Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~3~3V
COHESIVE POWDER BIT VEGETABLE PRODUCTS
AND PROCESS FOR MAKING THE SAME
This invention relates to a cohesive powder
kernel or bit product composed of kernels or bits that
have been formed from meal or flour of vegetables
including seeds of cereals and/or seeds of pulses
and/or leaves of leafy vegetables and/or stalk
vegetables and/or root vegetables, which kernels or
bits can be composed of a single variety of vegetable
product or can incorporate products of more than one
variety of vegetable and can include other types of
food and/or edible material.
Gorozpe, U.S. Patent 2,914,005, issued
November 24, 1959, discloses apparatus for preparing a
quick-cooking rice product produced from broken rice.
The process of producing the product includes rapidly
drying broken rice to cause it. to check. The cracks in
the checked rice enable ready permeation of moisture.
The rice is then hydrated to swell it and it is milled
to form small particles; preferably about 1/64 inch
(0.4 mm) in diameter or about 40 mesh screen size. The
milling forms a very porous, fluffy, granular,
ball-like material (column 5, lines 63 to 653~ This
fluffy granular material is then steamed or otherwise
heated to gelatinize the particles throughout ~column
5~ line 67 to column 6, line 10), after which such
gelatinized particles are formed into grains by being
molded or extruded with the least pressure possible and
without kneading so as to preserve the porous structure
of the particles, but to cause them to adhere together
Icolumn 6, lines 23 to 26 and lines 33 to 5l~. The
product is extruded in small rod-like strings of oval
section which are in cross section of a size about
equal to the thickness of whole rice grains and these
strings are cut at an angle into short lengths to form
individual grains about equal in size to, but
preferably larger than, the better grades of whole
grain rice. Cutting the oval extruded strings at an
angle produces pointed ends on the cut grains (column
6, lines 64 to 71). The resulting grains are fed to a
predryer where they are dried for about 5 minutes at a
temperature of about 300 F. to lower the moisture
content to about 20 to 25 percent and the predried
grains are then treated in a final dryer for about 10
minutes at a maximum temperature of 150 degrees F~ to
reduce the moisture content to the usual 10 to 14
percent (column 7, lines 25 to 52).
The later Gorozpe U.S. patent 3,071,471,
issued January 1, 1963, also relates to a quick-cooking
rice product that is made from broken rice. In the
process for making this product the rice is gelatinized
before grinding instead of merely being hydr~ted and
ungelatinized as in the earlier Gcrozpe patent
2t914,005. In this instance the gelatini~ed rice is
crushed t~o or three times to reduce it to a very
porousJ fluffy~ fla~y material formed by a multiplicity
of gelatiniæed starch cells (column 1, lines 59 to 63,
column 4, lines 55 to 72 and column 10, lines 32 to
49)~ The rice having a normal moisture content of 10 to
14 percent is dried quic]cly to reduce the moisture
content by about 2 to 5 percent which causes chec~ing
~column 3~ lines 2 to 12). The drying is accomplished
~13~
at a temperature between 122 degrees F. and 158 degrees
F. for between 30 and 60 minutes, preferably 140
degrees F. for a period of 30 minutes, so that the
moisture content is reduced quickly by about 3 percent
(column 3, lines 12 to 33).
The dried checked rice is next subjected to
washing and hydrating steps until the moisture content
reaches 38 to ~0 percent (column 3, lines 37 to 59).
The hydrated rice may be gelatinized in a single stage
by wet steam or hot water ko about 90 to 95 percent of
complete gelatinization after which the gelatinized rice
is broken into lumps having a moisture content of about
30 to 45 percent (column 4, lines 12 to 27). Next, the
gelatiniæed lumps are dried to reduce the moisture
content to about 15 to 25 percent and are then broken
up on breaking rolls to a size of about 1t16 inch t1.6
mm) to 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) and ~urther dried to a
moisture content of about 10 t:o 1~ percent (column 4,
lines 39 to ~9).
Alternatively, the rice may be gelatinized in
two stages, th~ first stage comprising partially
gelatinizing the hydrated rice to at least 50 percent
~elatinization followed by gelatinizing the xice in a
second stage to about 80 to 95 percent o complete
gelatinization. ~urther alternatively, the rice may be
gelatinized in a sequence of thr~e stages reaching 80
to 95 percent of complete gelatinization (column 4,
lines 55 to 63). Partially gelatinized rice may be
extruded with sufficient pressure so that it does not
come apart during cooking (column 5, lines 6 to 14).
The e~truder form~ the rice into whole grains which are
subjected to further gelatinization with wet steam at a
temperature of about 194 F. (90 C.) to 212~ F. (100
C.~ for a period of 20 to 90 seconds and 40 to 50
percent moisture (column 5, lines 22 to 29)~ The
yrains may be gelatinized a third time with wet steam
to produce a moisture content of not more than about 65
percent (column 5, lines 38 to 42). The rice grains
are then cooled, and dried to reduce the moisture
content to 10 to 14 percent (column 5, lines 22 to 53)~
The more recent Harrow et al. U.S. patent
4,325,976, issued April 20, 1982, discloses a process
for making a reformed rice product from flour which can
include wheat flour, potato flour, corn flour, tapioca
flour, waxy maize ~lour and rice ~lour, but it is
preferred that at least a major portion of the flour be
rice flour (column 1, lines 40 to 48). A portion of the
~lour can be pregelatini2ed and a portion can be
ungelatinized, but not less than 30 percent of the
flour used is pregelatinized and the amount of
pregelatinized flour should not exceed 70 percent by
weight (column 1, lines 50 to 57). To the flour is
added sodium chloride, common salt, in a proportion
between 4 percent and 12 percent by weight (column 1,
lines 59 to 65) and fat which may be pure fat or fat
from whole egg or egg yolk powder (column 2, lines 32
to 58). Also ammonium carbonate or an alkali metal
bicarbonate and an alkali metal hydrogen tartrate,
preferably potassium hydrogen tartrate and sodium
bicarbonate can be added as puffing aids (column 1,
line 66 to column 2, line 9).
The process steps include:
(a) mi~ing the dry composition with water to
produce an extrudable dough containing water in an
--4--
:~3~
amount of 20 percent to 30 percent of the dough by
weight,
(b) extruding the dough to form simulated
rice grains, and
(c) drying the simulated rice grains at a
temperature up to 150~ C. to a moisture content
not exceeding 15 percent by weight of the
resulting rice product (column 2, line 64 to
column 3, line 5).
The extruding is accomplished using a conventional low
pressure pasta-type extruder t.hrough a die having
generally elliptical apertures and the dough is cut as
it is extruded by a rotating cutting knife (column 3,
line 6 to 14). The extruded rice grains are then dried
at a temperature preferably from 130 to 150 C. to a
final moisture content from 4 percent to 8 percent by
weight (column 3, lines 27 to 35).
No process is known in which alginate or
other binder material in conjunction with a setting or
gelling agent is combined with vegetable meal or flour
to impart to such meal or flour a cohesive quality in
the production of a powder kernel vegetable product,
but Willock U.S. patent 3,365,299, issued January 23,
1968 proposes the use of a seaweed gum or alginate
mucilage coating for rice grains in producing a rice
pudding.
Kamada et al. U.S. Patent 4,101,683, issued
July 18, 1978 discloses the use of alginate among other
polysaccharides ~column 3, lines 49 to 51) in
connection with puffed rice~ The process of this
patent gelatinizes the rice starch by the -first step of
pu-fing rice grains to a high degree as stated in
--5--
~3e~3~
column 5, lines 57 and 58. Such puffing and
gelatïnizing step is accomplished by heating the rice
grains in a closed container at an elevated temperature
under increased pressure and releasing the rice grains
into the atmosphere to all.ow them to puff, or heatiny
the ric~ grains by means of heated air or by high
frequency waves as described in column 3, lines 20 to
25.
The second step in the treatment is to add a
thickener to the puffed rice grains as described in
column 3, lines 40 to 68, which thickener may be
polysaccharide, including agar and alginate, or gums
including guar gum, or artificially produced thickeners,
or microorganically produced thickeners (column 3, lines
49 to 68). The thickener is applied to the puffed rice
by immersing the puffed rice in an aqueous solution
containing the thickener (column 4, lines 19 to 21) t or
by spraying or sprinkling the aqueous solution on the
puffed rice ~column 4, lines ~1 to 23).
The final third step is to dry the puffed rice
with which the thickener has been incorporated, either
under normal atmospheric pressure or under vacuum,
either in the presence or in the absence o~ heating, as
described at column 5, lines 20 to 24. In consequence
of the gradual vaporization of water, the puffed rice
diminish2s in volume eventually to approach the volume
of raw rice (column 5, lines 38 to ~0). The resulting
rice will be fast cookin~ (column 5, lines 42 and 43~ in
one to two minutes in hot water heated in advance to
about 80 C. (column 6, lines 6 to 8). The rice can
even be rehydrated at room temperature by being soaked
in water for about 30 minutes (column 6, lines 16 to 18).
--6--
While the use of a thickener as described in
Kamada et al. U.S. patent 4,101,683 does not utilize any
setting agent, the use of such an agent is disclosed in
Kamada et al. U.S patent 4,0~35,234, issued April 18,
1978. This patent discloses a rice product made by
puffing rice to a high degree by first treating the rice
grains ln a closed container kept at an elevated
temperature and releasing the rice grains into the
atmosphere for thereby allowing them to puEf to a degree
from 6 to 16 times, and preferably 10 to 12 times, as
large as the raw rice grains (coIumn 3, lines 17 to 36).
The puffed rice grains are then immersed in or sprayed
or sprinkled with an aqueous solution containing at
least one polysaccharide thickener which is gelled by
metallic ions. Examples of such polysaccharides are
alginic acid, its salt, carragleenin, pectin, etc.
(column 3, lines 43 to 53).
As in the Kamada et al. U.S. patent 4,101,683,
the puffing step of this patent, Kamada et al. U.S.
patent 4,085,23~, gelatinizes the rice starch as stated
at column 5, lines 46 and 47. The puffing may expand
the rice grains to a ~olume six times as large as
normal rice grains (column 6, line 22), or 11 times as
large as ordinary rice grains (column 6l line 44), or
15 times as large as ordinary rice grains tcolumn 6,
line 60). Also a thickener such as sodium alginate can
be incorporated in the puffed rice grains by immersing
the puffed rice grains in a thickener solution (column
6, lines 62 and 63), or by spraying the thickener onto
the rice grains ~column 6l lines 23 to 25).
~Eter the thickener has been incorporated in
the puffed rice grains the third step is to immerse the
treated puffed rice in an aqueous solution containing
metallic ions capable of inducing gelation o~ the
thickener, or to spray or sprinkle the aqueous solution
on the puffed rice~ as stated at column 4, lines 14 to
17. The expression "aqueous solution containing
metallic ions" includes aqueous solutions prepared by
addition of metallic salts, solutions prepared by an ion
exchange treatment, naturally occurring mineral waters
containing metallic ions and natural aqueous solutions
which originate in animals and plants (column 4, lines
25 to 33).
Examples of the metallic salts include calcium
salts, potassium salts, magnesium salts and other
similar metallic salts o~ carbonic acid, hydrochloric
acid, sulfuric acid, phosphori.c acid, acetic acid,
lactic acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid,
glycerophosphoric acid and other similar acids, as
stated at column 4, lines 37 to 43~ The metallic ions
are stated to be capable of acting upon the thickener to
be gelled and consequently inducing gelation ~column 4,
lines 44 to 46). A specific example is the combination
of sodium alginate and calcium lactate tcolumn 6, lines
24 and 27). Another example is a low methyl ester
pectin and calcium chloride ~column 6, lines 46 to 48~.
A further example uses the combination of sodium
alginate and calcium lactate (column 6, lines 62, 64 an
65). Another example proposes the combination of calcium
and potassium-sensitive carrageenin and calcium lactate
~column 7; lines 11 and 13).
After the rice has been treated with the
thickener and the metallic salt the puffed rice into
--8--
~3~i3~
which the thickener or the gelled thickener has been
incorporated is dried under normal atmospheric pressure
or under vacuum either in the absence or in the
presence of heating to produce a fast-cooking rice
(column 5, lines 8 to 25~. During the drying step the
puffed rice diminishes in volume to approach the volume
of raw rice~ while the incorporated gelled thickener is
retained throughout from the sur~ace to the inside
center of the individual grains (column 5, lines 27 to
30~.
It is a principal object of the pxesent
invention to produce cohesive powder kernels or bits
which may be formed from meal or flour of a single
variety, or be a composite of more than one variety, of
vegetables including grain seeds, pulse seeds and leafy
vegetables~ Such kernels may have normal cooking
characteristics or be quic]c-cooking~ The common
characteristic of such kernels is that they embody a
binder set b~ the action of a setting agent to impart a
~0 cohesive quality to the meal or flour of which the
kernels are made.
An important object is to use as source
material for synthesizing kernels powder which may be
produced from broken or malformed grain seeds. A
further object is to provide a uniEormly consistent
product composed of powder kernels which are coherent,
firm and have a natural taste or improved flavor and
may have improved nutritional content or balance.
It is also an object to produce powder
kernels of grain seed or pulse seed material havin~ a
natural or improved appearance, texture and nutritional
value.
_g
;3~
A specific object is to provide grain seed or
pulse seed powder kernels which will have as good or
better keeping qualities than corresponding natural
grain seed or pulse seed products.
An additional specific object is to augment
the rice flavor of a powder kernel product
incorporat~ng powder fLom fractured rice seeds.
Another object is to be able to incorporate
edible additives, including coloring t sauces, oil or
spices, in powder kernels, whether reconstituted or
synthesized~ which will permeate the kernels instead of
being carried only as a surface coating.
A further object is to provide valuable
nutxient, mineral andJor vitamin content in powder
kernels, both those naturally present in the
ingredients used to make the kernels and those supplied
by additives provided especially Eor such purpose,
while utilizing a process of ~laking the powder kernels
which will not leach out the natural nutrients,
minerals andtor vitamins and which will enable
additional nutrients, minerals and vitamins to be
added.
It is also an object to provide powder
kernels of grain seeds and/or pulse seeds which can be
cooked in the usual way, can be quick-cooking, or can
even be palatable and digestible without requiring any
final cooking step before being eaten.
A further object is to provide such a powder
kernel product which can be produced economically by a
process that re~uires a minimum of special equipment
and few steps and which steps can be performed with
- 1 0 -
~L3~
minimum energy utilization and little operational
expense~
An additional object is to enable a wide
variety of powder kernel products to be produced with
minimum change in the production methods, which
products can cater to various tastes and be readily
accepted by people oE different cultural backgrounds.
An important specific object is to provide a
reconstituted or synthesized powder kernel product
which incorporates an appropriate nutritional balance
to serve as a dietarily complete food that can be eaten
in reduced quantities to promote weight reduction.
Another specific object is to utilize powder
kernels as a vehicle for medicine, such as hydroxy keto
analogues, that by themselves are distasteful or even
unpalatable.
Some of the foregoing objects can be
accomplished by a process for producing a synthesized
cohesive powder bit food product which comprises: (a)
crushing or comminuting vegetable material into a
powder, (b) mixing the vegetable powder material with
liquid and thereby produci.ng formable dough, (c~
forming synthesiæed bits from the dough, (d) during the
process adding algin material binder to the vegetable
material, and (e) supplying to the vegetable material
setting agent material for setting the binder to
produce cohesive powder bits
An object can also be accomplished by the
process for producing a synthesized powder kernel
product which includes the steps oE fracturing rice
seeds in a manner having the e.Eect oE reducing the
- 1 1 -
i63(~
rice ~lavor of the product when cooked and adding
albumin to the product for enhancing the rice flavor
and by the food product comprising synthesized powder
bits, each bit of which food product includes a
substantial proportion of rice seed material and
albumin for enhancing the rice material flavor.
Additional objects can be accomplished by the
food product comprising synthesized powder bits, each
bit of which food product includes more than one type
of vegetable material selected from the group
consisting of cereal seed material, pulse seed
material, leafy ve~etable material, stalk vegetable
material and root vegetable material.
Nutritional objects can be accomplished by
a food product comprising synthesized powder bits, each
bit of which food product includes vegetable material
and acid material selected from the group consisting of
amino acids and analogues of amino acids and by a food
~roduct comprising synthesized powder bits, each bit of
which food product includes vegetable material and oil
or fat.
Physical characteristic objects can be
accomplished by a food product comprising synthesized
powder bits, each bit of which food product lncludes
vegetable material and set binder material selected
from the group consisting of algin material and chitin
material.
Altern~tively the meal or powder can be mi~ed
with an a~ueous liquid to form a plastic mass or dou~h
which can be molded or extruded and the resulting
kernels or bits stabilized by application to their
surfaces of a binder. The setting agent for the binder
-12-
i63~
may also be supplied as a coating or may have been
incorporated in the plastic mass or dough~
The drawing is a diagrammatic representation
of apparatus suitable for performing a process
according to the present invention to produce a product
according to the present invention.
In this description, the term powder kernel
or bit is used to designate kernels or bits synthesized
from powder including xeconstituted kernels simulating
whole natural cereal seeds such as of rice, wheat,
oats~ millet, corn, rye and barley, or pulse seeds such
as of peanuts, paas and beans including kidney beans,
lima beans, lentils and soy beans, synthesized bits
produced from legumes or leafy plants such as of vetch,
alEalfa, clover, spinach and pea pods, or stalk
vegetables such as corn, tomat:oes and green peppers, or
root vegeta~les such as carro1s, turnips, beets, onions
and potatoes, and special combination synthesized
kernels, which may or may not simulate whole natural
seeds, or bits composed of a blend or mixture of
powders from different vegetables, other foods,
flavorings and other edible materials. Such other foods
include cheese, pasta, milk, sugar, oil or fat, such as
lard, butter, coconut fat or olice oil, honey and
nuts, for example, filberts, wal.nuts, pecans, cashews,
coconut and Brazil nuts. Flavorings include curry,
chili powder, soya sauce or other soya derivatives,
salt, vanilla~ ginger~ pepper, thyme, saffron, sage,
cinnamon, cloves, garlic, onion and origanu~ It is
preferred that the kernels or bits be synthesized from
powder having particles small enough to pass through a
No. 20 U.S. standard mesh screen but which would be
;3~
retained on a No. 200 U.S. standard mesh screen,
preferably being predominantly about 100 mesh.
In this description "reconstitutecl" is used
to designate kernels composed essentially, if not
entirely, of powder from one specific type of grain
seed or pulse seed of a shape very similar to, if not
identical to, the shape of the corresponding whole
natural seeds, whereas the term "synthesized" is used
as generic to reconstituted kernels and also to bits of
other food or special combinations resulting from a
mixture of powders of different seeds and/or other
vegetable and/or food components and may or may not be
of a shape similar to the shape of some natural seed.
The term "bits" is used generically to cover kernels,
cubic or cylindrical pellets, flakes and morsels
synthesized from powder.
Moreover, "synthesized" is applied to powder
bits having a substantial amount of spices, flavoring,
medicaments or pharmacological food mixed in with one
or more varieties of vegetable componants. The
proportions of components in such special combination
s~nthesized bits may be such as to provide in a single
powder food product proper proportions of vegetable
ingredients to sustain life such as may be used for a
complete obesity control diet.
The process of producing powder bits includes
crushing, including grinding, or comminuting selected
cereal seeds, legume or pulse seeds, or other vegetable
material to a powder such as meal or flour, making a
liquid binder such as a batter or a paste, mi~ing such
liquid binder with the vegetable powder to form a
-14-
3~
doughy material o:~ consistency suitable for extruding~
extruding such doughy material through dies to form
strings, severing such strings into kernels or other
bits, treating such kernels or other bits with a
binder-setting agent such as a calcium salt adequate to
set the binder incorporated in the kernels or other
bits and drying the bits. The powder bits thus
produced can be reconstituted kernels of the type
having a shape resembling the shape of the seeds of a
particular grain or pulse ~rom which the vegetable
powder for making the kernels came, such as kernels
shaped like rice grains made from rice powder, or
kernels shaped like beans made from bean powder, for
example.
Instead of being extruded, the kernels or
bits can be synthesized in the form of rice kernels
or other shapes by being forme.d i.n a die. The bits can
be sprayed with a liquid binder incorpora~ing low
viscosity algin and fat while they are moving across a
vibrating table or moved as a fluid bedO Subsequently
during such movement the bits can be sprayed with a
solution of binder-setting agent and air dried.
The liquid binder mixed with the powder from
which the bits are made provides a cohesive powder mixture
forming bits that will retain their shape well despite
wide variations in moistuxe. content and temperature.
~ he binding material for th~ cohesive powder
preferably is an algin such as sodium alginate~ The
algin can be of any viscosity including the low
viscosity type from 1/1Oth to 1 poise and the high
viscosity type rom 8 to 20 poises. If the algin is of
the low viscosity typel the fluid binder may be
-15-
~3~ 3~
principally water, containing 0.1 percent to 20 percentby weight of algin, preferably 5 p~rcent to 11 percent.
If high viscosity algin is used in the binder, the
water may contain from 0.01 percent to 12 percent of
algin by weight, preferably 0.5 percent to 6 percent~
Salt should be used sparingly because any
appreciable amount of salt will detract from the
cohesion promotion of algin binder.
Alternatively, the binder material may be chitin
material such as chitosan, chitosamine, chitose or other
chitin derivative from fungi and/or crustacean shells.
Whatever type or types of binding material are
utilized in the fluid binder the total amount of binding
material should be within the range of 0.01 to 20
percent of the water by weight~
In producing synthesized bits, whether
reconstituted kernels of a single type of grain or
pulse or other bits of a special composite type, the
fluid binder can be mixed with the powdered material of
the seed, whether grain, pulse, or other food, to make
a cohesive powder dough of soft consistency suikable
for extruding in proportions of 2 to 4 times as much
bit-forming powder as ~luid binder by volume,
preferably about 3 times as much.
For making rice kernels, rice powder and
fluid binder may be extruded by a press type of
extruder such as that disclosed, for example, in
Gorozpe U.S. patent 2,914~005 Figures 3 and 8,
described at column 6, lines 39 to 71, or in Gorozpe
U.S. patent 3,071,471, described at column 10, line 73
to column 11, line 14/ or in Marrow et al. U.S. patent
4,325,976, described at column 3, lines 6 to 26.
-16-
~L3~
In carrying out one process according to thepresent invention, the extruded synthesized kernels
~all from the extruder into a body of water containing
binder~setting or binder-gelling material which
preferably is a water-soluble calcium salt, such as
calcium chloride CaC12 or calcium lactate (CH3CHOHC00)2
Ca.5H20~ preferably a combination of these two
chemicals, but other water-soluble calcium salts could
be used instead, such as calcium acetate
Ca(CH3C00)2~H20~ calcium acetylsalicylate C1gH14CaOg,
calci.um aluminosilicate CaA12S20g, calcium ascorbate
C12H14Ca12~ calcium bisulfite Ca(HS03)2, calcium
carbamate C2H4CaN20~ calcium citrate
Ca3(C6HsO7)2.4H20, calcium formate C2H2CaO4 or
Ca(HC02)2, calcium glycerophosphate C3H7CaO6P, calcium
phosphat~ monohydrate CaH4(P04)2.H20, also known as
monobasic calcium phosphate, primary calcium phosphate
CaH4(P04)2, secondary calcium phosphate dihydrate
CaHP04.2H20, also known as dibasic calcium phosphate,
secondary calcium phosphate CaHP04, tertiary calcium
phosphate Ca3(P04)2, also known as tribasic calcium
phosphate~ calcium gluconate [HOCH2(CHOH)4C00]2 Ca.H20,
calcium ~ulfate dihydrate CaS04.2H20 and calcium
tartrate C4~46 Ca 4H2
Also calcium carbonate CaC03, calcium oxalate
CaC204~H20, or calcium sulfate CaS04 can be used
notwithstanding their low solubility if they axe
converted to a soluble salt such as calcium acetate,
calcium adipate, or calcium citrate by reaction with
acetic acid, CH3COOH, adipic acid HOOC(CH2)4COOH, and/or
citric acid HOOCCH2C~OH)COOHCH2COOH, respectively.
The preferred setting agent is composed of
-17-
calcium lactate~ 62.5 percent, and calcium chloride,
37.5 percent, by weight.
The amount of calcium salt may be within the
range of 0.01 to ~0 percent of the water by volume,
preferably about 12 percent. Such material sets or
gels the binder so as to form a cohesive powder for
producing firm, coherent, stabilized bits.
If it should be desired to retard or prolong
the effect of the setting or gelling agent, sodium
carbonate Na2CO3, sodium citrate Na3C6H5O7, disodium
phosphate Na2HPO4, trisodium phosphate Na3PO~, sodium
hexametaphosphate (NaPO3)6, tetrasodium pyrophosphate
Na4P2O7, sodium polyphosphate Nan~2PnO3n~1~ or sodium
tripolyphosphate NasP3O10 in an amount of 0.01 percent
to 20 percent by weight can be included in the fluid
binder.
Another procedure for deferring or extending
the setting or gelling action of calcium is to utilize
calcium carbonate or calcium sulfate as the source of
calcium and restrict th~ access of acid such as acetic
acidr adipic acid, citric acid/ fumaric acid, gluconic
acid, glutaric acid, lactic acid, malic acid~ succinic
acid or tartaric acid or d gluconolactone C6H10o6 to
react with the substantially insoluble calcium salt for
producing soluble calcium salt slowly~
If chitin material is used for the fluid
binder sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid or calcium ions
or magnesium ions will set or gel the binder.
It is desirable for the synthesized bits to
be quick-cooking such that they will cook in
approximately 5 minutes~ One procedure for producing
quick-cooking kernels is to deposit the kernels
-18-
discharged from the extruder into water at or nearboiling temperature and cooking the kernels or a
period of 3 to 20 minutes. Such hot water can contain
the binder setting agent. The ~ernels are then removed
from the hot water, drained and conditioned for storage
by drying, canning or freezing the kernels.
The kernels removed from the hot water can be
rinsed in cold water and then dried in a hot air dryer
such as a food dehydrator or the kernels can be dried
by being tumbled in a current of unheated air to reduce
the moisture content of the synthesized kernels to a
value of 10 percent to 13 percent by weight~ To obtain
such moisture reduction, hot air drying is required for
a period of about 2 1/2 hours at a temperature of about
140 F. ~60 C.) if the kerne]s are adequately exposed
to the hot air by being in a t:hin layer or agitated.
For quick-cooking in approximately 5 minutes rice, for
example, may be mixed with equal parts of water by
volume and the water heated to bring it to a boil aftar
which the heat source is removed. The water will be
absoxbed in appxoximately 5 minutes to leave a very
palatable, moist-dry rice.
Alternatively, the synthesized bits can be
dried by subjecting them to an unheated current of air
such as by blowing air upward through the apertures of
a reticulated surface beneath the mass of bits for a
period of 4 to 6 hours.
Instead of simply being dried by hot air or
by unheated air~ the synthesi2ed bits can be
heat-treated by subjecting them to superheated steam at
a temperature of 215 F. to 300 F. ~102 C. to 149
C.) preferably about 260 F. (127 C.) to expedite
--1 9--
~!l3~1~3~
drying of the bits while at the same time partially
cooking them so as to reduce their final cooking time.
Such exposure to steam can be for a period of about a
minute. Such steaming partially cooks the vegetable
material so that it will be quick-cooking, such as in 3
to 5 minutes in nearly boiling water. The steaming
adds only about 1 to 5 percent to the moisture content
of the bits.
Instead of simply drying the synthesized
bits, they can be conditioned for storage by being
canned or frozen in either partially cooked or
completely cooked condition.
Flavoring, nutrients, fortifying substances
and/or color can be added to the vegetable meal or
flour and binder liquid mix dough before being extruded
and such add1tlons will permeate the dough thoroughly
and uniformly. Such uniform permeation will persist in
the synthesized bits instead of bein~ applied to the
powder bits as a coating. For example, 20 percent to
~0 35 percent of the dough mix by volume could be cheese,
or 1 to 5 percent, preferably 2 percent, of the dough
by volume could be oil or fat. Other t~pes of
additives can be included in proportions from 5 percent
to 30 percent of the dough by volume, depending on the
ingredients used and the color or flavor desired
Flavors could be added in an amount from 0.01 percent
to 20 percent. Other food products which could be
added in an amount up to 50 percent by volume include
coconut, albumin such as egy, milk and sugar. Also 3
percent to 10 percent of monosodium glutamate by
volume, preferably 6 percent, can be included to
enhance the flavor.
-20-
~$~i3~C~
If the powdex kernel product being produced
is rice or predominantly rice, it is desirable for at
least some albumin to be used because albumin rastores
a strong natural flavor to the rice. The albumin may
be in the form of Eresh or dried whole egg albumin.
The amount of albumin used should be equal to 1 percent
to 20 p~rcent, preferably 12 1/2 percent of the amount
of water in the fluid binder by weight, which albumin
can be supplied at any stage during the kernel-forming
process~
Vitamins, minerals, proteins, and/or amino
acids could be added to various grain seeds andtor
pulse seeds and/or other vegetable material ln
producing the synthesized powcier bits, especially for
deprived people. The powder bits are substantially
homogeneous and can constitute a complete food complex
incorporating properly balanced proportions of
carbohydrate provided by the grain or pulses, protein,
fat and/or oil. The major source of nutrition and
energy for people is carbohydrates, proteins and fats
or oils. Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopadia~ Sixth
Edition, states in the definition of PROTEIN at the
middle of column 1, on page 2335r that on a weight
basis proteins are second only to water in their
presence in the human body. About 50 percent of the
body's dry weight is made up oE numerous proteins
distributed 33 percent in muscles, 20 percent in bones
and cartilage, 10 percent in skin and 37 percent in
numerous other body tissues. The importance of protein
in food for humans is therefore evident. Proteins are
synthesi~ed by the body and are constructed ~rom a wide
variety of amino acids.
-21-
3~
The desirability of supplementing the
carbohydrate content of rice with amino acids for
producing proteins has been recognized. Under the
definition of AMINO ACIDS, Van Nostrand's Scientific
Encyclopedla ~Sixth Edition, states at the middle of
column 1, on page 118:
"Before cooking, rice must be washed
(polished) with water. In some countries, the
cooking water is allowed to boil over or is
discarded. This significant loss of fortified
amino acids must be considered. L-Lysine
hydrochloride (0.2~) and L-threonine (0.1%)
are shaped like rice grain with other
nutrients and enveloped in a film. The added
materials must hold the initial shape and not
dissolve out during boiling, but be easily
freed of their coating in the
digestive organs."
Human and animal diets have been enriched with free
amino acids such as lysine, methionine, threonine and
tryptophan.
Van Nostrand's_Sc _ ntific Encyclo~edia,_Sixth
Edition, in defining AMINO ACIDS at page 117, middle of
column 2, states (emphasis in original):
"The scores of proteins which make up about
one-half of the dry weight of the human body
and that are so vital to life functions are
made up oE a number of amino acids in various
combinations and configurations. . . ~
Although the proteins resulting from amino
acid assembly are ultimately among the most
important chemicals in the animal body ~as
well as plants), the so-called infrastructure
of the proteins is dependent upon the amino
acid building blocksO Although there are many
hundreds of amino acids, only about 20 of
these are considered very important to living
processes, of which six to ten are classified
as essential. Another three or four may be
classified as quasi-essential, and ten to
twelve may be categorized as nonessential~
Generally, those amino acids which the human
body cannot synthesi~e at all or at a rate
commensurate with its needs are called
essential amino acids (EAA). In other words,
for the growth and maintenance of a normal
healthy body, it is essential that these amino
acids be ingested as part of the diet and in
the necessary quantities."
~3a~
In some instances discretion must be used in
selecting materials to be used by the body for
producing proteins for incorporation in the synthesi7.ed
bits of the present invention. Proteins are peptides
made up o~ two or more amino acids covalently bound in
an amide linkageO Thus a peptide i5 a chain of amino
acid residuesv All amino acids contain nitrogen, and
sometimes the body has an oversupply of nitrogen. In
such cases, instead of using amino acids as such, amino
acid analoguas from which nitrogen has been completely
or principally removed can be utilized. Suitable keto-
and hydroxy-analogues which are free of nitrogen
corresponding to essential and beneficial amino acids
can be used in place of the corresponding amino acids
themselves. In such instances the analogue will
combine with the excess nitrogerl of the body to serve
the dual ~unction of enabling the body to produce
proteins and of removing some of the nitrogen from
undesirable forms in the body, Such amino acids and
their corresponding keto-analogues and
hydroxy-analogues are listed below.
ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS AND ANALOGUES
Hydroxy-
Amino Acid ~5~ analo~ue
L-leucine a-ketoisocaproic
acid
L-valine a-ketoisovaleric
acid
L isoleucine (R,S)-a-keto-b-
methylvaleric acid
L-lysine
L-phanylalanine phenylpyruvic acid L-phenyllactic
acid
L-threonine
-23-
~IL3~
L-methionine a-keto-g-methiol- (D,L)-a-hydroxy-
butyric acid g-methiol-
butyric acid
L-tryptophan indolepyruvic acid indolelactic acid
BENEFICIAL AMINO ACIDS AND ANALOGUES
Hydroxy-
Amino Acid Keto-analo~ue analoque
L-histidineimidazolepyruvic imidazolelactic
acid acid
10 L-tyrosineP-hydroxyphenyl- L-p-hydroxyphenyl-
pyruvic acid lactic acid
L-cystineBB'-dithiopyruvic l.-BB'-dithiodi-
acid lactic acid
L-cysteineB-mercaptopyruvic L-B-mercaptolactic
acid acid
L-arginine
L-ornithine
Any of these amino acid and analogue structures in any
combination and in appropriate quantities can be mixed
into the powder material from which the bits are
synthesized in accordance with the present invention.
For people with excessive nitrogen or ammonia
in the body, such as those suEfering :Erom hyperammonemia
and portal systemic encephalopathy, the amino acids
ornithine and arginine may be incorporated in the bits.
By incorporating a proper type and proportion
of amino acids or their analogues in the powder
material from which the powder bits of the present
invention are synthesized, a properly balanced diet is
assured simply from corlsumption of the bits of the
present invention. To make a complete Eood complex, an
appropriate amount of oil andlor fat can also be
incorporated in the material used :Eor preparation of
-the bits.
-24-
~3~3~1
Rice is an excellent source of carbohydrate,
particularly for reducing diet or diabetic diet
purposes, or for patients with hypoglycemia or
hyperglycemia, because digestion of the rice requires
considerable time so that the carbohydrate is converted
into sugar usable by the body over a period of several
hours instead of being available to the bloodstream
quickly, such as in a period of less than an hour~ as
is the case with sugar or compounds readily converted
into sugar by the body~ By associating amino acid or
amino acid analogue and, if desired, oil and~or fat
intimately with carbohydrate, all of the components
become available for body building over an extended
period of time instead of quickly. Such result can be
achieved by incorporating the amino acid or analogue
with powdered rice and r if desi.red, with an appropriate
amount of oil or fat in the dough from which the
synthesized rice grains are extruded.
A representative extrudible dough could
contain the following ingredients by weight in addition
to the binder and flavoring, if any:
carbohydr~te 25% to 99%
protein 1% to 75~
oil or fat up to 50%
A preferred formula would have the following proportions
of ingredients by weight:
carbohydrate 75%
protein 20%
fat 5%
Total 100%
Because each powder bit provides a complete
-25-
~3~S~
balanced food in itself, a diet supplying any desired
number of calories can be specified by simply
prescribing the proper quantity of the synthesized
rice.
For an adult of average size, Van Nostrand's
Scientific Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, states on page
2339, at column 1, under the definition of PROTEIN that
the daily requirement is 70-80 grams of protein.
Actually, the bodily requirement depends on the size of
the person, and it is perhaps more accurate to state
that the daily bodily requirement for protein is ~7-.8
grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
Thus, for example, if a low fat diet
containing 2,400 calories per day were desired, the
amount of synthesized rice to be eaten during the day
could be 590 grams, containing 560 grams of
carbohyd~ate, 25 grams of protein and 5 grams of at. A
higher fat diet providing 2,400 calories could be 520
grams of synthesi2ed rice, con-taining 400 grams of
carbohydrate, 70 grams of protein and 50 grams of fat.
Amino acids and their analogues have very
unpleasant tastes andl consequently, it may be
desirable to add pleasant flavoring materials to the
powder kernels such as curry, coconut or chili powder,
as suggested above, where amino acids or their
analogues are incorporated in the kernels. The powder
kernel grain or pulse product would~ however, be
available in a form which was familiar and to which
deprived people are accustomed. Moreover such powder
kernal product would be particularly beneficial because
it can be prepared for consumption quickly and with
minimum energy requirements~
-26~
,3~
First Example
~ representative first example of a process
for making a reconstitut.ed rice grain product is the
following formulation:
Liquid B.inder
6 teaspoons (0.6 oz.) of low viscosity sodium
alginate mixed with 2 cups (16 oz.) of water (3~75
percent of sodium alginate by volume)O The algin
and water mixture was homogenized in a high-speed
blender to produce a stable suspension or colloid~
Formable Dou~h
2 tablespoons (0 r 5 oz~) of the fluid binder
was mixed with 5 tablespoons (1.25 oz.) of rice
flour to produce a soft doughy material which was
extruded in a pressure extruding press and the
extruded material cut into reconstituted kernels.
Settinq A~ent
The kernels dropped from the extruder into a
body o-f boiling water containing 1/4 teaspoon
~0 (0.025 oz.~ o~ calcium chloride or calcium lactate
to 10 cups of watex (80 oz.) for setting or gelling
the algin. The kernels were boiled for five
minutes, then removed from the water and drained,
The drained kernels were dried in a heated air
dryer at 140 F~ (60 C.3 for 2 1/2 hours to a
normal moisture content of 12 percent to 16
percent by weight. The drying could have been
accomplished more quickly by microwave or
dielectric heat.ing or more slowly by blowing
unheated air through or over the mass of kernels~
Second Example
~3(~
A second representative example of a process
for making a reconstituted rice grain product is the
following formulation:
Liquid Bl er
62.4 grams of low viscosity sodium alginate
dry powder Kelco Gel LV was mixed with 778 grams of
water. The algin and water mixture was homogenized
in a high speed blender to produce a stable
suspension or colloid. This suspension or colloid
was mixed intermittently for 20 minutes at the end
of which time the mixing was continued continuously
while 97.25 grams of albumin were mixed with the
algin mixture followed by adding 62.4 grams of
lard. Mixing was continued until the mixture was
homogeneous.
Formable Dou~h
3000 grams of rice flour milled from broken
grain rice, either glutinous rice or long grain
rice, was mixed while 1000 grams of the fluid
binder was added slowly and the mixing continued
until the resulting dough was homogeneous. The
dough was -then extruded by an extruding press and
the extruded material was cut into reconstituted
rice kernelsn
These kernels were then dried by a current of
unheated air until the moisture content was reduced
to the range of 12 percent to 16 percent by weight.
The dried kernels were mixed with a previously
prepared solution containing 1 'I 6 grams of water, 10
grams o~ calcium lactate and 6 grams of calcium
-28-
chloride for each 1,000 grams of dried rice
kernels. The setting agent solution and
reconstituted kernels were mixed until all the
kernels were uniformly covered after which the
kernels were again dried in a current of unheated
air until the moisture content returned to the
range of 12 percent to 16 percent.
Utilizing this second representative process/
the amount of algin in the food binder was reduced from
62~4 grams to 41~7 grams~ the amount of calcium lactate
in the setting material was reduced from lO grams to 5
grams and the amount of calcium chloride was reduced
from 6 grams to 3 grams per 1l~000 grams of
reconstituted rice kernels. A satisfactory rice
product was obtained but it was not as quick cooking.
In a further representa-tive process r the
reconstituted rice lcernels resulting from the extruding
step were placed on a screen and while being agitated
were subjected to a current of superheated steam at a
temperature of approximately 260 F. (127~ C.)
discharged upward through the apertures of the screen
for approximately 1 minute. Following this step, the
reconstituted rice kernels were sprayed with a premixed
solution of setting agent containing 72.5 grams of
water, 6.25 grams of calcium lactate and 3.75 grams of
calcium chloride per 1,000 grams of rice. After being
sprayed with such setting agent, the rice was again
dried by an unheated air current to a moisture content
within the range of 12 percent to 16 percen-t.
In an alternative process high viscosity algin
was used to produce the fl~1id binder in the proportions
of 1 teaspoon (0~1 oz.) to 3 cups (24 oz.~ of water (0.4
-2g-
~L~0~ 3~
percent of algin by volume~. Again, the algin and water
were homogenized in a high-speed blender to produce a
stable suspension or colloidal aqueous binder. The
fluid binder was mixed with rice meal or flour as
described above to produce the soft dough to be
extruded~ The remainder of the process followed the
procedure of the specific example described above.
One hundred grams of dry powdered rice will
increase in weight to approximately 269 grams of
reconstituted grain rice when it is removed from the
binder setting or gelling liquid and drained before
being clried. After the water has been removed from the
reconstituted rice kernels by dr~ing, the remaining
rice will weigh approximately 82 to 98 grams depending
on the residual moisture content. If the powder is
precooked it will tend to swell considerably more~
The type of procedure described above for
making reconstituted powder kernels of rice can also be
utilized to make reconstituted powder kernels of wheat,
bulgur, wild rice, barley, maize, oats, rye, sor~hum,
millet, corn, buckwheat, kidney beans, navy beans, red
beans, lima beans, soy beans and peas~ Various types
of synthesized powder bits can incorporate special
combinations of different types of grain seed and/or
pulse seed and/or other vegetables as well as protein,
amino acid or analogue of amino acid, flavoring and
other food additives as discussed above. Such
combinations can provide new and diferent breakfast
cereals that can be served either hot or cold and can
include additives to make them highly nutritious.
Examples of other unique food products followO
Blended Rice Grains
-30-
Different types of rice flour can be mixed
such as blending wild rice flour and white rice flour
in approximately equal proportions by weight. For such
a product the amount of algin utilized in the secon~
specific example i5 increased from 62.4 grams to 77.8
grams so that it constitutes 10 percent by weight of
the amcunt of water used. The resultant synthesized
special combination powder kernel has a mild, wild rice
Elavor.
Whehani or Basmati Rice
For this product, ground Whehani rice flour
or Basmati rice flour is substituted for white rice
flour in the second specific example above and the
amount of algin in the fluid binder again is increased
from 62.4 grams to 77.8 grams so that it constitutes 10
percent of the weight of water~ The process utili~ed
is otherwise the same.
Mairocena
Following any one of the synthesized powder
kernel producing procedures described in the foregoing
examples, one-half of the rice flour was replaced by an
equal weight of corn meal, the proportion of
ingredients being as follows by weight:
rice 46.875% (dry basis)
corn meal 46.875%
sodium alginate 2%
egg white albumin 2.65%
calcium lactate 1%
calcium chloride 0.6%
Total 100.00%
The final product contains approximately 84 percent
carbohydrate, 7 percent fat and 8 percent protein~ The
3~3
product contains about 1 n 8 percent of polyunsaturated
fatty acids, high levels of both calcium and sodium and
furnishes adequate amounts oE selenium, thiamin and
niacinO It may be desirable to fortify the Mairocena
with small amounts of phosphorous, potassium,
magnesium, iron, riboflavin, pyridoxine (B6),
pantothenic acid, zinc, copper and vitamins A, B12, C,
D and E. 322 grams of such product per day would
provide sufficient energy fox a child in the 1 to 3
year age group, and 421 grar,1s of the product per day
would provide sufficient energy for a child in the 3 to
6 year age group.
Instead of utilizing equal quantities of rice
seed flour and corn meal by weight as specified in the
Mairocena formula, it may be preferable to utilize from
two to three times as much rice seed flour as corn meal
in order to increase the prot~ein content of the
product.
Red Beans and Rice
Approximately one-half by weiyht of the rice
grain flour is replaced by powdered red beans. The
remainder of the process described in the second
example above can be followed.
Rice and Bean Combination
An economical, highly nutritious grain cereal
for deprived people is composed of special combination
synthesized powder kernels utilizing powders produced
from broken brown rice seeds, broken white rice seeds,
and pulse seeds such as beans. Such powdered materials
from which the kernels are synthesized may he mixed in
approximately equal parts by weight or volume. The
powdered mixture can be fortified with soybean powder
3~
which would provide vegetable protein with the
carbohydrate of the powdered rice seeds or pulse seeds.
The amount of soybean powder could be from ~ percent to
300 percent of the weight of the rice or pulse powder,
preferably 25 percent~ Also, oil and/or fat could be
incorporated in the synthesized powder kernels in the
proportion of up to 200 percent by weight of the rice
or pulse material, preferably 7 percent. The dough can
be flavored to taste with a small amount of common
salt.
For variety wheat flour can be substituted
for some or all of the brown rice powder in the last
example.
Rice Puddin~
Ingredients:
rice seed flour1,900 grams
oat flour 400 grams
corn meal 400 grams
comminuted bananas250 grams
comminuted raisins100 grams
comminuted coconut200 grams
lard 62.25 grams
cinnamon powder 31 grams
clove powder 10 grams
granulated or powder sugar 59 grams
water 750 grams
vanilla 28 grams
Powder kernels can be made by using the procedure
described in the foregoing first example, utiliæing the
binder and setting agent as described, or an
equivalent.
Spinach
9 3~ 3~3
Comminuted spinach can be used alone to make
synthesized bits simply by replacing the amount of
powder vegetable in any of the foregoing specific
examples with comminuted spinach leaves~
Poultry Stuffin~ Mlx
A poultry stuffing mix can have powder
bits synthesized from a special blend of different
types of powder obtained from broken or whole pearl
grain rice, broken wild rice, broken brown rice and
corn meal mixed with algin fluid binder for cohesion
utilizing any of the specific examples of processes
described above.
Read~-To-Eat Snack Bars
Snack ready-to-eat bars for use as rations for
campers~ hikers, soldiers and emergency rations can be
made by combining powders selected from wheat flour,
rice powder and bean powder in generally equal propor-
tions by weight or volume, combined with suitable
additives to flavor and fortify the product including
fruit and nut powders.
The synthesized bits can be cooked for 5
minutes in the hot water into which the bits are
deposited subsequent to their formation and in a
further step can be cooked for an additional 5 minutes
such as in a steam environment. The synthesized
kernels can be bound together into bars with a small
amount of caramel or chocolate for flavorin~ a
The drawing shows apparatus capable of
performing any of the processes described above to
produce products such as described above. Such
apparatus includes a mixer 1 which may, Eor example, be
-34-
~3~5~
of the helical screw type, to which mixer can be
supplied powdered grain seed, such as rice flour, from a
storage hopper 2 and binder, such as an aqueous algin
batter, from a storage hopper 3. Such algin batter is
produced by mixing algin such as sodium a:Lginate with
water in a container 4. The mixing can be accomplished
by a motor-driven impeller 5. The algin ~atter is
pumped from the mixing container 4 to the storage
hopper 3 by a suitable pump 6 which can be a diaphram
pump or an impeller pump.
In perorming some of the processes described
above to produce some of the synthesized composite
products, one or more types of vegetable powder in
addition to the principal grain flour supplied from the
storage hopper 2 can be suppl.ied to the mixer 1. Such
additional vegetable powder could, for example, be
pul.se powder, such as bean powder, or other vegetable
powder, such as corn meal~ Such an additional vegetable
powder ingredient can be supplied to the mixer 1 from
the storage hopper 7.
The mi~er 1 may contain a halical screw
rotated by the motor 8 to serve the dual purpose of
mixing the ingredients in the mixer and conveying the
resulting mixture to one end of the mixer for
discharge through a discharge spout 9 into the inlet
conduit 10 of a further helical screw mixer 11~ tha
screw of which is driven by a motor 12. This mixer
serves the dual purpose of further mixing the
ingredients supplied to the mixer 1 and of feeding the
mixture to an extruder 13 at the end of the mixer
opposite the motor 12. Such extruder is rotated by a
motor 14 and effects both shaping of kernels or bits
-35-
3`~
and cutting them to length so as to resemble a natural
kernel of some particular grain or pulse or a bit of
predetermined shape. The extruder 13 may be a Risso
die extruder.
The kernels or bits extruded from the
extruder 13 fall on the tray 15 of a harmonic conveyor
16 such as disclosed in U.S. Cox patent 3,~17,370,
issued June 18, 1974. The kernels or bits on this
conveyor can be sprayed with setting agent for setting
the binder. Such setting agent is stored in a storage
tank 17 from which the setting agent can be dispensed
through a conduit 18 and a spray nozzle 19 that will
spray the setting liquid solution or suspension onto
the kernels or other bits received on the tray 15.
Oscillation of the tray 15 effects movement
of the kernels or other bits to the right, as indicated
in the drawing, until the material on the tray 15
spills off its right end onto the tray 20 of the next
harmonic conveyor section 21. Additional setting agent
supplied through a conduit 22 from the setting agent
storage tank 17 may be sprayed onto the kernels or
other bits on the tray 20 by the nozzle 23O
Oscillation of the tray 20 will convey the material on
it to the right as seen in the drawing until it spills
off the right end of such tray into the receiving
hopper 24 of the helical screw conveyor 25 driven by
motor 26. As the kernel or other bit material is
co.nveyed along the conveyor 25, it can be subjected to
jets of superheated steam supplied by pipe 27 and
discharged into the conveyor by nozzles 28r as
discussed above. The amount of steam thus supplied can
be controlled by adjusting valve 29. The time during
-36-
~IL3~
which the bits in conveyor 25 are subjected to the
steam is determined by the speed of the motor 26 and
the pitch of the conveyor helix.
The steam-treated bits are discharged from
the discharge end of conveyor 25 onto a reticulated
belt conveyor 30. As the material is being transported
by that belt, it can be subjected to a stream of air
supplied through the duct 31 to the plenum chamber 32
beneath the belt, which air may be heated or unheated
depending upon the speed and length of the belt 30 and
the amount of drying action which it is desired to
accomplish by the air.
From the conveyor 30 the bits are deposited
into a hopper 33 located above pacXaging containers 34 on
a belt 35~ A measuring valve 36 can dispense from the
hopper 33 a quantity of material just su~ficient to
fill a container or carton 34 as it passes beneath or
pauses beneath the hopper 33. Conventional automatic
equipment can be provided for closing and sealing the
cartons 34 after they have been filled with the bit
product of the present invention.
-~7-
