Process and apparatus for producing a flavoring composition
AssigneeKraft Foods, Inc.
InventorsC. Steve Weigandt, Jerry J. Carter, Anthony V. DiMaiolo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process and apparatus for producing flavoring compositions by subjecting a thin film of fat or oil to an elevated temperature of about 600.degree. F. in the presence of oxygen. The elevated temperature causes the oil or fat to undergo a phase change to produce an exothermic gaseous material. The gaseous material is cooled rapidly to produce a liquid phase and a vapor containing an aerosol. The liquid phase is collected as a first flavorant and the vapor phase passed through a condenser to recover the aerosol as a flavorant with a more intense grill flavor. The remaining smoke or vapor is exhausted from the apparatus to remove the tarry and acrid flavor notes.
Claims8
A process for preparing a flavoring composition comprising the steps of:
- providing a fat or oil which is suitable for producing an intense grill flavor when subjected to heat in the presence of oxygen;
- forming a thin film of the fat or oil and subjecting the thin film of the fat or oil to an elevated temperature of at least about 600.degree. F. in the presence of oxygen in a thin film heat exchanger causing the fat or oil to undergo a phase change to produce an exothermic gaseous material;
- cooling the gaseous material to a temperature of between about 210.degree. F. to about 230.degree. F. in about 75 seconds to produce an oil phase and a vapor phase containing an aerosol;
- separating the oil phase and the vapor phase and recovering the oil phase as a liquid flavor composition and separating the aerosol from the vapor phase by collecting the aerosol to thereby form a second flavor composition;
- and
- exhausting the gas or smoke.
An apparatus for preparing a flavoring composition comprising:
- means including a thin film heat exchanger and a high speed swept surface agitator for subjecting a thin film of fat or oil to an elevated temperature of at least about 600.degree. F. in the presence of oxygen to cause the fat or oil to undergo a phase change to produce an exothermic gaseous material which includes an aerosol;
- means for rapidly cooling the gaseous material to a temperature of between about 210.degree. F. to about 230.degree. F. in about 75 seconds to produce an oil phase and a gas vapor phase containing an aerosol;
- means for subjecting the aerosol to a higher air flow to heat ratio than the airflow to heat ratio which exists during cooling;
- means for separating the oil phase from the gas vapor phase and for removing the oil phase as a first flavor composition;
- means for trapping the aerosol from the gaseous vapor phase as a liquid flavorant;
- and
- means for exhausting any remaining gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.