Process for preparing cocoa butter equivalent from semi-refined nontoxic Chinese Vegetable Tallow
OwnerYitian Lininventor
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Abstract
This invention relates to a process of preparing Cocoa Butter Equivalent (CBE) from Chinese Vegetable Tallow (CVT) and to the product prepared. Crude CVT is first subjected to a semi-refining process comprising an alkali treatment, a water wash and an adsorption step. The semi-refined CVT is subjected to a single step fractional crystallization under controlled conditions. After removal of the solvent from the crude CBE found in the mother liquor after filtration, the crude CBE is subjected to a steam distillation process, addition of antioxidants and a final filtration. The resulting product meets all of the criteria necessary for Cocoa Butter Equivalent.
Claims4
A process for preparing Cocoa Butter Equivalent (CBE) from Chinese Vegetable Tallow (CVT), comprising the steps of:
- a) pre-treating said CVT by:
- maintaining said CVT at 55.degree.-65.degree. C.;
- alkali refining said CVT with an alkali solution maintained at 30.degree.-35.degree. C.;
- washing said alkali refined CVT with 0.05-0.1% concentration boiling salt water;
- absorbing impurities out of said washed CVT with 0.5-1.0% (by oil weight) white clay to obtain semirefined edible CVT;
- b) crystallizing said semi-refined CVT by:
- maintaining said semirefined CVT 60.degree.-65.degree. C.;
- dissolving said semirefined CVT in petroleum ether which is maintained at 60.degree.-90.degree. C., maintaining the ratio of solvent to solute at the range of 1:1.5-1:6.5 (by weight volume);
- crystallizing the CVT solution in a single factional crystallization process intermittently between the temperature of 25.degree.-35.degree. C. and 5.degree.-15.degree. C. for a period of 120-180 minutes, wherein the entire crystallization is completed in a single crystallization tower, said crystallization process comprising a first temperature-decreasing-stage, a second nucleus formation stage, a third crystal growth stage, a fourth crystal maintaining stage, wherein temperature rates of the crystallization are controlled by refrigeration liquid, and wherein different stirring speeds are used in said stages of said crystallization process,
- wherein the temperature of the CVT solution is decreased at said stages at the rate of:
- i) 0.5.degree.-1.5.degree. C. per minute at said first temperature-decreasing-stage;
- ii) 0.1.degree.-0.6.degree. C. per minute at said second nucleus formation stage;
- iii) 0.1.degree.-1.0.degree. C. per minute at said third crystal growth stage,
- iv) 0.0.degree.-0.2.degree. C. per minute at said fourth crystal maintaining stage,
- wherein the temperature decreasing rate is calculated every ten minutes;
- wherein the temperature of the refrigerating liquid ranges from 33.degree. C. to 30.degree. C. at said first stage, 20.degree. C. to 10.degree. C. at said second stage, 10.degree. C. to 5.degree. C. at said third stage, and 5.degree. C. to 1.degree. C. at said fourth stage;
- and
- wherein said refrigerating liquid is multi-stage refrigerating liquid and is used to control the speed of the temperature decreasing rate at every stage and to lower the rate of the stirring speed for successive stages of said crystallization process;
- after crystallization, separating the crystal solution by vacuum filtration to obtain crystalline filter cake and a first filtrate;
- dissolving said crystalline filter cake with petroleum ether vapor and removing the solvent to obtain a by-product of a high melting point filtrate which does not comprise said CBE;
- and
- removing the solvent from said first filtrate;
- and
- c) post treating said first filtrate to obtain the desired CBE by:
- deodorizing said first filtrate with steam distillation at temperature of 170.degree.-245.degree. C. and under a vacuum of 5 mmHg to obtain a final product yield of at least 50% CBE.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.