Process and apparatus for producing fiber product with high water-binding capacity and food product made therefrom

A process for producing a food grade, dietary fiber product having a water binding capacity of at least about 10 times by weight comprising the steps of:

• a. selecting carrot material as a source for the fiber product;
• b. mixing a puree of carrot material having a solids content in the range of about 8 to about 15 weight percent with an aqueous solution sufficient to reduce the solids content of the mixture to a range of about 1 to 6 weight percent in order to contact the carrot material with the aqueous solution for the removal of sugar from the carrot material;
• c. separating the carrot material from the aqueous solution to produce a puree of carrot material with reduced sugar content having a solids content of at least about 8%;
• d. adding fresh aqueous solution to the puree of carrot material with reduced sugar content until the solids content of the resulting mixture is about 4 to about 6 weight percent;
• e. after the adding step, wet grinding the carrot material in the aqueous solution until a substantial majority of the carrot material therein has a size of about 3 millimeters or less;
• f. elevating the temperature of the mixture of carrot material and aqueous solution passing through the sizing device to a temperature above about 100 degrees F. and below about 150 degrees F.;
• g. mixing a bleaching agent, selected from the group consisting of benzoyl peroxide, hydrogen peroxide and peracitic acid, with the mixture of carrot material and aqueous solution at the elevated temperature until the carrot material is bleached to a creamy color;
• h. removing the aqueous solution from the bleached carrot material until the solids content of the bleached carrot material is at least about 20%;
• i. drying the bleached carrot material after removing the aqueous solution;
• j. milling the dried carrot material until a 95% of the milled carrot material has a size of less than 200 microns;
• and
• k. passing the milled, dried, carrot material through a sizing device to produce a food grade dietary fiber product of known maximum particle size and a water bending capacity of at least 10 times by weight.

An apparatus for producing a fiber product having high water absorption capacity comprising:

• a. a mixing apparatus formed to mix a puree of carrot material and aqueous solution therein;
• a water removal assembly proximate the mixing apparatus and formed to receive a mixture of carrot material and aqueous solution from the mixing apparatus and to separate the aqueous solution from the carrot material;
• c. a source of aqueous solution connected for input to the mixing apparatus;
• d. a grinder receiving carrot material from the water removal assembly and formed to grind the carrot material while in an aqueous solution;
• e. a sizing device receiving ground carrot material from the grinder and formed to allow passage of particulate carrot material below a predetermined size with aqueous solution to a mixing reservoir;
• f. a mixing reservoir having a mixing assembly therein and positioned to receive sized carrot material and aqueous solution from the sizing device;
• g. a source of bleaching agent coupled for input of bleaching agent into the mixing reservoir;
• h. a water separation device fluid coupled to receive bleached carrot material and aqueous solution and formed to remove aqueous solution from the carrot material to substantially reduce the moisture content of the carrot material;
• i. a dryer receiving separated carrot material from the water separation device and formed to dry the carrot material into a powder;
• j. a mill receiving powder from the dryer and formed to reduce the size of the particles in the powder;
• and
• k. a sizing apparatus receiving milled powder from the mill and formed to allow passage of powder below a predetermined size.

An apparatus for producing a fiber product having high water absorption capacity comprising:

• a. a mixing apparatus formed to mix a puree of carrot material and aqueous solution therein;
• b. a water removal assembly proximate the mixing apparatus and formed to receive a mixture of carrot material and aqueous solution from the mixing apparatus and to separate the aqueous solution from the carrot material;
• c. a source of aqueous solution connected for input to the mixing apparatus;
• d. a grinder receiving carrot material from the water removal assembly and formed to grind the carrot material while in an aqueous solution, the grinder is formed to grind substantial majority of the carrot material to a particle size below about 3 millimeters;
• e. a sizing device receiving ground carrot material from the grinder and formed to allow passage of particulate carrot material of 3 millimeters or less with aqueous solution to a mixing reservoir;
• f. a mixing reservoir having a mixing assembly therein and positioned to receive sized carrot material and aqueous solution from the sizing device;
• g. a source of bleaching agent coupled for input of bleaching agent into the mixing reservoir;
• h. a water separation device fluid coupled to receive bleached carrot material and aqueous solution and formed to remove aqueous solution from the carrot material to substantially reduce the moisture content of the carrot material;
• and
• i. a dryer receiving separated carrot material from the water separation device and formed to dry the carrot material into a powder.

An apparatus for producing a fiber product having high water absorption capacity comprising:

• a. a mixing apparatus formed to mix a puree of carrot material and aqueous solution therein;
• b. a water removal assembly proximate the mixing apparatus and formed to receive a mixture of carrot material and aqueous solution from the mixing apparatus and to separate the aqueous solution from the carrot material;
• c. a source of aqueous solution connected for input to the mixing apparatus;
• d. a grinder receiving carrot material from the water removal assembly and formed to grind the carrot material from the water removal assembly and formed to grind the carrot material while in an aqueous solution;
• e. a sizing device receiving ground carrot material from the grinder and formed to allow passage of particulate carrot material below a predetermined size with aqueous solution to a mixing reservoir;
• f. a mixing reservoir having a mixing assembly therein and positioned to receive sized carrot material and aqueous solution from the sizing device;
• g. a source of benzoyl peroxide bleaching agent coupled for input of bleaching agent into the mixing reservoir;
• h. a water separation device fluid coupled to receive bleached carrot material aqueous solution and formed to remove aqueous solution from the carrot material to substantially reduce the moisture content of the carrot material;
• and
• i. a dryer receiving separated carrot material from the water separation device formed to dry the carrot material into a powder.

An apparatus for producing a fiber product having high water absorption capacity comprising:

• a. a mixing apparatus formed to mix a puree of carrot material and aqueous solution therein;
• a water removal assembly proximate the mixing apparatus and formed to receive a mixture of carrot material and aqueous solution from the mixing apparatus and to separate the aqueous solution from the carrot material;
• c. a source of aqueous solution connected for input to the mixing apparatus;
• d. a grinder receiving carrot material from the water removal assembly and formed to grind the carrot material while in an aqueous solution;
• e. a sizing device receiving ground carrot material from the grinder and formed allow passage of particulate carrot material below a predetermined size with aqueous solution to a mixing reservoir;
• f. a mixing reservoir having a mixing assembly therein and positioned to receive sized carrot material and aqueous solution from the sizing device;
• g. a source of peracitic bleaching agent coupled for input of bleaching agent into the mixing reservoir;
• h. a water separation device fluid coupled to receive bleached carrot material and aqueous solution and formed to remove aqueous solution from the carrot material to substantially reduce the moisture content of the carrot material;
• and
• i. a dryer receiving separated carrot material from the water separation device and formed to dry the carrot material into a powder.

An apparatus for producing a fiber produce having high water absorption capacity comprising:

• a. a mixing apparatus formed to mix a puree of carrot material and aqueous solution therein;
• b. a water removal assembly proximate the mixing apparatus and formed to receive a mixture of carrot material and aqueous solution from the mixing apparatus and to separate the aqueous solution from the carrot material;
• c. a source of aqueous solution connected for input to the mixing apparatus;
• d. a grinder receiving carrot material from the water removal assembly and formed to grind the carrot material while in an aqueous solution;
• e. a sizing device receiving ground carrot material from the grinder and formed to allow passage of particulate carrot material below a predetermined size with aqueous solution to a mixing reservoir;
• f. a mixing reservoir having a mixing assembly therein and positioned to receive sized carrot material and aqueous solution from the sizing device;
• g. a source of bleaching agent coupled for input of bleaching agent into the mixing reservoir;
• h. a water separation device fluid coupled to receive bleached carrot material and aqueous solution and formed to remove aqueous solution from the carrot material to substantially reduce the moisture content of the carrot material;
• and
• i. a dryer receiving separated carrot material from the water separation device and formed to dry the carrot material into a powder at an operating temerature in excess of 500 degrees F.