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US 7,097,871 B2Granted
Deflavored vegetable powders, methods of making them, and systems for vegetable milling
AssigneeSoyLink
InventorsNoel Rudie, Brent Sorenson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to vegetable powders and methods of making them. The methods can include one or more inventive methods of dehulling, steaming, and/or milling and air classifying a millable vegetable. The vegetable powders can have improved processing characteristics, enhanced nutritional value, and/or improved flavor compared to conventional vegetable powders.
Claims24
A method of producing vegetable powder, comprising:
- contacting millable vegetable with steam at about 95° C. to about 130° C. for about 3 to about 12 min;
- milling the millable vegetable, milling comprising:
- contacting the vegetable with air previously passed through a cooling apparatus during milling, or
- contacting the vegetable during milling with air previously passed through a cooling apparatus and a drying apparatus,
- wherein the air previously passed through a cooling apparatus comprises air at temperature of about 20° F. to about 60° F.;
- simultaneously with milling, classifying the milled vegetable, classifying comprising:
- contacting the vegetable with air previously passed through a cooling apparatus during classifying, or
- contacting the vegetable during classifying with air previously passed through a cooling apparatus and a drying apparatus,
- wherein the air previously passed through a cooling apparatus comprises air at temperature of about 20° F. to about 60° F.;
- and
- producing vegetable powder of which at least about 70% has a particle size less than 20 microns.
8 more elements
A method of producing vegetable powder, comprising:
- contacting millable vegetable with steam at about 95° C. to about 130° C. for about 3 to about 12 min;
- milling the millable vegetable, milling comprising:
- contacting the vegetable with air previously passed through a cooling apparatus during milling, or
- contacting the vegetable during milling with air previously passed through a cooling apparatus and a drying apparatus,
- wherein the air previously passed through a cooling apparatus comprises air at temperature of about 20° F. to about 60° F.;
- and
- producing vegetable powder of which at least about 70% has a particle size less than 20 microns.
4 more elements
A method of producing vegetable powder, comprising:
- milling millable vegetable, milling comprising:
- contacting the vegetable with air previously passed through a cooling apparatus during milling, or
- contacting the vegetable during milling with air previously passed through a cooling apparatus and a driving apparatus,
- wherein the air previously passed through a cooling apparatus comprises air at temperature of about 20° F. to about 60° F.;
- producing vegetable powder of which at least about 70% has a particle size less than 20 microns.
2 more elements
A method of producing vegetable powder, comprising:
- milling millable vegetable;
- simultaneously with milling, classifying the milled vegetable, classifying comprising:
- contacting the vegetable with air previously passed through a cooling apparatus during classifying, or
- contacting the vegetable during classifying with air previously passed through a cooling apparatus and a drying apparatus,
- wherein the air previously passed through a cooling apparatus comprises air at temperature of about 20° F. to about 60° F.;
- and
- producing vegetable powder of which at least about 70% has a particle size less than 20 microns.
4 more elements
A method of producing vegetable powder, comprising:
- dehulling the millable vegetable, dehulling comprising:
- gently drying the vegetable and dehulling the gently dried vegetable, wherein gently drying comprises:
- contacting the vegetable with air previously passed through a cooling apparatus, or
- contacting the vegetable with air previously passed through a cooling apparatus and a drying apparatus,
- wherein the air previously passed through a cooling apparatus comprises air at temperature of about 20° F. to about 60° F.;
- and
- producing vegetable powder of which at least about 70% has a particle size less than 20 microns.
4 more elements
A system for producing vegetable powder comprising:
- steaming apparatus, milling apparatus, classifying apparatus, vegetable handling apparatus, air cooling apparatus, air drying apparatus, and air handling apparatus;
- the vegetable handling apparatus configured to transport the vegetable from the steaming apparatus to the milling apparatus and from the milling apparatus to the classifying apparatus;
- the air handling apparatus configured to transport the air from the cooling apparatus and drying apparatus to the milling apparatus, to the vegetable handling apparatus between the milling apparatus and the classifying apparatus, and to the classifying apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.