Bleached grain and grain products and methods of preparation
OwnerLloyd Metzgerinventor
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Abstract
The present invention describes bleached grain products such as bleached whole wheat flour that are obtained having the color and taste of white flour by bleaching whole wheat kernels prior to conventional flour milling. The wheat kernels are treated with a peroxide solution to lighten the color of the bran layers. The bleached grain kernels can be tempered and milled into whole grain flours having 10% to 12% dietary fiber from the bran but which are white in color and bland in flavor. The whitened, high fiber whole wheat flours can be used to prepare good tasting, and nutritious products such as baked goods such as breads and pastries as well as pasta product, and ready-to-eat cereals or grain based snacks.
Claims48
A method of bleaching cereal grains, comprising the. steps of:
- A. treating whole grain kernels having an exterior bran layer with peroxide to decrease the color of the bran layer to provide a lightened grain kernel.
The method of claim 14 applying about 1 to 5 parts H2O2 per 100 parts of grain.
An improved whole wheat flour prepared from peroxide bleached whole grains of wheat having a white color and a dietary fiber content of about 10% to 12%.
A method of bleaching cereal grains, comprising the steps of:
- applying whole cereal grains with an alkaline solution of sodium bicarbonate or sodium hydroxide at a concentration of about 1% to 10% and a temperature of about 50° to 165° F. in a weight ratio of alkaline solution to grain ranging from about 10:100 to about 15:10 for about 30 seconds to three minutes, and then applying a peroxide solution at a concentration of about 4% to 20% H2O2 to the cereal grains for about 30 seconds to the three minutes at a temperature of about 50° to 165° F. to provide bleached cereal grains.
A method of reducing mycotic contamination of cereal grains, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing alkaline solution and a peroxygen solution;
- (b) applying grain kernels with the alkaline solution to provide grain kernels wetted with the alkaline solution;
- (c) draining the alkaline solution from the grain kernels;
- (d) drying the grain kernels wetted with the alkaline solution to provide dried alkaline treated grain kernels;
- and then
- (e) applying the grain kernels with the peroxygen solution whereby to cause the alkaline solution and the peroxygen solution to chemically react on the surface of the grain kernels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.