Back to results
US 12,004,539 B2Granted
Methods for creating of high fibrousness, high moisture extrudates
AssigneeThe Livekindly Company Switzerland GmbH
InventorsMarco Schlüter, Achim Knoch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided herein are exemplary methods for creating high fibrousness, high moisture extrudates by selecting a raw material for use in an extruder, selecting an additive for use in the extruder, and selecting a parameter for operating the extruder. Further methods include opening the structure and surface of extrudate, applying a needle roller to the extrudate, adding gas, steam and/or water between the extruder and a die. Additionally, the extrudate may be cooked with high water absorption, increasing water absorption from approximately 40% to approximately 80%.
Claims19
A method for creating a protein extrudate with above forty percent water absorption, the method comprising:
- feeding a protein material into an extruder;
- feeding water into the extruder;
- increasing the absorptivity of a protein extrudate by:
- feeding pure Nitrogen gas into the extruder;
- and
- feeding an additive into the extruder to increase a pH of the protein extrudate;
- controlling a temperature of the extruder;
- forming improved texture and longer fibers of the protein extrudate by extruding into an interim plate, the protein material, the water, the pure Nitrogen gas, and the additive, the interim plate being in fluid communication with the extruder and with a cooling die;
- cooling the protein extrudate, the cooling comprising:
- flowing the protein extrudate from the interim plate into one or more entrance cones coupled to one or more flow channel entrances of the cooling die, the one or more entrance cones directing movement of the protein extrudate into the one or more flow channel entrances and increasing rate of flow of the protein extrudate into the cooling die;
- increasing rate of flow of the protein extrudate into the cooling die by flowing the protein extrudate from the one or more flow channel entrances into one or more inlets coupled to the one or more flow channel entrances, each of the one or more inlets comprising a diffuser and a boundary piece to bind the diffuser, the diffuser having an entry opening and an exit opening, the entry opening being wider than the exit opening;
- and
- reducing the temperature of the protein extrudate to under 98 degrees Celsius;
- and
- boiling the protein extrudate in the water until the protein extrudate comprises the above forty percent water absorption.
12 more elements
A method for creating a protein extrudate with above eighty percent water absorption, the method comprising:
- feeding water into an extruder and feeding a protein material into the extruder, the protein material comprising a combination of hemp and soy;
- increasing the absorptivity of the protein material by feeding an additive into the extruder to increase a pH;
- controlling a temperature of the extruder;
- forming improved texture and longer fibers of the protein extrudate by extruding into an interim plate the protein material, the water and the additive, the interim plate being in fluid communication with the extruder and with a cooling die;
- opening a structure and surface of the protein extrudate using mechanical stress, the mechanical stress comprising applying a needle roller to the protein extrudate;
- cooling the protein extrudate, the cooling comprising:
- flowing the protein extrudate from the interim plate onto a surface of an entrance cone, the entrance cone coupled to one or more flow channel entrances of the cooling die, the entrance cone directing movement of the protein extrudate into the one or more flow channel entrances;
- flowing the protein extrudate from the one or more flow channel entrances into one or more inlets coupled to the one or more flow channel entrances, the one or more inlets comprising a diffuser and a boundary piece to bind the diffuser, the diffuser having an entry opening and an exit opening, the entry opening being wider than the exit opening;
- and
- reducing the temperature of the protein extrudate to under 98 degrees Celsius.
7 more elements
A method for creating protein extrudate with above eighty percent water absorption, the method comprising:
- feeding water into an extruder and feeding a protein material into the extruder, the protein material comprising a combination of hemp and soy;
- increasing the absorptivity of a protein extrudate by feeding an additive into the extruder to increase a pH, the additive comprising sodium hydroxide in a range of 0.05% to 1.00% and nitrogen in a range of 0.01% to a 5.00%;
- controlling a temperature of the extruder by maintaining the temperature of the extruder between 100 degrees Celsius to 200 degrees Celsius;
- forming improved texture and longer fibers of the protein extrudate by extruding into an interim plate a mixture of the protein material, the water, and the additive, the interim plate being in fluid communication with the extruder and with a cooling die;
- opening a structure and surface of the protein extrudate using mechanical stress, the mechanical stress comprising applying a needle roller to the protein extrudate;
- cooling the protein extrudate, the cooling comprising:
- flowing the protein extrudate from the interim plate onto a surface of an entrance cone, the entrance cone coupled to one or more flow channel entrances of the cooling die, the entrance cone directing movement of the protein extrudate into the one or more flow channel entrances
- flowing the protein extrudate from the one or more flow channel entrances into one or more inlets coupled to the one or more flow channel entrances, the one or more inlets comprising a diffuser and a boundary piece to bind the diffuser, the diffuser having an entry opening and an exit opening, the entry opening being wider than the exit opening;
- and
- reducing the temperature of the protein extrudate to under 98 degrees Celsius;
- and
- boiling the protein extrudate in the water until the protein extrudate comprises the above eighty percent water absorption.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.