Method and apparatus for reducing aflatoxin-contaminated corn

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9538777-B2
Application number	US-201414567251-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2014
Priority date	Oct 12, 2012
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for separating and removing aflatoxin-contaminated corn from batches of corn by a floating process, thus producing a distinguishable floating mat of contaminated corn and a separate submerged bed of uncontaminated and less contaminated corn. The methods of this disclosure include removing the floating contaminated corn mat by a vacuum mechanism or by liquid flow. The methods reduce the aflatoxin level in the submerged corn bed as much as 80% from the initial aflatoxin level, while removing no more than 15% from the batch of corn.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for reducing aflatoxin levels in corn, the system comprising:
a tank comprising at least one fluid inlet and a predetermined fill level;
a mat removal tool capable of removing corn and liquid from the tank, wherein the mat removal tool is connected to a vacuum source sized and shaped to remove aflatoxin-contaminated corn and liquid;
a liquid having a volume sufficient to cover a batch of corn having aflatoxin-contaminated corn and uncontaminated corn and having a density greater than the aflatoxin-contaminated corn;
wherein the contaminated corn floats at the top of the liquid in the tank and the mat removal tool removes the aflatoxin-contaminated corn from the uncontaminated corn.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fluid inlet is positioned at a level below the fill level of the tank.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fluid inlet comprises two or more fluid inlets positioned at a level different from the first fluid inlet.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mat removal tool is positioned at or close to the fill level of the tank.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mat removal tool includes an aperture or scupper within the wall of tank and at a level positioned or close to the fill level of the tank.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid is added to overflow the floating aflatoxin-contaminated corn out from the tank.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid has a density of 0.99-1.2.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises water, brine, salt solutions, sugar solutions, glycerin, alcohol, edible oils or combinations thereof.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises recycled liquid, comprising any of light steep water, heavy steep water, mill water, steep mill water, and mixtures thereof.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is capable of reducing aflatoxin level in the corn batch by as much as 80% or more.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the removed aflatoxin-contaminated corn is not more than 5% of the batch of corn.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is capable of providing uncontaminated corn with an aflatoxin level of no more than 3 ppb.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is capable of providing a motive force to the liquid in the tank.

Assignees

• Cargill Inc

Inventors

• Bethke Nicholas Wayne
• Conard Chad Allen
• Costanian Marie Khagik
• Fosdick Lawrence E
• Fox Eugene Joseph
• Grunig Donald
• Kirkvold Steven W
• Ladhe Abhay R
• Leland Jacob A
• Lewis Joseph Michael
• Peters Eugene Max
• Schanilec Anthony John
• Smith Riley Neil
• Sumner Eric
• Yang Ping
• Yehia Hadi Nayef
• Zullo Jill Louise

Classifications

• B03D1/00

  Flotation (conditioning for flotation, general arrangement of plan B03B) · CPC title

• A23L7/197 Primary

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

• A23B9/00 Primary

  Preservation of edible seeds, e.g. cereals (preservation of pulses A23B75/00) · CPC title

• A23L5/20

  Removal of unwanted matter, e.g. deodorisation or detoxification · CPC title

• B03B5/28

  by sink-float separation · CPC title