# US 7,407,526 B2 · Food additive

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- Number: US 7,407,526 B2
- Document ID: US7407526B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/995,471
- Filed: 2004-11-24
- Published: 2005-07-07
- Granted: 2008-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2003-11-26
- Assignees: Höganäs AB
- Inventors: Bo Hu; Fredrik Eklund; Nils Jonsson; Fredrik Persson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7407526B2

## CPC

- B22F 9/22: using gaseous reductors
- A23L 33/16: Inorganic salts, minerals or trace elements
- B22F 1/05: Metallic powder characterised by the size or surface area of the particles
- B22F 2998/10: Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps
- B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B)

## Abstract

The invention concerns an iron powder for fortifying foodstuff. The powder consists of a reduced iron powder having irregularly shaped particles, wherein the iron powder has a ratio AD:PD less than 0.3, wherein AD is the apparent density in g/cm3, and PD is the particle density in g/cm3. The specific surface area of the powder particles is above 300 m2/kg as measured by the BET method and the average particle size is between 5-45 μm.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Iron powder consisting essentially of a reduced iron powder having irregularly shaped particles, wherein the iron powder has a ratio AD:PD less than 0.3, wherein AD is the apparent density in g/cm3, and PD is the particle density in g/cm3, the specific surface area of the powder particles is above 300 m2/kg as measured by the BET method and wherein the average particle size is between 5-45 μm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Powder according to claim 1, wherein the specific surface area of the powder particles is above 400, m2/kg and the average particle size is 5-25 μm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

Powder according to claim 1, wherein the ratio AD:PD is less than 0.27.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

Powder according to claim 1, wherein the iron powder has a dissolution rate in hydrochloric acid at 37° C. and pH 1 of at least 40 % by weight after 30 minutes.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A foodstuff, feedstuff or beverage comprising the iron powder of claim 1.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A fortified material comprising a foodstuff or beverage and a fortifying amount of a reduced iron powder according to claim 1.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

Method for producing a reduced iron powder as defined in claim 1 comprising the steps of:
providing a starting material of an iron oxide powder having a particle size less than 55 μm,
reducing said powder at a temperature less than 1100° C. to a porous sintered cake, and
crushing and sieving the obtained cake to a powder having the desired particle size.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

Method according to claim 7, wherein the iron oxide is selected from the group consisting of natural hematite (Fe2O3) and iron oxides which are obtained as by-products from acid regeneration processes.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

Method according to claim 7, wherein the reduction is performed with hydrogen gas or a mixture of carbon and hydrogen gas.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

Method according to claim 7, wherein the reduction is performed in a belt furnace.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

Powder according to claim 1, wherein the specific surface area of the powder particles is above 450 m2/kg and the average particle size is 5-25 μm.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

Powder according to claim 1, wherein the specific surface area of the powder particles is above 500 m2/kg and the average particle size is 5-25 μm.

### Claim 13 (depends on 2)

Powder according to claim 2, wherein the ratio AD:PD is less than 0.27.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

Powder according to claim 1, wherein the ratio AD:PD is less than 0.25.

### Claim 15 (depends on 2)

Powder according to claim 2, wherein the ratio AD:PD is less than 0.25.

### Claim 16 (depends on 2)

Powder according to claim 2, wherein the iron powder has a dissolution rate in hydrochloric acid at 37° C. and pH 1 of at least 40% by weight after 30 minutes.

### Claim 17 (depends on 3)

Powder according to claim 3, wherein the iron powder has a dissolution rate in hydrochloric acid at 37° C. and pH 1 of at least 40% by weight after 30 minutes.

### Claim 18 (depends on 8)

Method according to claim 8, wherein the reduction is performed with hydrogen gas or a mixture of carbon and hydrogen gas.

### Claim 19 (depends on 8)

Method according to claim 8, wherein the reduction is performed in a belt furnace.

### Claim 20 (depends on 9)

Method according to claim 9, wherein the reduction is performed in a belt furnace.