Method for the purification of lecithin

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016264606-A1
Application number	US-201615092792-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 7, 2016
Priority date	Dec 20, 2012
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for the purification of lecithin, comprising the steps of:
a. reducing the viscosity of lecithin to a viscosity of less than about 10 Pa·s; then b. mixing the lecithin with granulated active carbon; then c. separating the lecithin from the granulated active carbon and recover purified lecithin.

Lecithin substantially free of poly-aromatic hydrocarbons, and a food or feed product comprising said lecithin.

First claim

1 . A method for the purification of lecithin, comprising the steps of:
a. reducing the viscosity of lecithin; then b. mixing the lecithin with granulated active carbon; then c. separating the lecithin from the granulated active carbon and recover purified lecithin.

2 . (canceled)

3 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the viscosity of lecithin is reduced by increasing the temperature to about 20° C.-95° C.

4 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the viscosity of lecithin is reduced by mixing the lecithin with a vegetable oil at a temperature of from about 10° C. to about 90° C.

5 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the viscosity of lecithin is reduced by mixing with an organic solvent.

6 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein 90 wt % of said granulated active carbon has a diameter of from about 0.2 mm to about 4 mm.

7 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the lecithin and granulated active carbon are mixed at a ratio of from about 0.05% to about 3% by weight of granulated active carbon to lecithin.

8 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the lecithin is separated from the granulated active carbon through gravitational forces.

9 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the lecithin is separated from the granulated active carbon by means of a decanter or a centrifuge.

10 . A method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
d. filtrating the recovered lecithin.

11 . A method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
reducing the viscosity of the recovered purified lecithin by mixing the lecithin with an organic solvent; then removing residual particles or contaminants from the lecithin by means of gravitational forces; then removing the solvent from the lecithin and recovering the lecithin.

12 . A method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps, before step a of claim 1 , of:
i. reducing the viscosity of lecithin by mixing the lecithin with an organic solvent; then ii. removing particles or contaminants from the lecithin by means of gravitational forces; then iii. removing the solvent from the lecithin and recover the lecithin.

13 . Purified lecithin according to claim 1 in liquid form which is substantially free of poly-aromatic hydrocarbons.

14 . Purified lecithin according to claim 1 , substantially free of organic solvent.

15 . Purified lecithin according to claim 1 , substantially free of particulates.

16 . Purified lecithin according to claim 1 , wherein the purified lecithin is transparent.

17 . A food or feed product comprising purified lecithin according to claim 1 .

18 . A food product according to claim 17 , wherein the food product is an infant food product.

Assignees

• Cargill Inc

Inventors

• Jirjis Bassam Farid
• Molnar Jeff
• Schaefer Christoph
• Schoeppe Arnulf

Classifications

• A23L33/40

  Complete food formulations for specific consumer groups or specific purposes, e.g. infant formula · CPC title

• C11B3/008

  by filtration, e.g. including ultra filtration, dialysis (C11B3/005 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A23J7/00

  Phosphatide compositions for foodstuffs, e.g. lecithin · CPC title

• A23K20/158

  Fatty acids; Fats; Products containing oils or fats · CPC title

• A23D9/013

  Other fatty acid esters, e.g. phosphatides · CPC title