extract in the form of an extractor-diffuser or mill, a steam coil and a press, a separator for separating the extract from insoluble substances, a pipe system with means for heating the liquid extract and a drying means extract to obtain chicory powder, characterized in that the device is additionally equipped with means of caramelization of chicory powder, including a screw feeder and twin screws nd extruder, and cooling and ribbon shredding means caramelized product.

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