Claims
- 1. A process for treating wheat kernels having an endosperm and germ encased in a layered bran coat comprising processing the wheat kernels to substantially remove the exposed bran coat by moistening the wheat kernels with about 1 to 3% by weight water to condition the outer layers of bran coat without fusing the layers together, then within one to about five minutes after application of the water, feeding said kernels in a continuous stream through friction operations to substantially remove and separate the outer four bran layers and then feeding the kernels in a continuous stream through abrasion operations to remove and separate the inner bran layers while maintaining the endosperm essentially integral.
- 2. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least 70% of said bran coat is removed by said process.
- 3. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first friction operation primarily removes the epidermis and hypodermis layers of the bran coat and separates the removed layers from the wheat kernels whereafter the remaining portion of the wheat kernels are subject to further friction and abrasion operations to progressively remove the remaining layers of bran.
- 4. A process as claimed in claim 3, wherein said remaining layers of bran including cross cells, tube cells, seed coat, nucellar layer and aleurone layer are progressively removed by substantial removal of
- the cross cells and tube cells in a second friction operation followed by abrasive removal of the said seed coat, nucellar layer and at least part of the aleurone layer.
- 5. A process as claimed in claim 4, wherein an additional step of fogging with about 0.25% to 0.50% by weight water is added at the commencement of the second friction operation.
- 6. A process as claimed in claim 4, including separately removing and storing the removed layers after each friction operation.
- 7. A process as claimed in claim 6, wherein after the abrasive removal of the seed coat, nucellar layer and aleurone layer, the kernels are fed to a brush apparatus to remove residual bran powder and loosen the germ.
- 8. A process as claimed in claim 7 including the additional step of feeding the kernels in a continuous stream through a cooling operation.
- 9. A process as claimed in claim 4 wherein the processed kernels are mixed with atomized water to bring the moisture level of the endosperm to the desired level and fuse the bran coat remaining in the crease of the kernel and then tempering and milling the wheat kernels into flour or semolina.
- 10. A process for removing the bran coat from wheat kernels comprising the steps of:
- (a) adding about 1 to 3% by weight water to clean, dry wheat in a dampening mixer;
- (b) holding the dampened wheat in a holding bin for one to about five minutes such that the outer bran layers are moistened without fusing together;
- (c) feeding the dampened wheat through at least one friction means to remove the outer four layers of the bran coat;
- (d) separating the removed layers of the bran coat from the remaining portion of the wheat kernels;
- (e) feeding the remaining portion of the wheat kernels through at least one subsequent abrasion means to sequentially remove the remaining layers of the bran coat; and
- (f) separating the layers of bran coat removed in step (e) from the remaining portion of the kernels.
- 11. A process according to claim 10 wherein said
- friction means includes a first friction operation wherein the outer layers of the bran coat are removed and the removed layers of the bran coat separated from the wheat kernels followed by feeding the wheat kernels to a second friction operation to remove the remaining outer layers of the bran coat and separating the removed bran layers from the wheat kernels.
- 12. A process according to claim 11 wherein the wheat kernels are fogged with about 0.25 to 0.50% by weight water at the commencement of the second friction operation.
- 13. A process according to claim 11 wherein the outer bran layers removed during the first and second friction operations are collected together by collection means.
- 14. A process according to claim 13 the collection means includes means to separate any broken bits or removed germ from the outer bran layers removed during the first and second friction operations.
- 15. A process according to claim 10 wherein the abrasion means comprises a first abrasion operation for removal of the seed coat, nucellar layers and part of the aleurone layers of the bran coat and a second abrasion operation for removal of the remaining seed coat, nucellar layer and aleurone layer, wherein during the first and second abrasion operation the removed bran layers are separated from the wheat kernels.
- 16. A process according to claim 15 wherein the bran layers removed during the first abrasion operation are separated from any broken bits or removed germ, collected and stored.
- 17. A process according to claim 16 wherein the bran layers removed during the second abrasion operation are separated from any broken bits or removed grain, collected and stored.
- 18. A process according to claim 10 where the wheat kernels are subject to the following additional steps:
- (g) feeding the processed wheat kernels to brush means to remove any bran powder from the crease of the wheat kernels or any loosened germ;
- (h) if required, cooling the wheat to a temperature of between 70.degree. to 90.degree. F.;
- (i) then adding water to the processed wheat in a dampening mixer.
- 19. A process according to claim 18 where the amount of water added in step (i) is sufficient to fuse any remaining layers of the bran coating and mellow the endosperm to a level suitable for milling.
- 20. A process according to claim 19 whereby the wheat kernels are then:
- (j) fed to a pre-break means to pre-break the wheat and loosen the germ;
- (k) the broken wheat is then delivered to sifter means to remove the germ and separate the broken wheat into stock sizes for delivery either to the break rolls, a germ sizing system, purifier or finished product collection system.
- 21. The process of claim 10 wherein the wheat kernels exiting the friction operation are held in a holding bin for about 15-30 minutes before being fed to the abrasion means.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
586260 |
Dec 1988 |
CAX |
|
Parent Case Info
This application is a divisional application of U.S. Application Ser. No. 07/286,374, filed Dec. 19, 1988 which is turn a continuation-in-part of U.S. Application Ser. No. 07/064,067, filed June 18, 1987.
US Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
4741913 |
Satake |
May 1988 |
|
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Spicher et al., Translation of article from Getreide Mehl und Brot, Jun. 1983, pp. 185-189, "Investigations on the Behavior of the Microflora of Durum Wheat During Scouring". |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
286374 |
Dec 1988 |
|
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
64067 |
Jun 1987 |
|