US3928631A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for wet milling corn
Assignee: Unilever Bestfoods North America
•
Filing: 1974-06-17
•
Granted: 1975-12-23
•
Expires: 1994-06-17
Abstract
Abstract Addition of glucoamylase to a gluten and/or fiber-containing aqueous slurry facilitates dewatering by filtration or other means. The overall efficiency of a wet milling process embodying such a dewatering step is thereby improved.
Inventors
- 👤 Jere E Freeman
- 👤 Mukhtar Abdullah
- 👤 Byron J Bocan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 19:53
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23J; A23J1/00; A23J1/12; A23J1/125; C; C08; C08B; C08B30/00; C08B30/02; C08B30/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
IN A PROCESS FOR THE WET MILLING OF CORN KERNELS INCLUDING THE STEPS OF STEEPING THE KERNELS IN AN AQUEOUS MEDIUM FOR A PERIOD OF TIME SUFFICIENT TO SOFTEN THE KERNELS; DEGERMINATING THE SOFTENED KERNELS BY MILLING AND REMOVING THE GERM; SEPARATING THE DEGERMINATED KERNEL FROM THE STEEP WATER; COMMINUTING THE DEGERMINATED KERNEL TO A FINE MASH; SEPARATING THE FIBER AND GLUTEN FRACTIONS FROM THE COMMINUTED MASH AND DEWATERING THE FIBER AND GLUTEN FRACTIONS; THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: ADDING TO THE PROCESS MIXTURE AT THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WET MILLING PROCESS IMMEDIATELY BEFORE, CONCURRENTLY WITH OR SUBSEQUENT TO THE MILLING OF THE SOFTENED KERNEL AND PRIOR TO THE DEWATERING STEP A GLUCOAMYLASE ENZYME PREPARATION IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE AT LEAST ABOUT 0.005 GLUCOAMYLASE UNIT OF ACTIVITY PER GRAM OF SOLIDS IN THE PARTICULAR PROCESS MIXTURE TO WHICH THE PREPARATION IS ADDED AND ALLOWING THE GLUCOAMYLASE TO REACT WITH THE MIXTURE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME SUFFICIENT TO INCREASE THE RATE AND EXTENT OF DEWATERING OF THE FIBER AND GLUTEN FRACTIONS.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
171 words
IN A PROCESS FOR THE WET MILLING OF CORN KERNELS INCLUDING THE STEPS OF STEEPING THE KERNELS IN AN AQUEOUS MEDIUM FOR A PERIOD OF TIME SUFFICIENT TO SOFTEN THE KERNELS; DEGERMINATING THE SOFTENED KERNELS BY MILLING AND REMOVING THE GERM; SEPARATING THE DEGERMINATED KERNEL FROM THE STEEP WATER; COMMINUTING THE DEGERMINATED KERNEL TO A FINE MASH; SEPARATING THE FIBER AND GLUTEN FRACTIONS FROM THE COMMINUTED MASH AND DEWATERING THE FIBER AND GLUTEN FRACTIONS; THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: ADDING TO THE PROCESS MIXTURE AT THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WET MILLING PROCESS IMMEDIATELY BEFORE, CONCURRENTLY WITH OR SUBSEQUENT TO THE MILLING OF THE SOFTENED KERNEL AND PRIOR TO THE DEWATERING STEP A GLUCOAMYLASE ENZYME PREPARATION IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE AT LEAST ABOUT 0.005 GLUCOAMYLASE UNIT OF ACTIVITY PER GRAM OF SOLIDS IN THE PARTICULAR PROCESS MIXTURE TO WHICH THE PREPARATION IS ADDED AND ALLOWING THE GLUCOAMYLASE TO REACT WITH THE MIXTURE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME SUFFICIENT TO INCREASE THE RATE AND EXTENT OF DEWATERING OF THE FIBER AND GLUTEN FRACTIONS.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the glucoamylase enzyme preparation is added to the process mixture subsequent to the comminuting of the degerminated kernel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the corn is waxy corn.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the process mixture is within the range of from about 30*C to about 60*C.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the glucoamylase is added to the process mixture at least about one hour before the fiber or gluten fractions are dewatered by filtration or similar means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
143 words
In a process for the wet milling of corn kernels including the steps of steeping the kernels in an aqueous medium for a period of time sufficient to soften the kernels; degerminating the softened kernels by milling and removing the germ; separating the degerminated kernel from steep water; comminuting the degerminated kernel to a fine mash; and separating and dewatering the fiber fraction from the communited mash; the improvement comprising: adding to the fiber fraction at the temperature of the wet milling process and prior to the dewatering step, a glucoamylase enzyme preparation in an amount sufficient to provide at least about 0.005 glucoamylase unit of activity per gram of solids in the fiber fraction and allowing the glucoamylase to react with the fiber fraction for at least about one hour to increase the rate and extent of dewatering of the fiber fraction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
143 words
In a process for the wet milling of corn kernels including the steps of steeping the kernels in an aqueous medium for a period of time sufficient to soften the kernels; degerminating the softened kernels by milling and removing the germ; separating the degerminated kernel from steep water; comminuting the degerminated kernel to a fine mash; and separating and dewatering the fiber fraction from the communited mash; the improvement comprising: adding to the fiber fraction at the temperature of the wet milling process and prior to the dewatering step, a glucoamylase enzyme preparation in an amount sufficient to provide at least about 0.005 glucoamylase unit of activity per gram of solids in the fiber fraction and allowing the glucoamylase to react with the fiber fraction for at least about one hour to increase the rate and extent of dewatering of the fiber fraction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 6 wherein the corn is waxy corn.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 6 wherein the temperature of the fiber fraction is within the range of from about 30*C to about 60*C.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
144 words
In a process for the wet milling of corn kernels including the steps of steeping the kernels in an aqueous medium for a period of time sufficient to soften the kernels; degerminating the softened kernels by milling and removing the germ; separating the degerminated kernel from the steep water; comminuting the degerminated kernel to a find mash; and separating and dewatering the gluten fraction from the coMmunited mash the improvement comprising: adding to the gluten fraction at the temperature of the wet milling process and prior to the dewatering step, a glucoamylase enzyme preparation in an amount sufficient to provide at least about 0.005 glucoamylase unit of activity per gram of solids in the gluten fraction and allowing the glucoamylase to react with the gluten fraction for at least about 1 hour to increase the rate and extent of dewatering of the gluten fraction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
144 words
In a process for the wet milling of corn kernels including the steps of steeping the kernels in an aqueous medium for a period of time sufficient to soften the kernels; degerminating the softened kernels by milling and removing the germ; separating the degerminated kernel from the steep water; comminuting the degerminated kernel to a find mash; and separating and dewatering the gluten fraction from the coMmunited mash the improvement comprising: adding to the gluten fraction at the temperature of the wet milling process and prior to the dewatering step, a glucoamylase enzyme preparation in an amount sufficient to provide at least about 0.005 glucoamylase unit of activity per gram of solids in the gluten fraction and allowing the glucoamylase to react with the gluten fraction for at least about 1 hour to increase the rate and extent of dewatering of the gluten fraction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the corn is waxy corn.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the temperature of the gluten fraction is within the range of from about 30*C to about 60*C.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-12-22 | 1979-06-23 | 1979-12-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-22 | 1983-06-23 | 1983-12-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-22 | 1987-06-23 | 1987-12-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |