Claims
- 1. A method for deodorizing an edible oil selected from the group consisting of edible vegetable oils and edible animal fats and mixtures thereof comprising the steps of deoxygenating the oil to provide a deoxygenated oil, heating the deoxygenated oil to a temperature in the range of from about 325.degree. F. to about 550.degree. F., continuously conducting the heated deoxygenated oil through a nitrogen, contacting zone having a solid surface to volume ratio of at least about 30 square feet of surface area per cubic foot of nitrogen contacting zone volume and continuously introducing substantially oxygen-free nitrogen having less than one part by weight per million of oxygen in a countercurrent manner through the heated oil in the nitrogen contacting zone at about atmospheric pressure conditions for a time period of at least about 5 minutes at an oil to gas weight to weight ratio in the range of from about 1.2 to about 4.5, and cooling the oil which has been conducted through the nitrogen contacting zone under oxygen excluding conditions to provide a deodorized vegetable oil.
- 2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said nitrogen contacting zone is a column which has a length to diameter ratio of at least about 3, wherein said solid surface to volume ratio is at least about 500 square feet per cubic foot, and wherein said oil and nitrogen are introduced into the nitrogen contacting zone.
- 3. A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein said nitrogen contacting zone is a column which has a length to diameter ratio of said nitrogen contacting zone of at least about 20, wherein the nitrogen contacting zone contains a coiled metallic screen packing to increase the surface to volume ratio of the nitrogen contacting zone to a volume ratio of about 585 square feet per cubic foot and wherein the nitrogen pressure is periodically increased and decreased over a differential pressure in the range of from about 1 to about 100 psig.
- 4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said edible oil is provided by deoxygenating an unsaturated edible vegetable oil, blending the oil with a hydrogenation catalyst, heating the oil to a temperature in the range of from about 100.degree. F. to about 375.degree. F., and contacting the oil and catalyst blend with hydrogen at a partial pressure of hydrogen of about one atmosphere or less to subject the oil to hydrogen reduction conditions without substantially reducing the unsaturated fatty triglyceride content of the oil such that the percentage reduction of the unsaturated bonds of the triglyceride components of the oil as a result of such hydrogen reduction conditions is 1.3 or less, and such that the oil does not substantially increase in trans acid content.
- 5. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein said edible oil is soybean oil, and wherein said hydrogen reduction is carried out at substantially atmospheric pressure of hydrogen, and wherein the percentage reduction of the unsaturated bonds of the triglyceride components of the oil as a result of such hydrogen reduction conditions is in the range of from 0.3 to 1.3, and such that the oil does not substantially increase in trans acid content.
- 6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said deoxygenated oil is provided by deoxygenating the oil, blending the oil with a hydrogenation catalyst, heating the oil to a temperature in the range of from about 100.degree. F. to about 375.degree. F., and contacting the oil and catalyst blend with hydrogen at substantially atmospheric pressure to subject the oil to hydrogen reduction conditions without substantially reducing the unsaturated fatty triglyceride content of the oil, and removing the catalyst.
- 7. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said deoxygenated oil is provided by deoxygenating the oil, blending the oil with a hydrogenation catalyst, heating the oil to a temperature in the range of from about 100.degree. F. to about 375.degree. F., contacting the oil and catalyst blend with hydrogen to subject the oil to hydrogen reduction conditions at a partial pressure of hydrogen of about one atmosphere or less without substantially reducing the unsaturated fatty triglyceride content of the oil, such that the percentage reduction of the unsaturated bonds of the triglyceride components of the oil as a result of such hydrogen reduction condition is 1.3 or less and such that the oil does not substantially increase in trans acid content, and separating the catalyst from the oil.
- 8. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein said oil is refined and bleached natural soybean oil, wherein hydrogen is sparged through the oil, and wherein the percentage reduction of the unsaturated bonds of the triglyceride components of the oil as a result of such hydrogen reduction conditions is in the range of from 0.3 to 1.3 and wherein the reduction of Iodine Value of the oil as a result of said hydrogen reduction is 1 or less.
- 9. A method for deodorizing an edible oil selected from the group consisting of edible vegetable oils and edible animal fats and mixtures thereof comprising the steps of deoxygenating the oil to provide a deoxygenated oil, blending the oil with a hydrogenation catalyst, heating the deoxygenated oil to a temperature in the range of from about 100.degree. F. to about 375.degree. F., contacting the oil and catalyst blend with hydrogen to subject the oil to hydrogen reducing conditions at a partial pressure of hydrogen of about 1 atmosphere or less without substantially reducing the unsaturated fatty triglycerides contact of the oil such that the hydrogen reduction condition is 1.3 or less, continuously conducting the heated deoxygenated oil through a nitrogen contacting zone having a solid surface to volume ratio of at least about 30 square feet of surface area per cubic foot of nitrogen contacting zone volume and continuously introducing substantially oxygen-free nitrogen having less than one part by weight per million of oxygen in a countercurrent manner through the heated oil in the nitrogen contacting zone that is not under vacuum, for a time period of at least about 5 minutes, at an oil to gas weight to weight ratio in the range of from about 1.2 to about 4.5, and cooling the oil which has been conducted through the nitrogen contacting zone under oxygen excluding conditions to provide a deodorized vegetable oil.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 935,642, filed Nov. 26, 1986, now abandoned, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 579,385, filed Feb. 13, 1984, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (14)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1112237 |
Aug 1961 |
DEX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Kirk-Othmer, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1967, vol. 13, p. 181. |
Continuations (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
935642 |
Nov 1986 |
|
Parent |
579385 |
Feb 1984 |
|