Deflavored vegetable powders, methods of making them, and systems for vegetable milling
AssigneeSoyLink
InventorsNoel Rudie, Brent Sorenson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to vegetable powders and methods of making them. The methods can include one or more inventive methods of dehulling, steaming, and/or milling and air classifying a millable vegetable. The vegetable powders can have improved processing characteristics, enhanced nutritional value, and/or improved flavor compared to conventional vegetable powders.
Claims41
A method of producing vegetable powder, comprising:
- contacting millable vegetable with steam at about 95° C. to about 130° C. for about 3 to about 12 min;
- milling the millable vegetable, milling comprising:
- contacting the vegetable with air previously passed through a cooling apparatus during milling,
- contacting the vegetable with air previously passed through a drying apparatus during milling, or
- contacting the vegetable during milling with air previously passed through a cooling apparatus and a drying apparatus;
- simultaneously with milling, classifying the milled vegetable, classifying comprising:
- contacting the vegetable with air previously passed through a cooling apparatus during classifying,
- contacting the vegetable with air from a drying apparatus during classifying, or
- contacting the vegetable during classifying with air previously passed through a cooling apparatus and a drying apparatus;
- and
- producing vegetable powder of which 70% has a particle size less than 20 microns.
A method of producing vegetable powder, comprising:
- contacting millable vegetable with steam at about 95° C. to about 130° C. for about 3 to about 12 min;
- milling the millable vegetable;
- and
- producing vegetable powder of which 70% has a particle size less than 20 microns.
A method of producing vegetable powder, comprising:
- milling millable vegetable, milling comprising:
- contacting the vegetable with air previously passed through a cooling apparatus during milling,
- contacting the vegetable with air previously passed through a drying apparatus during milling, or
- a combination thereof;
- and
- producing vegetable powder of which 70% has a particle size less than 20 microns.
A method of producing vegetable powder, comprising:
- milling millable vegetable;
- simultaneously with milling, classifying the milled vegetable, classifying comprising:
- contacting the vegetable with air previously passed through a cooling apparatus during classifying,
- contacting the vegetable with air from a drying apparatus during classifying, or a combination thereof;
- and
- producing vegetable powder of which 70% has a particle size less than 20 microns.
A method of producing vegetable powder, comprising:
- dehulling the millable vegetable, dehulling comprising:
- dehulling vegetable having a mixture of sizes;
- gently drying the vegetable and dehulling the gently dried vegetable;
- dehulling at ambient temperature;
- or
- a combination thereof;
- and
- producing vegetable powder of which 70% has a particle size less than 20 microns.
A powder of a millable vegetable, wherein:
- aqueous homogenate of the powder has flavor rank of at least about 7, indicating flavor of slightly beany flavor and little nutty flavor;
- the flavor rank based on flavor scale on which 1 is the lowest rank and indicates green beany flavor and 10 is the highest rank and indicates fresh and pleasant flavor.
A powder of a millable vegetable, wherein:
- an aqueous homogenate of the powder has off taste rank of less than or equal to about 3, indicating off taste of slightly oxidized, slight cardboard, or somewhat green off taste;
- the off taste rank based on off taste scale on which 1 indicates the lowest amount of off taste and no rancid taste and 10 indicates the highest amount of off taste and maximum rancidity.
The vegetable powder of claim 48, wherein the aqueous homogenate of the powder has off taste rank of 1.
Particles of millable vegetable, wherein at least about 80% of the particles have a particle size below about 20 μm.
The vegetable particles of claim 53, wherein at least about 90% of the particles have a particle size below about 20 μm.
A suspension of powder of millable vegetable, wherein:
- aqueous homogenate of the powder has flavor rank of at least about 7, indicating flavor of slightly beany flavor and little nutty flavor;
- the flavor rank based on flavor scale on which 1 is the lowest rank and indicates green beany flavor and 10 is the highest rank and indicates fresh and pleasant flavor.
A food product comprising as an ingredient powder of millable vegetable, wherein:
- aqueous homogenate of the powder has flavor rank of at least about 7, indicating flavor of slightly beany flavor and little nutty flavor;
- the flavor rank based on flavor scale on which 1 is the lowest rank and indicates green beany flavor and 10 is the highest rank and indicates fresh and pleasant flavor.
A system for producing vegetable powder comprising:
- steaming apparatus, milling apparatus, classifying apparatus, vegetable handling apparatus, air cooling apparatus, air drying apparatus, and air handling apparatus;
- the vegetable handling apparatus configured to transport the vegetable from the steaming apparatus to the milling apparatus and from the milling apparatus to the classifying apparatus;
- the air handling apparatus configured to transport the air from the cooling apparatus and drying apparatus to the milling apparatus, to the vegetable handling apparatus between the milling apparatus and the classifying apparatus, and to the classifying apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.