Process for preparing caramel color

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR PREPARING CARAMEL COLOR, WHEREIN A CARBOHYDRATE LIQUOR CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF A FOOD GRADE CARBOHYDRATE MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF STARCH HYDROLYZATES, SUCROSE, DEXTROSE, INVERT SUGAR, MOLASSES, MALT SYRUP AND LACTOSE IS HEATED AT A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE CARAMELIZATION OF SAID CARBOHYDRATE LIQUOR, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES CONTINUOUSLY INTRODUCING SAID CARBOHYDRATE LIQUOR UNDER PRESSURE INTO A HEAT EXCHANGER WHEREBY THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID LIQUOR IS RAPIDLY RAISED TO CARAMELIZATION TEMPERATURE, MAINTAINING ALL OF SAID LIQUOR AT SAID CARAMELIZATION TEMPERATURE WITH AGITATION FOR A SUFFICIENT PERIOD OF TIME TO OBTAIN THE DESIRED DEGREE OF CARAMELIZATION, AND THEREAFTER COOLING THE RESULTANT CARAMEL COLOR, SAID HEAT EXCHANGER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED NARROW ANNULAR SPACE THROUGH WHICH ALL OF SAID CARBOHYDRATE LIQUOR PASSES RAPIDLY AND INCLUDING AN INTERIOR SURFACE, SAID HEAT EXCHANGER BEING EQUIPPED WITH HEATING MEANS, SAID HEATING MEANS PROVIDING MAXIMUM HEAT TRANSFER EFFICIENCY FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE WALL WHICH PROVIDES SAID INTERIOR SURFACE TO SAID INTERIOR SURFACE, AND A SCRAPING MEANS, SAID SCRAPING MEANS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY ENTIRELY ACROSS SAID ANNULAR SPACE IN WHICH SAID CARBOHYDRATE LIQUOR IS CONFINED AND SAID SCRAPING MEANS WIPING SAID INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE HEAT EXCHANGER THEREBY PROVIDING CONTINUAL AGITATION OF THE MATERIAL PASSING THERETHROUGH.