A process for the production of a soybean flour having a high solubility

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for the production of a soybean flour having a high solubility corresponding to an NSI (nitrogen solubility index) value higher than 95%, said process comprising the steps of: i) pre-drying soybeans at a temperature between 40° C. and 60° C. for a time period between 6 hours and 18 hours; a) drying the pre-dried soybeans in a first dryer set at a temperature above 90° C., for a time period between 8 minutes and 18 minutes, obtaining dried soybeans having a temperature between 75° C. and 85° C.; b) subjecting the dried soybeans kept at a temperature lower than 80° C., to dry micronization, thus obtaining a soybean micronizate having a particle size equal to or less than 200 μm; c) drying the soybean micronizate in a second dryer set at a temperature between 110° C. and 130° C. for a time period less than 20 seconds, thus obtaining a dried soybean micronizate having a temperature between 75° C. and 85° C.; d) cooling the dried soybean micronizate, thus obtaining the soybean flour having a high solubility; said process not comprising any step of soaking the soybeans and/or the soybean micronizate in water or other aqueous solution; the present invention also relates to a soybean flour having a high solubility corresponding to an NSI (nitrogen solubility index) value higher than 95%, obtainable by the above-mentioned process.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.