Process for separation of whole wheat kernel components to isolate the gluten employing water

Claim 2

A PROCESS FOR SEPARATING WHEAT GLUTEN FROM THE NONGLUTEN COMPONENTS OF THE WHOLE WHEAT KERNEL COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: A. TEMPERING WHOLE WHEAT KERNELS IN WATER TO A MOISTURE CONTENT BY WEIGHT IN THE RANGE FROM 15 TO 22%; B. FLAKING THE WHOLE WHEAT KERNELS TO A FLARE THICKNESS IN THE RANGE FROM 0.0005 TO 0,025 INCHES; C. HYDRATING THE FLAKES IN A QUANTITY OF WATER FROM 65 TO 75% BY WEIGHT OF THE FLAKES AND AGITATING THE FLAKES AND WATER TO FORM A THICK, DOUGH-LIKRE MASS; AND D. MECHANICALLY WORKING THE DOUGH-LIKE MASS IN THE PRESENCE OF WATER TO WASH THE NON-GLUTEN WHEAT KERNEL COMPONENTS FROM THE GLUTEN.

Claim 3

A process, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wheat kernels are tempered to a moisture content of from 16 to 17% by weight.

Claim 4

A process, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mechanical working is accomplished by rotary tumbling of said mass.

Claim 5

A process, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said non-gluten wheat kernel components are retained in the wash water and are separated from the gluten by filtration.

Claim 6

A process, as claimed in claim 1, including the additional step of drying the gluten after separation thereof from the non-gluten components.

Claim 7

A process for separating wheat gluten from the non-gluten components of the whole wheat kernel comprising the steps of a. tempering whole wheat kernels in water at a temperature from 70*-90* F. to a moisture content, by weight, in the range from 15 to 22%; b. flaking the whole wheat kernels to a flake thickness in the range from 0.0005 to 0.025 inches; c. hydrating the flakes sufficiently to just achieve saturation in a quantity of water ranging from 65 to 75% by weight of the flakes to be hydrated and agitating the flakes and water to hydrate the gluten and to form a thick, dough-like mass; and d. tumbling said mass over projections in a rotary drum having perforations therein while concurrently washing said mass with water at a temperature in the range 60*-90* F., whereby the hydrated gluten is retained in said drum and the non-gluten wheat kernel components are washed through the perforations.

Claim 8

A process for separating wheat gluten from the non-gluten components of the whole wheat kernel comprising the steps of a. tempering whole wheat kernels in water at a temperature from 70*-90* F. to a moisture content, by weight, in the range from 15 to 22%; b. flaking the whole wheat kernels to a flake thickness in the range from 0.0005 to 0.025 inches; c. hydrating the flakes sufficiently to just achieve saturation in a quantity of water ranging from 65 to 75% by weight of the flakes to be hydrated and agitating the flakes and water to hydrate the gluten and to form a thick, dough-like mass; and d. tumbling said mass over projections in a rotary drum having perforations therein while concurrently washing said mass with water at a temperature in the range 60*-90* F., whereby the hydrated gluten is retained in said drum and the non-gluten wheat kernel components are washed through the perforations.