Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L7/00—Cereal-derived products; Malt products; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L7/10—Cereal-derived products
  • A23L7/104—Fermentation of farinaceous cereal or cereal material; Addition of enzymes or microorganisms
  • A23L7/107—Addition or treatment with enzymes not combined with fermentation with microorganisms
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L5/00—Preparation or treatment of foods or foodstuffs, in general; Food or foodstuffs obtained thereby; Materials therefor
  • A23L5/20—Removal of unwanted matter, e.g. deodorisation or detoxification
  • A23L5/23—Removal of unwanted matter, e.g. deodorisation or detoxification by extraction with solvents
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L7/00—Cereal-derived products; Malt products; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L7/10—Cereal-derived products
  • A23L7/115—Cereal fibre products, e.g. bran, husk

Definitions

• the present invention relates primarily to a process for the removal of undesired oat flavor from enzyme hydrolyzed oat bran and to the resulting product.
• the product is particularly useful as an addition to food products, notably dairy products, to improve health qualities.
• Enzymatically hydrolyzed oat bran products e.g. the product Oatrim
• Such products are obtained by the process described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,996,063 and 5,082,673. Briefly, the process comprises gelatinizing a mixture of oats and water by passage through a steam injection cooker at a temperature of between 138°C to 143°C. The pH of the mixture is then adjusted and alpha-amylase enzymes are added so as to hydrolyze the starch in the mixture. After the hydrolyzation is completed, soluble fiber is separated and dehydrated to give the Oatrim" product. This can be added to dairy products, e.g. diet drinks, milk or frozen confections. Alternatively, the hydrolyzed oat bran product can be used to produce such products as cheese, yogurt, etc.
• Oatrim or the like as a food additive is extensively described in the literature. See, for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 5,723,162; 5,709,900 (low fat cheese); 5,626,849 (weight loss composition); 5,607,716 (low fat confectionery items); 5,585,131 (meat products); and 5,532,018 (low fat cheese).
• the product is considered to be particularly useful as a heart healthy food additive in that it has been shown to provide a substantial drop in artery-clogging LDL cholesterol without substantial drop in beneficial HDL cholesterol.
• An article by Raloff Food Technology, 1991 , Vol. 8, beginning at page 62 provides more information as to the health benefits which are realized by consuming enzymatically hydrolyzed oat bran product.
• the principal object of the present invention is to provide a process for treating "Oatrim” or like enzymatically hydrolyzed oat bran product so as to remove undesirable oat taste while retaining other desired characteristics.
• Another object is to provide improved food products, for example, milk and related dairy products containing an oat-based product according to the invention which are characterized by freedom from any undesired oat taste while providing the health advantages attributable to Oatrim" and similar products.
• the present process comprises subjecting hydrolyzed oat bran, e.g. Oatrim", to extraction with a lower alkanol followed by removal of the alkanol. It has been found that product free from undesired oat taste and otherwise taste-free can be obtained in this way. As a consequence, the product can be added to, for example, milk or other foods to provide a product which is free of any oat taste while otherwise maintaining all of the healthful characteristics of "Oatrim” or equivalent hydrolyzed oat bran product.
• hydrolyzed oat bran e.g. Oatrim
• oat bran such as Oatrim
• Oat flour enzymatically hydrolyzed oat bran
• Figure 1 represents a flow diagram illustrating a continuous extraction process according to the invention
• Figure 2 diagrammatically illustrates a system for drying of the extracted oat flour and recovery of the alcohol used in the extraction
• Figure 2b is a side view of a rotary vacuum drier suitable for use in the invention
• Figure 2c is an end of the drier shown in Figure 2b;
• Figure 3 diagrammatically illustrates the grinding of the oat flour which has been processed according to the invention.
• FIG. 4 diagrammatically illustrates another continuous system for carrying out the process of the invention.
• the system shown in Figure 1 comprises an extraction vessel (2) of stainless steel or the equivalent in which there are placed bags (4) containing the oat flour.
• the bags are made of material which is of sufficiently fine mesh to retain the oat flour while open enough to permit the solvent to pass therethrough.
• the bags rest on a stainless steel screen or grate (5) positioned above the outlet of the vessel. This facilitates removal of the solvent from the extractor as noted below.
• Means for example, a steam jacket (7), are provided for heating the contents of the vessel.
• Solvent which is preferably 95% ethanol although other lower alkanol or the equivalent can also be used, is fed to the top of the extraction vessel (2) via conduit (6).
• the solvent is pulled through the bags (4) within the extraction vessel by means of a Waukesha positive pump (8) or the like which is positioned at a point below the outlet (10) of the extraction vessel.
• the pump then forces solvent withdrawn from the extraction vessel to an ultra filtration membrane (12) or the like which removes from the solvent some of the material extracted from the oat flour.
• the ultra filtration membrane may be selected to remove extracted matter having a molecular weight in excess of 200, e.g. 200-400.
• the use of the ultra filtration membrane or equivalent is optional and this feature may be eliminated, particularly where the matter extracted from the flour has a molecular weight below 200.
• the solvent then leaves the ultra filtration membrane (12), if used, via conduit (14) for a charcoal filter (16) or the like to remove any color and/or flavor substances with a molecular weight of less than 200.
• the thus processed solvent may then be passed via (6) back to the extraction vessel (2).
• Makeup solvent, if needed, can also be added at this stage or at some other convenient point in the system.
• at least some, and possibly all, of the solvent withdrawn from the extraction vessel is passed into a chiller (22) where the solvent is cooled to crystallize and remove fats or lipids extracted from the oat flour.
• a temperature in the range of 34°F to 40°F, preferably about 36°F, may be employed for the chiller.
• the solvent will be kept in the chiller for 1 to 2 hours to enable removal of the fats or lipids in crystal form.
• the extraction process as shown in Figure 1 may be completed in about 20-24 hours, with solvent preferably being continuously circulated through the system.
• the process may be carried out batch-wise.
• the oat flour is allowed to stand in extraction vessel (2) steeped in solvent which is periodically withdrawn and replaced every 8 hours with fresh solvent.
• the solvent used for the extraction is advantageously processed for further use as described above by, for example, chilling to remove fats and passage through suitable filter means or by distillation to remove color and flavor substances and/or other contaminants before the solvent is re-used.
• the extraction is preferably carried out at elevated temperature and pressure. Temperatures in the range of 140°F to 160°F and pressures of about 3 to 7 psig are preferred. However, other temperatures and pressures may be used.
• Residence time in the extraction vessel will vary depending on other conditions, e.g. the amount of oat flour being processed, whether or not the process is carried out continuously or batch-wise, etc. Usually, however, a total time of 20-24 hours contact time between the oat flour and solvent is sufficient for the extraction. For batch operations, several extraction cycles of, for example, 8 hours each can be employed as earlier noted. Usually three such cycles are sufficient to provide the desired taste-free product. In continuous operations, the solvent can be continuously fed into the vessel and removed therefrom, the process being continued until the oat flour is taste- free.
• the processed oat flour must be dried to remove all of the alcohol. This may be done in various ways, e.g. by allowing the oat flour to dry in air and/or by placing the oat flour in a heated drier such as a vacuum drier, operable at a temperature (e.g. 120 - 130°F) sufficient to volatilize the alkanol without damaging the oat flour.
• a heated drier such as a vacuum drier
• FIGS 2a -2c illustrate one way of drying of the oat flour after extraction.
• the oat flour after the extraction, is placed in a rotary vacuum drier (24) or the equivalent where much of the alcohol solvent (e.g. up to 99% or more) is recovered.
• the drier which may be in the form of a rotatable screened drum, is positioned within a sealed vessel (25) or the like so that the alcohol, as it is evaporated in the rotary vacuum drier, passes via an appropriate conduit (26) into a chilled condenser (28) where the alcohol is condensed.
• This alcohol can then be fed into an appropriate storage tank (30) for later use or, if desired, the condensed alcohol can be fed directly to the extraction vessel for use.
• the vacuum drum (24) is rotatable about a horizontal axis (27) which is itself rotatable on supports (29), the volatilized alcohol escaping from the drum through small screen openings (31 ).
• the solvent-free oat flour is then further processed in, for example, a stainless steel Fitzmill grinder (34) as shown in Figure 3 to provide a desired particle size, e.g. 20-80 mesh.
• the ground product is then placed into suitable containers, e.g. polyethylene bags, which should be heat sealed.
• suitable containers e.g. polyethylene bags, which should be heat sealed.
• the packaged product is ready for incorporation into, for example, dairy foods, nutritional drinks or frozen desserts, to provide the health advantages of "Oatrim" or the like but without any oat flavor.
• Example 1 Fresh "Oatrim” (oat flour) was placed in eight sterile muslin bags (4), using 30 pounds per bag. The bags were tied off with colorless twine. The bags were then placed in a clean stainless steel pressurized-jacketed extractor (2). The bags were positioned on a stainless steel screen or grate (5) a distance, e.g. 18 inches, above the drain line or outlet (10). This made it possible to pump the extractant (95% ethanol) out of the vessel without blocking the suction side of the pump (8). After the eight bags were placed in the extractor, a gasket around the open top of the extractor (not shown) was lubricated and a lid (1 1 ) was placed over the extractor top, closed and sealed. Cap bolts (not shown) were tightened across from each other to tighten the lid evenly.
• the product was ground to eighty mesh in a stainless steel Fitzmill grinder (34) as shown in Figure 3.
• the product which was free of taste and odor, was then packaged in multi-layered polyethylene bags for use in the fortification of fat- free milk and chocolate milk.
• Two hundred and forty pounds oat flour (“Oatrim”) was extracted with seventy-five gallons of 95 % ethanol for twelve hours at 140-160°F. This was followed by a second extraction using sixty gallons of 95 % ethanol for twelve hours at the same temperature. A third extraction then followed using sixty gallons of fresh ethanol and extracting for twelve hours at 140-160°F.
• the extracts contained color and oat flavor. The color of the first extract was similar to weak tea whereas the second extraction was lighter and the third similar to off-colored water.
• coconut charcoal was ground up to be granular packed in a glass column with glass wool on the top and bottom of the charcoal bed.
• the oat extract from each extraction was passed through the coconut charcoal at a slow rate. This removed all of the color and the flavor from the ethanol rendering it colorless and free of oat flavor. This process was repeated on each extract from the first, second and third extractions.
• a gallon of the first extraction was concentrated from one gallon to sixteen ounces and this concentrate was then passed through a fresh coconut charcoal filter with the same results, i.e. the filtered ethanol was colorless and flavorless as related to oat flavor.
• the extractor was shut down, allowed to cool overnight and a sample of the oat flour was removed and analyzed in skim milk for oat flavor. There was a slight oat flavor in the milk.
• the extractor was then run continuously for another eight hours and a sample of oat flour randomly removed from one of the oat flour bags in the extractor. The sample was dried, sifted and placed in skim milk and tested for oat flavor. At this time, eight hours to be certain that all of the oat flavor was totally removed from the oat flour.
• the sample was dried, sifted and placed in skim milk for flavor evaluation. There was no oat flavor remaining in the oats.

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• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Nutrition Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
• Biotechnology (AREA)
• Microbiology (AREA)
• Cereal-Derived Products (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 2000
  • 2000-08-16 EP EP00955288A patent/EP1204327A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-08-16 AU AU67513/00A patent/AU6751300A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-08-16 WO PCT/US2000/020781 patent/WO2001011976A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (4)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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