Nonphosphated automatic dishwashing compositions with oxygen bleach systems and process for their preparation

A process for making a granular automatic dishwashing detergent which is substantially free from inorganic phosphate builders, comprising:

• (a) forming a fluid premix comprising an aqueous mixture of a chelant and a polymer organic dispersant containing at least 8 carboxylate groups, said chelant and organic dispersant being at a weight ratio of from about 3:1 to about 1:300, dry basis, and said fluid premix comprising from about 30% to about 70% water and about 30% or higher of the sum of said chelant and said organic dispersant at a pH of combined chelant and dispersant in the range from about 7 to about 8.5;
• (b) in one or more mixing/drying steps, co-contacting the fluid premix of step (a) with solid-form water-soluble nonphosphorus salts which comprises a mixture of sodium citrate, sodium carbonate and sodium sulfate in weight ratios of from about 1:1:3 to about 1:3:10, at a weight ratio of said fluid premix to solid-form water-soluble nonphosphorus salts of from about 1:30 to about 1:4 to form a particulate agglomerate and drying said agglomerate to about 8%, or less, free moisture;
• and
• (c) one or more steps of mixing the particulate agglomerate of step (b) with solid-form particulate admixes comprising bleach active salts selected from the group consisting of sodium perborates, sodium percarbonates and mixtures thereof, said bleach-active salts constituting 3% or more, dry weight basis, of the total composition.