RU2432779C1 - Puffed grains production method - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: food industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to food products treatment, in particular, to a method for production of puffed grains. The grains puffing method involves operations as follows: loading grain material into the chamber, the chamber pressurisation, the grain material treatment in the chamber, discharging the grain material into the receptacle bin. A preliminarily heated gasiform heat carrier is supplied under pressure into the chamber; after expiry of some time the chamber is immediately depressurised. The grains treated under overpressure are placed into the receptacle bin; the duration of treatment with the gasiform heat carrier is 3-300 sec, the gasiform heat carrier pressure is 0.3-3 MPa, the gasiform heat carrier temperature is 50-400°C.

EFFECT: said invention usage will allow to reduce the costs of puffed grains production, enhance the quality of the product feeding value.

5 cl, 1 dwg, 1 tbl, 8 ex

Description

The invention relates to food processing, namely to the processing of grain, and can be used in the food industry for the production of instant cereals, as well as in agricultural production for the manufacture of feed.

A known method of preparing explosive products from grain raw materials, including feeding a dose of grain into the sintering chamber, heating and squeezing the grain with matrices, expanding the grains during quick dilution of the matrices to the height of the finished product, the grain is fed with an acceleration of 0.01-0.05 g and dumped into the food chamber from a height of 5-10-fold grain thickness (see RF patent No. 2080085, IPC A23L 1/18, A23P 1/14, publ. 05.27.1997).

The disadvantage of this method is the increased energy consumption for the production of a grain product, and also due to contact with a hot surface, it is possible to obtain burnt grain, which reduces the quality of the finished product.

A known method of producing buckwheat groats that does not require cooking, including cleaning buckwheat grain from impurities, sorting into fractions by size, steaming at a pressure of 0.55-0.60 MPa for 6-8 minutes to a moisture content of 18-19% and simultaneous peeling for for obtaining whole and chopped buckwheat kernels, subsequent blasting in another apparatus at a heating temperature of 260 ° C and an excess pressure of 1.0 MPa, cooling and winding (see RF patent No. 2185750, IPC A23L 1/18, publ. 07.27.2002 g.).

The technological parameters of the method are characterized by high energy intensity when steaming the initial grain to create a pressure of 0.55-0.60 MPa, the process itself is time-consuming, and the simultaneous processing of both whole and chopped grains leads to an inhomogeneous composition of the obtained product, which reduces its nutritional value .

A known method for the production of exploded grains, including heating the raw material in a fluidized bed with superheated steam of atmospheric pressure, followed by a sharp vacuum, the temperature and speed of superheated steam, respectively, is 413-473 K and 2.0-5.0 m / s, and the processing time them - 1-5 minutes (see RF patent No. 1386156, IPC A23L 1/18, publ. 07.04.1988).

The disadvantage of this method is its complexity, duration and high energy consumption, since it requires the creation of a vacuum and a high temperature of steam.

A known method of heat treatment of grain, including heating the grain in a stream of a thermal agent with simultaneous heating with infrared rays, at atmospheric pressure, while the stream of thermal agent is fed to a moving grain layer periodically with a frequency of 0.3-10.0 Hz, and the total agent consumption for relative to the mass flow rate of grain is 10.0-15.0, and the feed rate of the agent to the grain layer is 1.0-5.0 the magnitude of the speed of the processed grains (see RF patent No. 2051595, IPC A23L 1/18, publ. January 10, 1996).

The use of infrared radiation leads to a rise in price and complication of the process of obtaining detonated grains.

The closest is a method for the production of expanded grain, including loading grain into the chamber, sealing the chamber, hydrothermally treating the grain under pressure in a gaseous coolant, depressurizing the chamber to atmospheric pressure, using steam injected into the sealed chamber as a gaseous coolant with pressure not lower than 0.5 MPa and a temperature of not more than 200 ° C, and the duration of the grain treatment with steam does not exceed 60 s (see RF patent No. 2220586, IPC A23K 1/00, A23L 1/18, publ. 10.01.2004) .

The disadvantage of this method is the high energy intensity, as well as the low nutritional value of the product due to overmoistening of the grain, as well as the need to dry the grain after processing in order to increase its shelf life.

The objective of the present invention is to reduce the cost of producing expanded grain, improving the quality, nutritional and nutritional value of the product.

The technical result achieved by solving the problem is to provide optimal conditions for loosening the structure of the groats and the destruction of cell walls by drying the outer shells of the grain material and maintaining the moisture level of the deeper layers.

The problem is achieved in that in a method for the production of expanded grain, including loading grain into the chamber, sealing the chamber, processing the grain, according to the invention, a preheated gaseous coolant is fed into the chamber under pressure, then the chamber is instantly depressurized and the treated grain is transferred to the receiving hopper with excess pressure .

In this case, for example, air is used as a gaseous heat carrier.

In addition, the pressure of the gaseous coolant is not more than 3 MPa, and the temperature is not more than 400 ° C.

In addition, before processing the gaseous heat carrier, the grain material is treated with steam.

In this case, the vapor pressure is not more than 0.499 MPa, and the treatment time with water vapor is not more than 600 s.

The claimed combination of features makes it possible to optimize the process of destruction of the cell wall for each type of grain as a heat carrier, and makes it possible to control the hydrolysis mode by adjusting the depth of moisture influence on the grain shells and internal grain structures at the cellular level by drying the outer shells of the grain material and maintaining the moisture level of the deeper layers.

This helps to create more favorable conditions for loosening the structure of cereals and the destruction of cell walls, which increases the quality of the finished product and its nutritional value.

The relatively mild regime of steam treatment and the subsequent exposure to a high-pressure dry heat carrier (not more than 3 MPa) allows the process of expanding grain of high humidity or wetted with water without any steam injection at all, which reduces the cost of manufacturing the finished product.

In addition, the use of dry heated gaseous coolant allows to exclude overmoistening of the processed grain, its sticking into lumps during steaming and to regulate (stabilize) the degree of humidity of the finished product.

The use, if necessary, of preheating and moistening the processed material with low-pressure steam (not more than 0.499 MPa) allows to reduce production costs due to lower capital costs for the construction of a boiler house giving a pressure of more than 0.499 MPa.

The inventive method also allows you to expand the range of processed grain material.

Thus, in the processing of legume grains, the solubility index of protein, which depends on the steaming temperature, is of great importance. The decrease in protein solubility is a negative factor in animal feeding, as it causes a decrease in its digestibility.

The claimed method allows you to more accurately control the content of anti-nutritional factors of certain types of grain within acceptable limits as well as the solubility of protein, which is crucial when they are used in animal feeding.

As a result of the application of the claimed method, the solubility of the protein decreases less than after treatment with high pressure (more than 0.499 MPa) and temperature, which characterizes its relatively high digestibility.

At a pressure of more than 0.499 MPa, the steam temperature rises and, accordingly, the grain processing time should be reduced so that its solubility index and the related digestibility index remain within acceptable limits. Moreover, in the upper layers of the grain, warmed more intensely, the solubility of the protein will decrease faster than in the center. As a result, in the finished product, the solubility index of the protein in the outer layers of the grain will be extremely low, and in the inner ones the heating will be insufficient to achieve the task. At the same time, during the analysis of protein solubility, the average value may be within acceptable limits, but this will not reflect its true value, since the upper layers of the grain will be overheated, and the lower ones will not be sufficiently heated.

The inventive method is illustrated in the drawing, where the positions mean the following: 1 - dispenser; 2 - sealed chamber; 3 - receiving chamber; 4 - loading valve of the chamber 2; 5 - channel for supplying steam; 6 - channel for supplying heated gas; 7 - unloading valve.

The method is also illustrated in the table.

A method for the production of expanded grain includes loading grain material into the chamber and sealing the chamber.

If the grain material arrives for processing dry, then steam is preliminarily fed into the chamber under a pressure of not more than 0.499 MPa.

Under the action of steam, the material is heated, moistened, the outer layers soften and the material warms up, and pressure promotes the penetration of moisture inside.

The vapor pressure in the chamber is less than 0.499 MPa - sufficient to effectively moisten the processed material to the full depth.

At a vapor pressure of not more than 0.499 MPa, the grain material warms up more slowly and more uniformly than at high pressure and the corresponding temperature, and excess moisture from the outer layers of the grain is removed by subsequent treatment with a dry heat carrier. With the evaporation of moisture, the temperature of the outer layers of the grain stabilizes, and the deeper and drier layers continue to warm up.

The vapor pressure above 0.499 MPa in the inventive method is impractical due to the fact that the vapor is used only for penetration of moisture inside, and not for the explosion of grain.

Depending on the type of granular material being processed, the steam treatment time is not more than 600 s.

After treating the granular material with steam, its supply is stopped, a gaseous heat carrier, for example atmospheric air or nitrogen, preheated to a temperature of not more than 400 ° C, is fed into the chamber under pressure not more than 3 MPa.

If the grain material enters the waterlogged treatment, then it can be processed without steam, immediately supplying heated gas.

Processing time with gaseous heat carrier is not more than 300 s.

Then the chamber is instantly depressurized and the processed granular material with excess pressure, which is created by the heated gas (not more than 3 MPa), is transferred to the receiving chamber in no more than 2 s.

The use of relatively dry heated gas instead of steam allows you to provide optimal conditions for loosening the structure of the cereal and the destruction of cell walls by drying the outer shells of the grain material and maintaining the moisture level of the deeper layers.

In addition, this eliminates overmoistening of the material and regulates the degree of humidity of the finished product, and, if necessary, dry it.

The pressure in the receiving hopper before depressurization is maintained equal to or lower than atmospheric - not more than 0.1 MPa.

In this case, the water contained in the granular product, heated in a sealed chamber to a temperature higher than the boiling point at a pressure of the receiving chamber of not more than 0.1 MPa, instantly boils and destroys the structure of the granular product.

Lowering the pressure below atmospheric in the receiving hopper allows swelling of the grain at lower pressure and processing temperatures in order to have a milder temperature effect on the grain and preserve its useful properties, but with the destruction of cell structures.

This is due to the fact that when the pressure drops below atmospheric, the boiling point of water also decreases, for example, at a pressure of 49 kPa (0.5 at), the boiling point of water is 80.9 ° C, and the process of swelling of the grain occurs with a sharp boiling of the water inside him, and the destruction of cellular structures by released steam.

As a result, granular materials acquire a microporous structure, the outer layers crack, the starch of the grain is partially hydrolyzed, and its ability to absorb water increases.

By changing the processing parameters within the above limits, one can change the degree of degradation of the starting material.

The implementation of the method is given on the example of the processing of grain of wheat at various processing parameters.

Example 1

The treatment was subjected to wheat grain with a moisture content of up to 14% and with a bulk density of 0.74 kg / l.

Steam was supplied to the chamber at a pressure of 0.45 MPa and a temperature of 146 ° C; after 12 s, steam supply was stopped and air heated to a temperature of 200 ° C was supplied at a pressure of 0.8 MPa.

After 28 seconds, the chamber is instantly depressurized and the processed wheat grain with excess pressure, which is created by the heated gas, is transferred to the receiving chamber.

Water inside the grain boils and excess pressure destroys the structure of the granular product.

The grain after processing had a moisture content of 13%, and its bulk density was 0.610-0.650 kg / l.

Example 2

The treatment was subjected to wheat grain with a moisture content of up to 14% and with a bulk density of 0.74 kg / l.

Steam was supplied to the chamber at a pressure of 0.45 MPa and a temperature of 146 ° C; after 12 s, steam supply was stopped and air heated to a temperature of 220 ° C was supplied at a pressure of 1.0 MPa.

After 28 s, the chamber is instantly depressurized and the processed wheat grain with excess pressure, which is created by the heated gas, is transferred to the receiving chamber.

Water inside the grain boils and excess pressure destroys the structure of the granular product.

The grain after processing had a moisture content of 11%, and its bulk density was 0.520-0.560 kg / l.

Example 3

The treatment was subjected to wheat grain with a moisture content of up to 14% and with a bulk density of 0.74 kg / l.

Steam was supplied to the chamber at a pressure of 0.45 MPa and a temperature of 146 ° C; after 12 s, steam supply was stopped and air heated to a temperature of 250 ° C was supplied at a pressure of 1.2 MPa.

After 28 seconds, the chamber is instantly depressurized and the processed wheat grain with excess pressure, which is created by the heated gas, is transferred to the receiving chamber.

Water inside the grain boils and excess pressure destroys the structure of the granular product.

The grain after processing had a moisture content of 8%, and its bulk density was 0.250-0.280 kg / l.

Example 4

The processing was subjected to fodder beans with a moisture content of up to 14% and a bulk density of 0.78 kg / l.

Steam was supplied to the chamber at a pressure of 0.45 MPa and a temperature of 146 ° C; after 40 s, steam supply was stopped and air heated to a temperature of 150 ° C was supplied at a pressure of 0.8 MPa.

After 280 s, the chamber is instantly depressurized and the processed grain of the fodder bean with excess pressure, which is created by the heated gas, is transferred to the receiving chamber.

Due to excess pressure, the water inside the grain boils and destroys the structure of the granular product.

The grain after processing had a moisture content of 14%, and its bulk density was 0.650-0.680 kg / l.

Example 5

The treatment was subjected to wheat grain with a moisture content of up to 14% and with a bulk density of 0.74 kg / l.

Steam was supplied to the chamber at a pressure of 0.45 MPa and a temperature of 146 ° C; after 20 s, steam supply was stopped and air heated to a temperature of 150 ° C was supplied at a pressure of 2.5 MPa.

After 20 seconds, the chamber is instantly depressurized and the treated wheat grain with excess pressure, which is created by the heated gas, is transferred to the receiving chamber.

Due to excess pressure, the water inside the grain boils and destroys the structure of the granular product. The grain is torn to pieces.

The grain after processing had a moisture content of 10%, and its bulk density was 0.180-0.220 kg / l.

Example 6

The treatment was subjected to barley grain with a moisture content of up to 14% and with a bulk density of 0.76 kg / l.

Steam was supplied to the chamber at a pressure of 0.45 MPa and a temperature of 146 ° C; after 45 s, steam supply was stopped and air heated to a temperature of 380 ° C was supplied at a pressure of 0.8 MPa.

After 15 seconds, the chamber is instantly depressurized and the treated barley grain with excess pressure, which is created by the heated gas, is transferred to the receiving chamber.

Due to excess pressure, the water inside the grain boils and destroys the structure of the granular product. The grain acquires a dark yellow color, the smell of toasted bread. The outer shell of the grain is torn.

The grain after processing had a moisture content of 8%, and its bulk density was 0.450-0.480 kg / l.

Example 7

Processing was subjected to millet grain with a moisture content up to 12%, with a bulk density of 0.740 kg / l.

The biological feature of millet is the relatively small size of the seeds and a solid flower shell, so for its expansion it is necessary to soften and destroy this shell. The millet processing mode includes strong hydration and quick heating of the grain.

Steam was supplied into the chamber under a pressure of 0.2 MPa, with a temperature of 115 ° C. After 20 s, the steam supply was stopped, and air heated to a temperature of 400 ° С was supplied to the chamber under a pressure of 0.3 MPa.

After 3 seconds, the chamber is instantly depressurized, and the processed millet grain with excessive pressure moves to the receiving chamber.

Under the influence of temperature and pressure drop, the water inside the grain and flower shells boils and the grain swells, breaking all the grain shells.

Millet after processing has a moisture content of 11-12%, and its bulk density was 0.650-0.700 kg / l.

Example 8

The processing was subjected to sunflower grain with a moisture content of 8%, with a bulk density of 0.410 kg / l.

The biological feature of sunflower is a high protein and fat content. To preserve the properties of protein and fat, prolonged warming up with a relatively mild regime is required. Due to the high fat content (50%), the sunflower kernel is relatively soft, while the shells (husks) are strong.

Steam was supplied into the chamber under a pressure of 0.12 MPa, with a temperature of 103 ° C. After 10 s, the steam supply was stopped, and air heated to a temperature of 50 ° С was supplied to the chamber under a pressure of 0.7 MPa.

After 20 seconds, the chamber is instantly depressurized, and the processed sunflower grain with excessive pressure moves to the receiving chamber. At a pressure in the receiving chamber of 0.08 atm and below, water boils inside the grain and its structure is destroyed.

After processing, the sunflower has a moisture content of 9%, and its bulk density was 0.310-0.340 kg / l.

A change in bulk mass of grain at various processing parameters indicates a change in its porosity.

The method allows you to adjust the volumetric mass of the processed grain, changing the temperature and pressure of the coolant, depending on the task. For feed purposes, it is sufficient to carry out a relatively mild treatment (Example 1), for food purposes a more rigid treatment (Example 3) is more suitable, for effective heating of the fodder beans, a longer treatment time with gaseous heat carrier is required (Example 4), to obtain a more porous structure of the processed grain material a higher pressure of the gaseous coolant is required (Example 5).

The processing results are summarized in table.

The inventive method can be implemented on an installation containing a dispenser 1, a sealed chamber 2 and a receiving chamber 3.

The chamber 2 contains a loading valve 4, a separate channel 5 for supplying steam, a channel 6 for supplying a heated gas and an unloading valve 7.

The processed material from the dispenser 1 enters the loading valve 4 into the chamber 2. The chamber 2 is sealed and, if necessary, preheated steam is supplied under pressure 5 to the chamber 2.

After the set time has elapsed, depending on the type of material being processed, the steam supply is stopped and heated, for example, atmospheric air, is supplied under pressure.

After a lapse of time, the chamber 2 is depressurized and, through the unloading valve 7, the processed material enters the receiving chamber 3, where the structure of the granular product is destroyed under the action of excess pressure generated inside it.

The finished product is unloaded from the receiving chamber 3.

Processed grain and cereals are suitable for the production of products that do not require cooking, as well as in agricultural production for the manufacture of feed.

When used in feed, processed grain increases the productivity of animals by increasing its energy nutrition, digestibility, fermentation rate and fermentolysis in the digestive tract.

Bulk mass of wheat grain depending on processing parameters at a constant time of 50 s Processing option Grain moisture before processing Vapor pressure, MPa Steam temperature, ° С Air pressure, MPa Air temperature ° C The moisture content of the grain after processing,% Bulk mass of grain, kg / l one fourteen 0.45 146 0.8 200 13 0.610-0.650 2 fourteen 0.45 146 1,0 220 eleven 0.52-0.56 3 fourteen 0.45 146 1,2 250 8 0.310-0.350

Claims (5)

1. A method for the production of expanded grain, including loading grain material into the chamber, sealing the chamber, processing the grain material in the chamber and unloading the grain material into the receiving hopper, characterized in that a preheated gaseous coolant is supplied into the chamber under pressure, after which the chamber is instantly depressurized and the processed grain with excess pressure is transferred to a receiving hopper, while the treatment time with a gaseous coolant is 3-300 s, the pressure of the gaseous coolant is 0.3-3 Pa, and the temperature of the gaseous coolant 50-400 ° C. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, for example, air is used as the gaseous heat carrier. 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that before processing the gaseous heat carrier, the grain material is treated with steam. 4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the vapor pressure is not more than 0.499 MPa, and the treatment time with water vapor is not more than 600 s. 5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the absolute pressure in the receiving hopper is lower than or equal to atmospheric pressure - not more than 0.1 MPa.