Method for improving bran and germ flavor and texture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10136653-B2
Application number	US-201414777219-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

The flavor and texture of a ground bran and germ component or fraction is improved by subjecting the ground bran and germ component to heating while conveying and mixing the ground bran and germ component in a conveying and mixing device. The heating may be conducted to heat the bran and germ component or fraction to a temperature of from about 285° F. to about 410° F. to volatilize volatile wheaty flavor components and moisture in the ground bran and germ component and to develop a buttery, nutty, caramelized flavor in the bran component. The wheaty flavor components and moisture are removed from the mixing and conveying device during the heat treatment. The use of substantial moisture reduction with high temperature heating at a low moisture content provides flavor development while reducing wheatiness, graininess, or rawness, and also achieves lipase inhibition and stabilization against rancidity from free-fatty acid production.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for improving the flavor and texture of a ground bran and germ component comprising:
subjecting a ground bran and germ component to heating while conveying and mixing the ground bran and germ component in a conveying and mixing device, said ground bran and germ component comprising bran and germ having at least 50% by weight bran and a moisture content of from about 5% by weight to about 12% by weight, based upon the weight of the ground bran and germ component, said heating being to a temperature of from about 290° F. to about 430° F. and being conducted for a period of time of from about 1 minute to about 6 minutes to volatilize volatile wheaty flavor components and moisture in the ground bran and germ component, to develop a buttery, nutty, caramelized flavor in the bran component, and to reduce lipase activity of the bran and germ component,
removing the wheaty flavor components and moisture from the mixing and conveying device by venting during said heating to reduce the moisture content of the bran and germ component by about 30% by weight to about 75% by weight and to obtain a dried ground bran and germ component having a moisture content of from about 1.5% by weight to about 4.5% by weight, and
removing the dried ground bran and germ component from the conveying and mixing device to obtain a non-expanded stabilized ground bran and germ component having a non-wheaty, nutty, caramelized flavor and a non-gritty texture,
wherein the bran and germ component comprises starch, and said heating avoids gelatinization of starch contained in the bran and germ component such that starch gelatinization is less than about 25%.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the volatile wheaty flavor components and moisture are removed by vacuum.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said heating is conducted indirectly by steam.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said heating is conducted directly by steam injection into the bran and germ component as it is being conveyed and mixed.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said heating volatizes wheaty flavor components comprising hexanal, heptadienal, nonanal, decanal, nonenal, heptenal, 1-octen-3-one, 3,5-octadien-2-one, decadienal, nonadienal, or octenal, or combinations or mixtures thereof, which are removed from said device, and produces nutty, caramelized flavor components or Maillard Reaction flavor components comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of pyrazines and dimethylpyrazines which are retained by the bran and germ component.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the conveying and mixing device operates at low pressure and exchanges heat through a hollow screw and a jacketed body.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said ground bran and germ component subjected to said heating has a moisture content of from about 7% by weight to about 9% by weight, based upon the weight of the ground bran and germ component, said heating is to a temperature of about 310° F. to about 330° F., the moisture content of the bran and germ component is reduced by about 30% by weight to about 75% by weight to obtain a dried ground bran and germ component having a moisture content of from about 2.5% by weight to about 3.5% by weight, and said heating is conducted for a period of time of from about 2 minutes to about 4 minutes.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said ground bran and germ component subjected to said heating has a moisture content of from about 7.5% by weight to about 8.5% by weight, based upon the weight of the ground bran and germ component, said heating is to a temperature of about 310° F. to about 330° F., the moisture content of the bran and germ component is reduced by about 30% by weight to about 75% by weight to obtain a dried ground bran component having a moisture content of from about 2.8% by weight to about 3.2% by weight, and said heating is conducted for a period of time of from about 2.5 minutes to about 3.5 minutes.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the ground bran and germ component which is subjected to said heating has a temperature of less than about 120° F. at an inlet to the conveying and mixing device, and upon exiting the conveying and mixing device the non-expanded ground bran and germ component having a non-wheaty, nutty, caramelized flavor and a non-gritty texture is in a free-flowing individual particulate form.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said heating is to a temperature of from about 290° F. to about 410° F.

11. A method for making a whole grain flour with improved flavor and texture comprising:
subjecting a ground bran and germ component to heating while conveying and mixing the ground bran and germ component in a conveying and mixing device, said ground bran and germ component comprising bran and germ having at least 50% by weight bran and a moisture content of from about 5% by weight to about 12% by weight, based upon the weight of the ground bran and germ component, said heating being to a temperature of from about 290° F. to about 430° F. and being conducted for a period of time of from about 1 minute to about 6 minutes to volatilize volatile wheaty flavor components and moisture in the ground bran and germ component, to develop a buttery, nutty, caramelized flavor in the bran component, and to reduce lipase activity of the bran and germ component,
removing the wheaty flavor components and moisture from the mixing and conveying device by venting during said heating to reduce the moisture content of the bran and germ component by about 30% by weight to about 75% by weight and to obtain a dried ground bran and germ component having a moisture content of from about 1.5% by weight to about 4.5% by weight,
removing the dried ground bran and germ component from the conveying and mixing device to obtain a non-expanded stabilized ground bran and germ component having a non-wheaty, nutty, caramelized flavor and a non-gritty texture, and
admixing the non-expanded stabilized ground bran and germ component with an endosperm fraction to obtain a stabilized whole grain flour having a non-wheaty, nutty, caramelized flavor and a non-gritty texture,
wherein the bran and germ component comprises starch, and said heating avoids gelatinization of starch contained in the bran and germ component such that starch gelatinization is less than about 25%.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the volatile wheaty flavor components and moisture are removed by vacuum.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said heating is conducted indirectly by steam.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said heating is conducted directly by steam injection into the bran and germ component as it is being conveyed and mixed.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein said heating volatizes wheaty flavor components comprising hexanal, heptadienal, nonanal, decanal, nonenal, heptenal, 1-octen-3-one, 3,5-octadien-2-one, decadienal, nonadienal, or octenal, or combinations or mixtures thereof, which are removed from said device, and produces nutty, caramelized flavor components or Maillard Reaction flavor components comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of pyrazines and dimethylpyrazines which are retained by the bran and germ component.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the conveying and mixing device operates at low pressure and exchanges heat through a hollow screw and a jacketed body.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein said ground bran and germ component subjected to said heating has a moisture content of from about 7% by weight to about 9% by weight, based upon the weight of the ground bran and germ c

Assignees

• Intercontinental Great Brands Llc

Inventors

• Zhao Bin
• Gabriel Sarwat
• Haynes Lynn
• Errandonea Francois

Classifications

• A21D6/003

  Heat treatment · CPC title

• A21D13/02 Primary

  Products made from whole meal; Products containing bran or rough-ground grain · CPC title

• A23V2002/00

  Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs · CPC title

• A23L7/1975

  Cooking or roasting · CPC title

• A23L7/197

  Treatment of whole grains not provided for in groups A23L7/117 - A23L7/196 (preservation A23B9/00) · CPC title