WO2008019204A1

WO2008019204A1 - Concentrated food products that have reduced levels of proteins and other micro-biological and biological constituents

Info

Publication number: WO2008019204A1
Application number: PCT/US2007/073026
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frank V. Nolfi
Original assignee: Beacon Venture Management Corporation Ii
Priority date: 2006-08-04
Filing date: 2007-07-09
Publication date: 2008-02-14

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided herein for rendering concentrated food products, including ones that are less allergenic, including methods and systems for using a first decanter/centrifuge facility to separate a quantity of food material into a first serum and a first pulp, delivering the first pulp to at least one subsequent decanter/centrifuge facility, separating the first pulp into a subsequent serum and a subsequent pulp within the subsequent decanter/centrifuge facility, combining the first serum and a subsequent serum into a combined serum within an ultra filtration facility, separating the combined serum into a retentate and a permeate using the ultra filtration facility, delivering the permeate to an evaporator to produce a concentrated permeate and combining the concentrated permeate with a pulp from a subsequent decanter/centrifuge facility in a mixing facility.

Description

CONCENTRATED FOOD PRODUCTS THAT HAVE REDUCED LEVELS OF PROTEINS AND OTHER MICRO-BIOLOGICAL AND BIOLOGICAL

CONSTITUENTS

BACKGROUND

[0001] In the food processing industry, methods and systems exist to purify and concentrate food products, including methods and systems that reduce biological constituents. Examples include certain methods and systems described in International Patent Application No. WO 2005/082164 Al to Pompei, entitled "A METHOD FOR PREPARING HYPOALLERGENIC FRUIT AND/OR VEGETABLE DERIVATIVES," the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. Other methods and systems are disclosed in United States Patent Application No. 2004/0194634, entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING CONCENTRATED FOOD PRODUCTS WITH FRACTIONATION CONCENTRATION," and United States Patent Application No. 2006/0008573, entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING CONCENTRATED FOOD PRODUCTS WITH FRACTIONATION CONCENTRATION," which describe methods and systems for making an improved tomato paste. Tomatoes are separated into serum and "cake" using a decanter employing a weir for scraping. Tomatoes are chopped and heat treated, passed through an evaporator and into a decanter. The decanter forces the viscous portions of the tomatoes, the cake, to its sidewalls and separates the serum. A weir scrapes the cake and may pass it to a drier. The serum is passed to an evaporator. The resultant cake and concentrated serum are then recombined as a paste and packaged.

[0002] However, despite efforts of industry, food allergies remain a significant problem, and a need exists for more efficient and effective methods of rendering foods less allergenic.

SUMMARY

[0003] Methods and systems are provided herein for rendering concentrated food products, including ones that are less allergenic. Such methods and systems include methods and systems for using a first decanter/centrifuge facility to separate a quantity of food material into a first serum and a first pulp, delivering the first pulp to at least one subsequent decanter/centrifuge facility, separating the first pulp into a subsequent serum and a subsequent pulp within the subsequent decanter/centrifuge facility, combining the first serum and a subsequent serum into a combined serum within an ultra filtration facility, separating the combined serum into a retentate and a permeate using the ultra filtration facility, delivering the permeate to an evaporator to produce a concentrated permeate and combining the concentrated permeate with a pulp from a subsequent decanter/centrifuge facility in a mixing facility.

[0004] Such methods and systems include methods and systems for breaking a raw food material, suspending the raw food material in a solvent to create a raw food material suspension, washing a quantity of the food material in a chemical solution (it being in the first of a series of paired chemical wash/decanter/centrifuge facilities) to produce a washed quantity of pre-concentrated food material, delivering the washed quantity of pre-concentrated food material to a first decanter/centrifuge (it being in the first of the paired chemical wash/decanter/centrifuge facilities), separating the washed quantity of pre-concentrated food material into a first serum and a first pulp using the first decanter/centrifuge, washing the first pulp using a second chemical solution (it being in the second of the series of chemical wash/decanter/centrifuge facilities, to produce a washed first pulp), delivering the washed first pulp to a second decanter/centrifuge, it being in the second of the series of chemical wash/decanter/centrifuge facilities, separating the washed first pulp into a second serum and a second pulp within the second decanter/centrifuge, combining the first serum and the second serum into a combined serum within an ultra filtration facility, repeating the chemical washing/decanting processes in each of the remaining of chemical wash/decanter/centrifuge facilities to produce a series of subsequent resulting pairs of serums and pulps, and combining each of the subsequent resulting serums with the first serum and the second serum into a combined serum within the ultra filtration facility, separating the combined serum into a retentate and a permeate using the ultra filtration facility, delivering the permeate to a low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator, such as, a multiple effect evaporator, a multiple stage evaporator, a single pass evaporator, or a falling-film evaporator, wherein a concentrated permeate results, combining the concentrated permeate with the final subsequent resulting pulp in a mixing facility; and receiving a concentrated food product from the mixing facility.

[0005] In embodiments the low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator is a multiple effect evaporator.

[0006] In embodiments the low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator is a short-time evaporator.

[0007] In embodiments the single pass evaporator is a Thermo Accelerated Short Time Evaporator (TASTE) evaporator.

[0008] In embodiments the single pass evaporator is a falling film evaporator.

[0009] In certain embodiments, the methods and systems disclosed herein may further include suspending the raw food material in a solvent, pre-evaporating the raw food material or raw food material suspension to create a food material.

[0010] In various embodiments, methods and systems may include hot breaking or cold breaking food material.

[0011] In alternative embodiments, methods and systems disclosed herein may include methods and systems for producing a concentrated food product, including methods and systems for using a first decanter/centrifuge facility to separate a quantity of food material into a first serum and a first pulp, delivering the first pulp to a second decanter/centrifuge facility, separating the first pulp into a second serum and a second pulp within the second decanter/centrifuge facility, combining the first serum and the second serum into a combined serum within an ultra filtration facility, repeating the operations on the first pulp and second pulp, on the subsequent pulps in each of a series of subsequent decanter/centrifuge facilities, combining the first serum and the second serum and the subsequent serums into a combined serum within an ultra filtration facility, separating the combined serum into a retentate and a permeate using the ultra filtration facility, delivering the permeate to a low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator, such as, a multiple effect evaporator, a multiple stage evaporator, a single pass evaporator, or a falling film evaporator, wherein a concentrated permeate results and combining the concentrated permeate with the final subsequent pulp in a mixing facility. The single pass evaporator may be a TASTE evaporator. [0012] In other embodiments of the methods and systems disclosed herein a washing facility may be provided that is adapted for the methods and systems disclosed herein, including a washing facility used in a method or system for receiving a quantity of food material, washing the quantity of food material in a chemical solution within a washing facility and receiving a washed quantity of food material that contains reduced amounts of proteins and other micro-biological and biological constituents. In embodiments of such methods and systems the received quantity of food material has undergone a prior treatment, such as chemical washing, crushing, milling, heating, hot breaking, cold breaking, filtering, de-stoning, de-seeding, sieving, pulper-refining, screening, pre-evaporation, or the like. In embodiments the food material may include solids and may be a fruit or vegetable, such as tomato. In embodiments the chemical solution may be an acid solution, such as citric acid. In embodiments the chemical solution may be citric acid with between 0.1% and 5% citric acid.

[0013] Methods and systems disclosed herein may include methods and systems employing a decanter and/or centrifuge facility, such as used in methods and systems for receiving a washed quantity of food material, wherein the washed quantity of food material contains reduced amounts of at least one of a protein, a micro-biological constituent and a biological constituent, forcing a pulp of the quantity to the interior surface of a decanter/centrifuge using a centrifugal force, scraping and collecting the pulp from the interior surface and collecting a serum from the non-pulp quantity using a weir of the decanter/centrifuge. In embodiments the centrifugal force is produced by 500 to 12,000 rpm of decanter/centrifuge spin. In embodiments the decanter/centrifuge contains an outlet through which the pulp portion collected against the interior surface is removed. In certain embodiments the washed quantity of food material contains further reduced amounts of at least one of a protein, a microbiological constituent and a biological constituent. In certain embodiments the decanter/centrifuge contains an outlet through which the serum is removed.

[0014] The methods and systems disclosed herein may further include methods and systems that employ an ultra filtration facility, including in methods and systems for filtering food material retentate and permeate. Such methods and systems may include, for example, receiving a first serum from a first decanter/centrifuge facility within an ultra filtration facility, receiving a second serum from a second decanter/centrifuge facility within the ultra filtration facility, receiving subsequent serums from subsequent decanter/centrifuge facilities within the ultra filtration facility, combining the first serum and the second serum and the subsequent serums into a combined serum, and separating the combined serum using filtration within the ultra filtration facility into a retentate and permeate.

[0015] In embodiments the ultra filtration uses membranes with a cut-off point between 3 and 30 kDa. In embodiments the permeate contains reduced amounts of at least one of a protein, a microbiological constituent and a biological constituent. [0016] The methods and systems disclosed herein may further include methods and systems for providing a low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator, such as in methods and systems for receiving a permeate of food material from an ultra filtration facility in a low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator and concentrating the permeate through evaporation. In embodiments the low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator is a short time evaporator. In embodiments the low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator is a single pass TASTE evaporator. In embodiments the low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator is a falling film evaporator. In embodiments the low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator is a plurality of low liquid volume type single pass, falling film evaporators. In embodiments the low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator concentrates the permeate below a temperature of 190 degrees Fahrenheit. In embodiments the low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator concentrates the permeate under vacuum at a pressure of not less that 0.05 bar absolute.

[0017] Methods and systems disclosed herein may further include methods and systems that use a mixing facility, including in methods and systems for receiving a pulp of food material from a decanter/centrifuge facility, receiving concentrated permeate of food material from a low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator in a mixing facility and combining the pulp and the concentrated permeate within the mixing facility to form a homogeneous concentrated food product that has reduced levels of proteins and other micro-biological and biological constituents. In certain embodiments the concentrated food product is a tomato paste. In embodiments the concentrated food product is a fruit concentrate. In embodiments the concentrated food product is a vegetable concentrate. In embodiments the concentrated food product is a dairy concentrate. In embodiments the concentrated food product is an agricultural product concentrate.

[0018] The methods and systems disclosed herein include methods and systems that use a drying facility, including in methods and systems for receiving a homogeneous concentrated food product from a mixing facility and drying the concentrated homogeneous food product using thermal energy, microwave energy or electromagnetic radiation energy to form a dried food product with a moisture content below preferred amount, such as below 5% by weight, and which has reduced levels of at least one of a protein, a micro-biological constituent and a biological constituent. The dried food product might be fruit, vegetable, dairy product, agricultural product or other food product. In embodiments it may be a tomato product.

[0019] These and other systems, methods, objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the drawings and are encompassed herein. All patents, patent applications and other documents referenced herein are hereby incorporated by reference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0020] The invention and the following detailed description of certain embodiments thereof may be understood by reference to the following figure:

[0021] Fig. 1 depicts a process for producing a purified, hypo-allergenic, concentrated food product in accordance with an embodiment of the methods and systems disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Referring to Fig. 1, a flow diagram 100 is provided that depicts a process in accordance with the methods and systems disclosed herein. Certain embodiments of the methods and systems disclosed herein may involve sub-steps of the flow diagram 100, which should be understood to represent one embodiment of the methods and systems more generally described herein.

[0023] In the flow diagram 100 of Fig. 1, a raw food product 102, such as tomato or any other kind of raw food product, such as vegetable, fruit, dairy or other food product, is taken as an input to the system depicted in Fig. 1. A wide range of food products can benefit from the methods and systems disclosed herein, particularly products where it is desired to render them more hypo-allergenic, such as by removing proteins that are known as allergens, removing microbiological agents, or other biological agents.

[0024] In one preferred embodiment, the food product 102 is passed to an evaporator 104, which evaporates water from the raw food product. The evaporator may be a low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator, designed to remove some of the water from the raw food product 102 without significantly damaging the food product and without significantly wasting heat. In various embodiments the evaporator 104 may consist of or include a single-pass evaporator, such as a TASTE evaporator, a falling-film evaporator, or other suitable form of evaporator.

[0025] Out of the evaporator 104 a semi-concentrate 108 is produced, where the raw food product has a reduced quantity of water, such as, for example, with half of the weight removed as a result of evaporation of water.

[0026] In certain embodiments the semi-concentrate 108 food product may be delivered to a first chemical washing facility 110 for washing the semi-concentrate 108 to entrain proteins, and other micro-biological and biological constituents. The washing 110 may be by a variety of techniques. One embodiment involves washing with a citric acid solution, such as between 0.1% and 5% citric acid. In embodiments the acidic solution is about 1% solution. In embodiments washing may be repeated, such as up to 10 times, preferably about two to five times.

[0027] After washing the washed semi-concentrate 108 may be delivered to a first centrifuge or decanting facility 112 for separating the semi-concentrate 108 into a serum constituent and a pulp constituent. In embodiments a centrifuge 112 separates the serum from the pulp, such as a horizontal-axis, continuous, decanter-type centrifuge. In embodiments the first centrifuge 112 operates with high-speed revolution, such as between 100 and 15,000 revolutions permit, and preferably between 500 and 10,000 revolutions per minute and preferably between 1000 and 5000 revolutions per minute. The semi-concentrate may be maintained at a desired temperature, depending on the food product, such as between above zero and below 95 degrees Celsius and preferably between fifteen and 80 degrees Celsius. The first centrifuge 112 may operate continuously or in a batch mode.

[0028] In embodiments the pulp from the first centrifuge 112 may be delivered to a second chemical wash 114, which may be similar to the first chemical wash 110, such as a citric acid wash, or may be a different chemical wash. After washing, the washed pulp from the first centrifuge 112 may be delivered to a second centrifuge 118, which may be similar in type to the first centrifuge 112. The second centrifuge 118 may then separate additional serum from the washed pulp, again leaving two constituent outputs, a serum constituent and a pulp constituent.

[0029] In embodiments the serum constituents from each of the first centrifuge 112 and the second centrifuge 118 may be delivered to an ultra filtration facility 120 for ultra filtration. The ultra filtration facility 120 removes proteins and other microbiological and biological materials from the serum. Ultra filtration results in the output of two constituents, a retentate 122 and a permeate 126. In embodiments ultra filtration is carried out with filtration membranes in the range between 3 and 30 kDa, preferably between 5 and 15 kDa, most preferably about 10 kDa. In optional embodiments (not shown) the permeate may be further filtered or concentrated by reverse osmosis.

[0030] Referring still to Fig. 1, after ultra filtration, the serum from the first centrifuge 112 and second centrifuge 118 may be delivered to the evaporator 104 for further evaporation. Again, the evaporator 104 may be a low thermal damage, high thermal efficiency evaporator, which may include or consist of a single pass evaporator, a TASTE evaporator, or a falling film evaporator, as desired. Out of the evaporator 104 comes a concentrated food product.

[0031] The concentrate from the evaporator 104 may be delivered to a mixing facility 128, where it may be mixed with the pulp from the second centrifuge 118, thereby reconstituting the food concentrate with the pulp. The mixing facility 128 may provide, for example, homogenization and/or sterilization of the concentrate and pulp, either in a continuous or batch mode.

[0032] The output of the mixing facility 128 is a concentrated, purified food product 130, with substantially reduced protein, microbiological or biological constituents, thereby rendering the concentrated food highly hypo-allergenic. In an embodiment the output is a highly pure, hypo-allergenic tomato paste. The food may thereafter be stored by various techniques, such as freezing, canning, or the like, for storage.

[0033] Various products can be produced using the methods and systems disclosed herein, such as fruit and vegetable juices, pastes, purees, jams, jellies, concentrates, nectars, or the like. Food products 102 may include vegetables (tomatoes, carrots, pumpkins, zucchini squash, potatoes, and the like), continental or temperate-zone fruits (pears, peaches, apricots, apples, plums, cherries, prunes, and the like), tropical fruits (pineapples, mango, guava, passion fruit, and the like), dairy products, agricultural products, or the like.

[0034] In embodiments the raw food product 102 may be subjected to preparation steps, including removal of pits or seeds, heat treatment (including cold- - breaking and hot breaking), sieving, pulping, or the like.

[0035] Thus, in various embodiments, methods and systems are provided herein for rendering concentrated food products 130, including ones that are less allergenic. Such methods and systems include methods and systems for breaking a raw food material, suspending the raw food material in a solvent to create a raw food material suspension, washing a quantity of the food material in a chemical solution (it being in the first of a series of paired chemical wash/decanter/centrifuge facilities) to produce a washed quantity of pre-concentrated food material, delivering the washed quantity of pre- concentrated food material to a first decanter/centrifuge 112 (it being in the first of the paired chemical wash/decanter/centrifuge facilities), separating the washed quantity of pre-concentrated food material into a first serum and a first pulp using the first decanter/centrifuge 112, washing the first pulp using a second chemical solution 114 (it being in the second of the series of chemical wash/decanter/centrifuge facilities, to produce a washed first pulp), delivering the washed first pulp to a second decanter/centrifuge 118, it being in the second of the series of chemical wash/decanter/centrifuge facilities, separating the washed first pulp into a second serum and a second pulp within the second decanter/centrifuge 118, combining the first serum and the second serum into a combined serum within an ultra filtration facility 120, repeating the chemical washing/decanting processes in each of the remaining of chemical wash/decanter/centrifuge facilities to produce a series of subsequent resulting pairs of serums and pulps, and combining each of the subsequent resulting serums with the first serum and the second serum into a combined serum within the ultra filtration facility 120, separating the combined serum into a retentate and a permeate using the ultra filtration facility 120, delivering the permeate to a low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator 104 (such as a single pass evaporator, and a falling-film evaporator, wherein a concentrated permeate results), combining the concentrated permeate with the final subsequent resulting pulp in a mixing facility 128; and receiving a concentrated food product 130 from the mixing facility 130.

[0036] In embodiments the high thermal efficiency evaporator 104 is a short- time evaporator.

[0037] In embodiments the single pass evaporator 104 is a TASTE evaporator.

[0038] In certain embodiments, the methods and systems disclosed herein may further include suspending the raw food material in a solvent, pre-evaporating the raw food material or raw food material suspension to create a food material.

[0039] In various embodiments, methods and systems may include hot breaking or cold breaking food material.

[0040] In alternative embodiments, methods and systems disclosed herein may include methods and systems for producing a concentrated food product 130, including methods and systems for using a first decanter/centrifuge facility 112 to separate a quantity of food material into a first serum and a first pulp, delivering the first pulp to a second decanter/centrifuge facility 118, separating the first pulp into a second serum and a second pulp within the second decanter/centrifuge facility 118, combining the first serum and the second serum into a combined serum within an ultra filtration facility 120, repeating the operations on the first pulp and second pulp, on the subsequent pulps in each of a series of subsequent decanter/centrifuge facilities, combining the first serum and the second serum and the subsequent serums into a combined serum within an ultra filtration facility 120, separating the combined serum into a retentate and a permeate using the ultra filtration facility 120, delivering the permeate to a low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator 104 (such as a single pass evaporator, and at least one falling film evaporator, wherein a concentrated permeate results) and combining the concentrated permeate with the final subsequent pulp in a mixing facility 128. The single pass evaporator may be a TASTE evaporator.

[0041] In other embodiments of the methods and systems disclosed herein a washing facility 110 may be provided that is adapted for the methods and systems disclosed herein, including a washing facility 110 used in a method or system for receiving a quantity of food material, washing the quantity of food material in a chemical solution within a washing facility and receiving a washed quantity of food material that contains reduced amounts of proteins and other micro-biological and biological constituents. In embodiments of such methods and systems the received quantity of food material has undergone a prior treatment, such as chemical washing, crushing, milling, heating, hot breaking, cold breaking, filtering, de-stoning, de-seeding, sieving, pulper- refining, screening, pre-evaporation, or the like. In embodiments the food material may include solids and may be a fruit or vegetable, such as tomato. In embodiments the chemical solution may be an acid solution, such as citric acid. In embodiments the chemical solution may be citric acid with between 0.1% and 5% citric acid.

[0042] Methods and systems disclosed herein may include methods and systems employing a decanter and/or centrifuge facility 112, 118, such as used in methods and systems for receiving a washed quantity of food material, wherein the washed quantity of food material contains reduced amounts of at least one of a protein, a micro-biological constituent and a biological constituent, forcing a pulp of the quantity to the interior surface of a decanter/centrifuge using a centrifugal force, scraping and collecting the pulp from the interior surface and collecting a serum from the non-pulp quantity using a weir of the decanter/centrifuge. In embodiments the centrifugal force is produced by 500 to 15,000 rpm of decanter/centrifuge spin. In embodiments the decanter/centrifuge contains an outlet through which the pulp portion collected against the interior surface is removed. In certain embodiments the washed quantity of food material contains further reduced amounts of at least one of a protein, a microbiological constituent and a biological constituent. In certain embodiments the decanter/centrifuge 112, 118 contains an outlet through which the serum is removed.

[0043] The methods and systems disclosed herein may further include methods and systems that employ an ultra filtration facility 120, including in methods and systems for filtering food material into a retentate and a permeate. Such methods and systems may include, for example, receiving a first serum from a first decanter/centrifuge facility 112 within an ultra filtration facility 120, receiving a second serum from a second decanter/centrifuge facility 118 within the ultra filtration facility 120, receiving subsequent serums from subsequent decanter/centrifuge facilities within the ultra filtration facility 120, combining the first serum and the second serum and the subsequent serums into a combined serum, and separating the combined serum using filtration within the ultra filtration facility into a retentate and permeate.

[0044] In embodiments the filtration uses membranes with a cut-off point between 3 and 30 kDa, preferably about 10 kDa. In embodiments the permeate contains reduced amounts of at least one of a protein, a micro-biological constituent and a biological constituent.

[0045] The methods and systems disclosed herein may further include methods and systems for providing a low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator 104, such as in methods and systems for receiving a permeate of food material from an ultra filtration facility 120 in a low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator 104 and concentrating the permeate through evaporation. In embodiments the low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator is a short time evaporator. In embodiments the low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator is a single pass TASTE evaporator. In embodiments the low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator is a falling film evaporator. In embodiments the low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator 104 is a plurality of low liquid volume type single pass, falling film evaporators. In embodiments the low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator 104 concentrates the permeate below a temperature of 190 degrees Fahrenheit. In embodiments the low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator concentrates the permeate under vacuum at a pressure of not less than 0.05 bar absolute.

[0046] Methods and systems disclosed herein may further include methods and systems that use a mixing facility 128, including in methods and systems for receiving a pulp of food material from a decanter/centrifuge facility 118, receiving concentrated permeate of food material from a low thermal damage and high thermal efficiency evaporator 104 in a mixing facility 128 and combining the pulp and the concentrated permeate within the mixing facility to form a homogeneous concentrated food product that has reduced levels of proteins and other micro-biological and biological constituents. In certain embodiments the concentrated food product 130 is a tomato paste. In embodiments the concentrated food product is a fruit concentrate. In embodiments the concentrated food product is a vegetable concentrate. In embodiments the concentrated food product is a dairy concentrate. In embodiments the concentrated food product is an agricultural product concentrate.

[0047] The methods and systems disclosed herein include methods and systems that use a drying facility, including in methods and systems for receiving a homogeneous concentrated food product from a mixing facility and drying the concentrated homogeneous food product using thermal energy, microwave energy or electromagnetic radiation energy to form a dried food product with a moisture content below preferred amount, such as below 5% by weight, and which has reduced levels of at least one of a protein, a micro-biological constituent and a biological constituent. The dried food product might be fruit, vegetable, dairy product, agricultural product or other food product. In embodiments it may be a tomato product.

[0048] While the invention has been disclosed in connection with the preferred embodiments shown and described in detail, various modifications and improvements thereon will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the present invention is not to be limited by the foregoing examples, but is to be understood in the broadest sense allowable by law.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A method of producing a concentrated food product comprising: using a first decanter/centrifuge facility to separate a quantity of food material into a first serum and a first pulp; delivering the first pulp to at least one subsequent decanter/centrifuge facility; separating the first pulp into a subsequent serum and a subsequent pulp within the subsequent decanter/centrifuge facility; combining the first serum and a subsequent serum into a combined serum within an ultra filtration facility; separating the combined serum into a retentate and a permeate using the ultra filtration facility; delivering the permeate to an evaporator to produce a concentrated permeate; and combining the concentrated permeate with a pulp from the subsequent decanter/centrifuge facility in a mixing facility.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the evaporator is a low thermal damage evaporator.

3. A method of claim 1, wherein the evaporator is a high thermal efficiency evaporator.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein the evaporator is a multiple effect evaporator.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein the evaporator is a multiple stage evaporator.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein the evaporator is a short time evaporator.

7. A method of claim 1, wherein the evaporator is a single-pass evaporator.

8. A method of claim 1, wherein the evaporator is a TASTE evaporator.

9. A method of claim 1, wherein the evaporator is a falling-film evaporator.

10. A method of claim 1, wherein the first decanter/centrifuge facility revolves at between 500 and 15,000 revolutions per minute.

11. A method of claim 1 , wherein the ultra filtration facility uses membranes with a cut-off point between 3 and 30 kDa.

12. A method of claim 1 , wherein the ultra filtration uses a membrane with a cut-off point of about 10 kDa.

13. A method of claim 1, wherein the mixing facility homogenizes and/or sterilizes the concentrated permeate from the evaporator and the pulp.

14. A method of claim 1, further comprising chemical washing the food material to entrain at least one biological constituent from the food product.

15. A method of claim 1, wherein the biological constituent is a protein.

16. A system for producing a concentrated food product comprising: a first decanter/centrifuge facility for separating a quantity of food material into a first serum and a first pulp; a subsequent decanter/centrifuge facility for receiving the first pulp; a subsequent decanter/centrifuge facility for separating the first pulp into a subsequent serum and a subsequent pulp; an ultra filtration facility wherein the first serum and a subsequent serum are combined and filtered into a permeate and a retentate; an evaporator for evaporating the permeate produced by the ultra filtration facility to produce a concentrated permeate; and a mixing facility for combining the concentrated permeate with a pulp from the subsequent decanter/centrifuge facility.

17. A system of claim 16, wherein the evaporator is a low thermal damage evaporator.

18. A system of claim 16, wherein the evaporator is a high thermal efficiency evaporator.

19. A system of claim 16, wherein the evaporator is a multiple effect evaporator.

20. A system of claim 16, wherein the evaporator is a multiple stage evaporator.

21. A system of claim 16, wherein the evaporator is a short time evaporator.

22. A system of claim 16, wherein the evaporator is a single-pass evaporator.

23. A system of claim 16, wherein the evaporator is a TASTE evaporator.

24. A system of claim 16, wherein the evaporator is a falling-film evaporator.

25. A system of claim 16, wherein the first decanter/centrifuge facility revolves at between 500 and 15,000 revolutions per minute.

26. A system of claim 16, wherein the ultra filtration facility uses membranes with a cut-off point between 3 and 30 kDa.

27. A system of claim 16, wherein the ultra filtration facility uses a membrane with a cut-off point of about 10 kDa.

28. A system of claim 16, wherein the mixing facility homogenizes and/or sterilizes the concentrated permeate from the evaporator and the pulp.

29. A system of claim 16, further comprising a chemical washer for washing the food material to entrain at least one biological constituent from the food product.

30. A system of claim 16, wherein the biological constituent is a protein.