Process of making aerated shortening

Claim 2

A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the mixture is initially pressured to a relatively high pressure in the range of about 210 to about 300 p.s.i.g.

Claim 3

A method as defined in claim 3 wherein the pressure on the mixture is reduced to an intermediate pressure in the order of about half the high pressure.

Claim 4

A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the mixture is initially pressured to a relatively high pressure in the range of about 220 to about 250 p.s.i.g.

Claim 5

A method as defined in claim 2 wherein the mixture is initially pressured to a relatively high pressure in the range of about 210 to about 300 p.s.i.g. and the pressure is reduced to an intermediate pressure in the range of about 90 to about 140 p.s.i.g.

Claim 6

A method as defined in claim 1 in which the reduction in pressure is obtained by flowing the mixture through a restriction position in the line between the pressurizing unit and the chilling unit.

Claim 7

A method as defined in claim 1 including the step of further agitating the shortening after the aforesaid chilling and crystallizing steps by shear mixing between relatively moving elements in a mixer unit and recirculating a major portion of the stream past the moving elements.

Claim 8

A method as defined in claim 8 including the step of pressurizing the mixture prior to the further agitating step, to about the aforesaid intermediate pressure.

Claim 9

The method according to claim 1 including the steps of subjecting the aerated shortening following chilling to an intense shear-type agitation between relatively moving elements while establishing in such chamber a closed circulation of the crystallized aerated shortening between such relatively moving elements, the intensity of the shear-type agitation being of predetermined value so that good dispersion of the gas in the crystallized aerated shortening is attained and the temperature is not substantially raised to drive out the dispersed gas from the shortening; and withdrawing from said chamber a stream of intensely mixed aerated shortening completely crystallized except for incidental crystallization in the ultimate containers.

Claim 10

An improved process for preparing for packaging an aerated shortening as part of a process in which a stream of liquid fat is mixed with a gas to form an aerated gas mixture, pressurized to a relatively high pressure, and chilled to form crystals and produce a stream of crystallized aerated shortening, with the stream being at an existing pressure and composed of aerated shortening with the gas substantially in the dispersed state and the crystallization being practically complete, the stream of aerated shortening containing about 15 to about 32 percent gas by volume, which improved process includes the steps of: aerating liquid fat with about 15 to about 32 percent by volume of gas mixture; pressurizing the mixture to a relatively High pressure between about 220 and 250 p.s.i.g. to place substantially all the gas in solution in the mixture; reducing the pressure on the mixture to an intermediate pressure between about 90 and about 140 p.s.i.g. for converting a portion of the gas in solution to dispersed gas prior to the chilling and agitation steps; chilling and agitating the mixture to produce crystallized aerated shortening; pressuring said stream of crystallized aerated shortening; passing the pressurized stream through a chamber and therein subjecting the crystallized aerated shortening into an intense shear-type agitation between relatively moving elements while establishing in such chamber a closed circulation of the crystallized aerated shortening between such relatively moving elements, the intensity of the shear-type agitation being of predetermined value so that good dispersion of the gas in the crystallized aerated shortening is attained and the temperature is not substantially raised to drive out the dispersed gas from the shortening; and withdrawing from said chamber a stream of intensity mixed aerated shortening completely crystallized except for incidental crystallization in the ultimate containers.