Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
181 words
A multi-stage process for the enzymatic thinning of starch employing the enzyme α-amylase which comprises forming an aqueous starch suspension, subjecting said aqueous starch suspension to a first stage thinning operation in the presence of added α-amylase, said first stage thinning operation being carried out at an initial temperature in the range 100°-110° C. for at least 3 minutes, and further heating the suspension at a final higher temperature of at least about 140° C. for at least about 3 minutes, said first stage thinning operation being carried out at a pressure sufficient to maintain the aqueous starch suspension being thinned in the liquid phase, thereupon subjecting the resulting enzymatically thinned starch suspension to atmospheric flashing to reduce the pressure of said resulting enzymatically thinned starch suspension to atmospheric pressure and to effect cooling thereof and subjecting the resulting treated starch suspension to a second stage thinning operation carried out at atmospheric pressure and at a temperature in the range 90°-100° C. in the presence of additional added α-amylase for at least 30 minutes to produce an aqueous thinned starch product.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
181 words
A multi-stage process for the enzymatic thinning of starch employing the enzyme α-amylase which comprises forming an aqueous starch suspension, subjecting said aqueous starch suspension to a first stage thinning operation in the presence of added α-amylase, said first stage thinning operation being carried out at an initial temperature in the range 100°-110° C. for at least 3 minutes, and further heating the suspension at a final higher temperature of at least about 140° C. for at least about 3 minutes, said first stage thinning operation being carried out at a pressure sufficient to maintain the aqueous starch suspension being thinned in the liquid phase, thereupon subjecting the resulting enzymatically thinned starch suspension to atmospheric flashing to reduce the pressure of said resulting enzymatically thinned starch suspension to atmospheric pressure and to effect cooling thereof and subjecting the resulting treated starch suspension to a second stage thinning operation carried out at atmospheric pressure and at a temperature in the range 90°-100° C. in the presence of additional added α-amylase for at least 30 minutes to produce an aqueous thinned starch product.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said aqueous starch suspension contains about 27-37% by weight starch.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said aqueous starch suspension in said first stage thinning operation is held at said initial temperature of about 100°-110° C. for about 5-10 minutes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said aqueous thinned starch product has a D.E. value in the range about 10-20.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said final temperature of said first stage thinning operation is in the range from about 140° C. to about 170° C.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said aqueous starch suspension in said first stage thinning operation is held at said final temperature for a period of time in the range 3-8 minutes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said aqueous starch suspension to be thinned has a pH in the range from about 6.0 to about 7.0.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said aqueous starch suspension to be thinned has a pH in the range of about 6.5.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said aqueous starch suspension to be thinned has a dissolved calcium content of at least about 3-5 ppm by weight.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the amount of added α-amylase present in said aqueous starch suspension to be thinned in said first stage thinning operation is in the range from about 0.03% to about 0.10% by weight based on the starch content of said aqueous starch suspension.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said additional added α-amylase is added to said aqueous starch suspension undergoing treatment in said second stage in an amount in the range from about 0.1 to about 0.2% by weight based on the starch content of said aqueous starch suspension.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the resulting treated starch suspension is held in said second stage thinning operation for a period of time in the range from about 60 minutes to about 120 minutes.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the aqueous starch suspension leaving said first stage thinning operation is cooled atmospheric flashing to at least 100° C. before being introduced into said second stage thinning operation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said aqueous starch suspension is an aqueous suspension of corn starch.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the pressure operative within said first stage is in the range from about 60 in about 200 psig.