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US 6,613,371 B2Granted
Method for malting seeds
AssigneeCargill, Incorporated
InventorsRita M. Delrue, Theo Coppens, Jan Delcour, Iris Noots, Chris Michiels
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides process or method of malting cereal seeds, such as barley, wheat, rye, corn, oats, rice, millet and sorghum which process includes reducing the microbial level in the seeds prior to steeping, malting and the introduction of a starter culture used in the malting process. According to the invention, the reduction of microbial levels permits efficient use of starter cultures, such as molds, yeasts, bacteria, spores and activated spores.
Claims39
A process for treating seeds comprising:
- heating the seeds which have a microbial count and a germination energy with moist heat which is effective for applying moisture on the surface of the seeds and heating the seeds for a time and temperature which will reduce the microbial count of the seeds, but not reduce the germination energy of the seeds after about 72 hours to less than about 80% to provide a microbial reduced seed;
- wetting the microbial reduced seed to increase its moisture content to provide a wetted seed;
- and
- holding the wetted seed for a time and temperature to permit it to germinate and provide a treated seed.
1 more element
A process for treating seeds comprising:
- heating the seeds which have a microbial count and a germination energy with moist heat which is effective for applying moisture on the surface of the seeds and heating the seeds for a time and temperature which will reduce the microbial count of the seeds and which will not reduce the germination energy of the seeds after about 72 hours to less than about 80% to provide a microbial reduced seed;
- wetting the microbial reduced seed to increase its moisture content to provide a wetted seed;
- mixing a starter culture with the microbial reduced seed before or after the wetting of the microbial reduced seed to provide a wetted seed/starter culture blend;
- and
- holding the wetted seed starter culture blend for a time and temperature to permit it to germinate and provide a malted seed which has an enzyme activity which is greater than an enzyme activity which is obtained by a treating process on the seed which does not have a reduced microbial count through the heating thereof.
2 more elements
A process for treating seeds having a microbial count and germination energy, the process comprising:
- conveying the seeds as a continuous stream and heating the stream of seeds with moist heat to bring the seeds to a temperature for a time to reduce the microbial count of the seeds by at least about 1×102 per gram of seed, but not reduce the germination energy of the seeds after about 72 hours to less than about 80% to provide a microbial reduced seed;
- wetting the microbial reduced seed to increase its moisture content to provide a wetted seed;
- and
- holding the wetted seed for a time and temperature to permit it to germinate and provide a treated seed.
1 more element
A process for treating seeds comprising:
- moving the seeds which have a microbial count and a germination energy through a conduit;
- injecting steam onto the seeds as they are being conveyed through the conduit to heat the seeds and provide a moisture content on the surface of the seeds;
- mixing the seeds as they are exposed to the steam and as they are conveyed through the conduit and while the steam is being injected onto the seeds, the temperature of the steam, the moisture content on the surface of the seeds, the mixing being at a rate, and the time of exposure of the seeds to the heat and steam being effective for reducing the microbial count of the seeds, but not reduce the germination energy of the seed after about 72 hours to less than about 80% to provide a microbial reduced seed;
- wetting the microbial reduced seed to increase its moisture content to provide a wetted seed;
- and
- holding the wetted seed for a time and temperature to permit it to germinate and provide a treated seed.
3 more elements
A process for treating seeds comprising immersing the seeds in water having a temperature of from about 65° C. to about 90° C. for about 1 to about 20 seconds to provide a microbial reduced seed;
- wetting the microbial reduced seed to increase its moisture content to provide a wetted seed;
- and
- holding the wetted seed for a time and temperature to permit it to germinate and provide a treated seed.
A process for treating seeds comprising:
- heating the seeds having a microbial count and germination energy with moist heat which is effective for applying moisture on the surface of the seeds and heating the seeds for about 1 to about 45 seconds to a temperature of from about 60° C. to about 90° C., but not reduce the germination energy of the seeds after about 72 hours to less than about 80% to provide a microbial reduced seed;
- wetting the microbial reduced seed to increase its moisture content to provide a wetted seed;
- and
- holding the wetted seed for a time and temperature to permit it to germinate and provide a treated seed.
1 more element
A process for treating seeds comprising:
- heating the seeds which has a microbial count and a germination energy with moist heat which is effective for applying moisture on the surface of the seeds and heating the seeds for a time and temperature which will reduce the microbial count of the seeds by at least about 1×102 per gram of seed, but not reduce the germination energy of the seeds after about 72 hours to less than about 80% to provide a microbial reduced seed;
- wetting the microbial reduced seed to increase its moisture content to provide a wetted seed;
- mixing a starter culture with the microbial reduced seed before or after the wetting of the microbial reduced seed;
- and
- holding the wetted seed for a time and temperature to permit it to germinate and provide a treated seed which has an enzymatic activity which is greater than the enzymatic activity of a malted seed which is treated without having the microbial reduced seed.
2 more elements
A malting process for malting seeds comprising:
- heating the seeds which have a microbial count and a germination energy with moist heat which is effective for applying moisture on the surface of the seeds and heating the seeds for a time and temperature which will reduce the microbial count of the seeds, but not reduce the germination energy of the seeds after about 72 hours to less than about 80% to provide a microbial reduced seed;
- wetting the microbial reduced seed to increase its moisture content to provide a wetted seed;
- holding the wetted seed for a time and temperature to permit it to germinate and provide a treated seed;
- and
- drying the treated seed to provide a malted seed.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.