High-nutrition whole wheat flour and preparation method thereof
By using instantaneous ejection steam explosion technology to process wheat bran, combined with hammer milling and airflow milling, the utilization barrier of bran in whole wheat flour has been solved, achieving efficient conversion and improved safety of bran, and improving the processing performance and taste of whole wheat flour.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202511743601.6
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-09
AI Technical Summary
Existing technologies cannot effectively utilize wheat bran, resulting in nutritional deficiencies, safety hazards, poor processing applicability, and unsatisfactory sensory quality. Furthermore, the processing costs are high and the efficiency is low, making it difficult to achieve high-value-added transformation of wheat bran.
Instantaneous ejection steam explosion (ICSE) technology is used to process wheat bran. Through a precisely controlled steam explosion process, the three-dimensional network structure of the bran is destroyed, insoluble dietary fiber is converted into soluble dietary fiber, mold and insect eggs are killed, mycotoxins are degraded, and high-nutrition whole wheat flour is prepared by combining hammer milling and airflow milling technology.
It improves the utilization rate of nutrients in bran, enhances the processing performance and taste of whole wheat flour, improves safety, solves the problem of bran deterioration in flour products, and ensures the uniformity and stability of products.
Smart Images
Figure CN121286618A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of food processing, and more specifically, to a high-nutrition whole wheat flour and its preparation method. Background Technology
[0002] Wheat bran comprises approximately 25%–30% of the weight of wheat grains and is rich in dietary fiber (38%–50%), protein (15%–18%), B vitamins, minerals, and phenolic compounds, making it a food ingredient with significant development potential. However, despite its high nutritional value, about 85% of wheat bran is used solely as animal feed, failing to achieve efficient value-added utilization, primarily due to the following technological bottlenecks: First, there is the issue of nutritional deficiencies. The dietary fiber in wheat bran is mainly insoluble (accounting for over 80%), and the protein molecules generally have a molecular weight greater than 10,000 Da and a complex structure, resulting in significantly low bioavailability in the human body. Secondly, there are significant safety hazards. First, bran is highly susceptible to accumulating mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin (up to 200 μg / kg) and vomitoxin (up to 1000 μg / kg), during storage and transportation, posing a high risk to food safety. Second, traditional production processes cannot effectively remove insect eggs from bran, making the processed whole wheat flour highly susceptible to insect infestation and unable to be stored for long periods.
[0003] Third, it has poor processing applicability. Directly adding bran will significantly deteriorate the quality of flour products, for example, reducing the specific volume of bread by 30%–40% and increasing the breakage rate of noodles by 2–3 times; Fourth, the sensory quality is poor. Steamed buns made with whole wheat flour are more than 50% harder, have a dull color, and a rough surface, resulting in low consumer acceptance.
[0004] To address these issues, existing technologies include physical methods (such as ultrafine grinding) to improve bran particle size and texture, but these methods cannot alter its molecular structure, resulting in low bioavailability of dietary fiber and protein, and they cannot remove mycotoxins, posing safety risks. Enzymatic hydrolysis can target fiber and protein degradation to enhance nutrient release, but its high cost (approximately 2000 RMB / ton) and long reaction cycle (typically 8–12 hours) limit its application in large-scale production. Fermentation utilizes microbial metabolism to improve nutrient composition and flavor, but it suffers from challenges such as difficulty in controlling fermentation strains, poor process stability, and susceptibility to contamination by other microorganisms, leading to significant fluctuations and inconsistent product quality. High-temperature, high-pressure steam explosion treatment is another option, but parameter control is relatively crude, easily causing severe nutrient loss, with protein loss exceeding 30%, and some vitamins and phenolic substances being destroyed due to heat sensitivity.
[0005] In summary, existing processing methods all have significant shortcomings in one or more aspects, and there is an urgent need to develop more efficient, stable, and low-cost bran modification technologies to break through application bottlenecks and achieve high-value-added transformation of bran. Summary of the Invention
[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a high-nutrition whole wheat flour, which uses instantaneous ejector steam explosion (ICSE) technology to process wheat bran, resulting in high utilization of effective components in the bran, high specific volume of steamed buns made from whole wheat flour, and excellent processing performance.
[0007] Another objective of this invention is to provide a method for preparing high-nutrition whole wheat flour, which uses instantaneous ejector steam explosion (ICSE) technology to treat wheat bran and produce high-nutrition whole wheat flour. The precisely controlled steam explosion process achieves efficient conversion of bran nutrients and complete removal of harmful substances.
[0008] The technical problem solved by this invention is achieved by the following technical solution.
[0009] On one hand, the present invention provides a method for preparing high-nutrition whole wheat flour, including the following steps: S1 Bran pretreatment: removing impurities from the bran, then ultrasonically atomizing and moistening the bran, sealing and fermenting for 15-20 minutes, and adjusting the moisture content of the wheat bran to 25-30%; S2 Instantaneous Steam Explosion Treatment: The bran treated in step S1 is placed into a steam explosion tank, and the temperature inside the tank is raised to 158.84-207.11℃ at a rate of 10℃ / min, and maintained at 0.6-1.8 MPa for 2-5 minutes; within 0.00875 seconds, the pressure inside the steam explosion tank is instantly released to atmospheric pressure, and the steam-exploded bran is placed into a microwave dryer; dried until the moisture content of the bran is 10-12%; S3 Grinding: Grind the bran treated in step S2 to 60-80 mesh using a hammer mill; then grind the bran to 90-150 mesh using an air jet mill to obtain bran powder; S4 compound: Mix bran flour with the remaining ingredients and pass through a 90-mesh sieve to obtain whole wheat flour.
[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, in step S4, the whole wheat flour comprises, by weight percentage, the following ingredients: 25%-45% bran powder, 54.9%-74.9% flour, and 0.1% wheat germ powder. More preferably, the whole wheat flour comprises, by weight percentage, the following ingredients: 45% bran powder, 54.9% flour, and 0.1% wheat germ powder.
[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, in step S4, the mixing includes: adding a portion of flour and bran powder into a powder mixer and mixing at a speed of 50-100 rpm; mixing wheat germ powder with a portion of flour and then adding it to the powder mixer and mixing at 30-50 rpm for 20-25 minutes.
[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, in step S1, removing impurities from the bran includes: using a vibrating screen with an aperture of 8 mm to remove impurities from the bran; using a gravity destoner to remove stones from the wheat bran; and using a permanent magnet separator to remove metal impurities from the wheat bran.
[0013] On the other hand, embodiments of the present invention provide a high-nutrition whole wheat flour, which is prepared by the above method.
[0014] Compared with the prior art, the embodiments of the present invention have at least the following advantages or beneficial effects: The method for preparing high-nutrition whole wheat flour provided by this invention first removes impurities from the wheat bran to improve the purity of the whole flour and reduce impurities; then, it performs atomized humidification, where water serves as the medium and power source for the steam explosion process. The humidification reaches a high moisture content of 25%-30%, and the material is then sealed in a closed environment to ensure that the moisture fully and evenly penetrates into the internal fiber structure of the bran. During the subsequent instantaneous depressurization stage of the steam explosion, this moisture rapidly vaporizes and expands, generating enormous shear force, which effectively breaks down the cell walls.
[0015] During instantaneous steam explosion treatment, the high-temperature, high-pressure, and humid environment in the steam explosion tank causes partial degradation and softening of cellulose and hemicellulose in the bran, disrupting the dense three-dimensional network structure of the bran. This converts insoluble dietary fiber into soluble dietary fiber and hemicellulose into oligosaccharides. Simultaneously, proteins and phenolic substances encapsulated within the fiber network are exposed and released, and large protein molecules are converted into small peptides and polypeptides, significantly improving bioavailability. Secondly, the high-temperature, high-pressure environment of 158.84-207.11℃ effectively kills molds, insect eggs, and other microorganisms, and has a good degradation effect on heat-sensitive mycotoxins such as aflatoxin and deoxynivalenol (DON), significantly improving the safety of the raw materials. The enormous explosive force generated by millisecond-level pressure relief makes the internal structure of the bran loose and porous, greatly improving its swelling properties, water retention, and adsorption capacity, thus improving the processing performance of subsequent whole wheat flour.
[0016] Hammer mills are highly efficient, pre-treating the lumpy bran after steam explosion to 60-80 mesh, reducing energy consumption and improving efficiency for subsequent ultrafine grinding. Air jet mills utilize the collision and shearing forces generated by high-speed airflow to achieve low-temperature grinding, refining the material to 90-150 mesh (approximately 103-171μm). This fineness closely mimics the particle size of flour, avoiding the physical cutting of the gluten network by coarse bran particles. The small particles allow for even dispersion in the flour, tightly binding with gluten proteins, greatly reducing the weakening of dough structure caused by adding bran. This two-stage grinding balances efficiency and precision, being more economical and effective than single-stage grinding. Air jet milling is a low-temperature process, effectively protecting heat-sensitive vitamins and functional components in the steam-exploded bran, resulting in a smooth, gritty bran flour that solves the problem of the coarse texture of traditional whole wheat flour.
[0017] The whole wheat flour provided by this invention has a delicate texture and a rich wheat aroma. The ultra-finely ground steam-exploded bran powder is smooth and silky, without any roughness. The blended product has a soft and uniform color, avoiding the dullness of traditional whole wheat flour. The processed bran has minimal interference with the gluten network. Steamed buns and bread made from this whole wheat flour are large in volume, have a delicate texture, a strong wheat aroma, and noodles are elastic and do not break apart. The nutrients are more easily absorbed, and the safety is greatly improved, as it is less prone to mold during storage and transportation. Attached Figure Description
[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0019] Figure 1 This is the first test report for wheat bran that was not subjected to steam explosion treatment according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is the second test report for wheat bran that was not subjected to steam explosion treatment according to the present invention; Figure 3 This is the third test report for wheat bran that was not subjected to steam explosion treatment according to the present invention; Figure 4 This is the first test report of wheat bran after steam explosion treatment in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 5 This is the second test report on wheat bran after steam explosion treatment in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 6 This is the third test report on wheat bran after steam explosion treatment in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a test report on wheat bran after steam explosion treatment in Example 2 of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Where specific conditions are not specified in the embodiments, conventional conditions or conditions recommended by the manufacturer shall apply. Reagents or instruments whose manufacturers are not specified are all conventional products that can be purchased commercially.
[0021] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the present invention can be combined with each other. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments.
[0022] This invention provides a high-nutrition whole wheat flour, comprising the following steps: S1 bran pretreatment: Use a vibrating screen with an 8mm aperture to remove impurities from the bran; use a gravity destoner to remove stones from the bran; use a permanent magnet separator to remove metal impurities from the bran; then use ultrasonic atomization to moisten the bran, and seal it for 15-20 minutes to adjust the moisture content of the bran to 25-30%. S2 Instantaneous Steam Explosion Treatment: The bran treated in step S1 is placed into a steam explosion tank, and the temperature inside the tank is raised to 158.84-207.11℃ at a rate of 10℃ / min, and maintained at 0.6-1.8 MPa for 2-5 minutes; the pressure inside the steam explosion tank is instantaneously released to atmospheric pressure within 0.00875s, and the steam-exploded bran is then placed in a microwave dryer; dried until the moisture content of the bran drops to 10-12%; S3 Grinding: Grind the bran treated in step S2 to 60-80 mesh using a hammer mill; then grind the bran to 90-150 mesh using an air jet mill to obtain bran powder; S4 compound: By mass percentage, bran powder 25%-45%, flour 74.9-54.9%. Add some flour and bran powder into a powder mixer and mix at 50-100 rpm. After mixing 0.1% wheat germ powder with some flour, add it to the powder mixer and mix at 15-25 rpm for 20-25 minutes. Pass through a 90-mesh sieve to obtain whole wheat flour.
[0023] Preferred whole wheat flour comprises, by weight percentage, the following ingredients: 45% bran flour, 54.9% wheat flour, and 0.1% wheat germ flour.
[0024] The features and performance of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments.
[0025] Example 1 The high-nutrient whole wheat flour of this embodiment is prepared according to the following method: S1 Bran Pretreatment: A vibrating screen with an 8mm aperture is used to remove impurities from the bran; a gravity destoner is used to remove stones from the wheat bran; a permanent magnetic separator is used to remove metal impurities from the wheat bran; then the bran is ultrasonically atomized and moistened, added to a tank, sealed and left to ferment for 20 minutes, adjusting the moisture content of the wheat bran to 30±1%; S2 Instantaneous Steam Explosion Treatment: The bran treated in step S1 is placed into a steam explosion tank, and the temperature inside the tank is raised to 158.84℃ at a rate of 10℃ / min. The pressure is maintained at 0.6 MPa for 2 min. The pressure inside the steam explosion tank is released to atmospheric pressure in 0.00875 s, and the steam-exploded bran is then placed into a microwave dryer. The bran is dried until the moisture content drops to 12±1%. S3 Grinding: Grind the bran treated in step S2 to 60-80 mesh using a hammer mill; then grind the bran to 90-150 mesh using an air jet mill to obtain bran powder; S4 compound: By mass percentage, 45% wheat bran, 54.9% wheat flour, and 0.1% wheat germ powder. Add most of the flour and wheat bran to a powder mixer and mix at 100 rpm. Dilute the wheat germ powder with a small amount of flour and add it to the powder mixer. Mix at 35 rpm for 25 minutes and pass through a 90-mesh sieve to obtain whole wheat flour.
[0026] Example 2 The high-nutrient whole wheat flour of this embodiment is prepared according to the following method: S1 Bran Pretreatment: A vibrating screen with an 8mm aperture is used to remove impurities from the bran; a gravity destoner is used to remove stones from the wheat bran; a permanent magnetic separator is used to remove metal impurities from the wheat bran; then the bran is ultrasonically atomized and moistened, added to a tank, sealed and left to ferment for 15 minutes, adjusting the moisture content of the wheat bran to 25±1%; S2 Instantaneous Steam Explosion Treatment: The bran treated in step S1 is placed into a steam explosion tank, and the temperature inside the tank is raised to 200℃ at a rate of 10℃ / min. The pressure is maintained at 0.6 MPa for 3 min. The pressure inside the steam explosion tank is released to atmospheric pressure in 0.00875s, and the steam-exploded bran is then placed into a microwave dryer. The bran is dried until the moisture content drops to 10±1%. S3 Grinding: Grind the bran treated in step S2 to 60-80 mesh using a hammer mill; then grind the bran to 90-150 mesh using an air jet mill to obtain bran powder; S4 compound: By mass percentage, bran powder 25%, flour 74.9%, wheat germ powder 0.1%. Add some flour and bran powder to a powder mixer and mix at 50 rpm. After mixing wheat germ powder with some flour, add it to the powder mixer and mix at 25 rpm for 25 minutes. Pass through a 90-mesh sieve to obtain whole wheat flour.
[0027] Example 3 The high-nutrient whole wheat flour of this embodiment is prepared according to the following method: S1 Bran Pretreatment: A vibrating screen with an 8mm aperture is used to remove impurities from the bran; a gravity destoner is used to remove stones from the bran; a permanent magnetic separator is used to remove metal impurities from the bran; then the bran is ultrasonically atomized and moistened, sealed and left to ferment for 15 minutes to adjust the moisture content of the bran to 25±1%; S2 Instantaneous Steam Explosion Treatment: The bran treated in step S1 is placed into a steam explosion tank, and the temperature inside the tank is raised to 179.88℃ at a rate of 10℃ / min. The pressure is maintained at 1.0 MPa for 4 min. The pressure inside the steam explosion tank is released to atmospheric pressure in 0.00875 s, and the steam-exploded bran is then placed into a microwave dryer. The bran is dried until the moisture content drops to 12±1%. S3 Grinding: Grind the bran treated in step S2 to 60-80 mesh using a hammer mill; then grind the bran to 90-150 mesh using an air jet mill to obtain bran powder; S4 compound: By mass percentage, bran powder 30%, flour 69.9%, wheat germ powder 0.1%. Add a portion of the flour and bran powder to a powder mixer and mix at 50-100 rpm; after mixing the wheat germ powder with a portion of the flour, add it to the powder mixer and mix at 15-25 rpm for 20-25 minutes. Pass through a 90-mesh sieve to obtain whole wheat flour.
[0028] Example 4 The high-nutrient whole wheat flour of this embodiment is prepared according to the following method: S1 Bran Pretreatment: A vibrating screen with an 8mm aperture is used to remove impurities from the bran; a gravity destoner is used to remove stones from the bran; a permanent magnetic separator is used to remove metal impurities from the bran; then the bran is ultrasonically atomized and moistened, sealed and left to ferment for 18 minutes to adjust the moisture content of the bran to 28±1%; S2 Instantaneous Steam Explosion Treatment: The bran treated in step S1 is placed into a steam explosion tank, and the temperature inside the tank is raised to 201.37℃ at a rate of 10℃ / min, and maintained at 1.6 MPa for 5 min; the pressure inside the steam explosion tank is released to atmospheric pressure in 0.00875s, and the steam-exploded bran enters the dryer; it is dried until the moisture content of the bran drops to 12±1%; S3 Grinding: Grind the bran treated in step S2 to 60-80 mesh using a hammer mill; then grind the bran to 90-150 mesh using an air jet mill to obtain bran powder; S4 compound: By mass percentage, bran powder 25%, flour 74.9%, wheat germ powder 0.1%. Add some flour and bran powder to a powder mixer and mix at 50-100 rpm. After mixing wheat germ powder with some flour, add it to the powder mixer and mix at 15 rpm for 20 minutes. Pass through a 90-mesh sieve to obtain whole wheat flour.
[0029] Example 5 The high-nutrient whole wheat flour of this embodiment is prepared according to the following method: S1 Bran Pretreatment: A vibrating screen with an 8mm aperture is used to remove impurities from the bran; a gravity destoner is used to remove stones from the bran; a permanent magnetic separator is used to remove metal impurities from the bran; then the bran is ultrasonically atomized and moistened, sealed and left to ferment for 15 minutes to adjust the moisture content of the bran to 25±1%; S2 Instantaneous Steam Explosion Treatment: The bran treated in step S1 is placed into a steam explosion tank, and the temperature inside the tank is raised to 207.11℃ at a rate of 10℃ / min. The pressure is maintained at 1.8 MPa for 5 min. The pressure inside the steam explosion tank is released to atmospheric pressure in 0.00875 s, and the steam-exploded bran is then placed into a microwave dryer. The bran is dried until the moisture content drops to 10±1%. S3 Grinding: Grind the bran treated in step S2 to 60-80 mesh using a hammer mill; then grind the bran to 90-150 mesh using an air jet mill to obtain bran powder; S4 compound: By mass percentage, bran powder 35%, flour 64.9%, wheat germ powder 0.1%. Add some flour and bran powder to a powder mixer and mix at 50-100 rpm. After mixing wheat germ powder with some flour, add it to the powder mixer and mix at 15-25 rpm for 20-25 minutes. Pass through a 90-mesh sieve to obtain whole wheat flour.
[0030] Appendix Figure 1-3 This is a test report for wheat bran that has not undergone steam explosion treatment, attached. Figure 4-6 This is a test report for wheat bran after steam explosion treatment, compared with the attached report. Figure 2 and 5 It can be concluded that the content of dietary fiber, protein, iron, zinc and calcium in wheat bran increased after steam explosion treatment.
[0031] In summary, the whole wheat flour provided in this embodiment of the invention has a delicate texture and a rich wheat aroma. The ultra-finely ground steam-exploded bran powder is smooth and fine, without any roughness. The compounded product has a soft and uniform color, avoiding the dullness of traditional whole wheat flour. The processed bran has minimal interference with the gluten network. Steamed buns and bread made from this whole wheat flour are large in volume, have a delicate texture, and a strong wheat aroma; noodles are elastic and do not break apart, making nutrients easier to absorb, and the safety is greatly improved, as it is less prone to mold during storage and transportation.
[0032] The embodiments described above are some, but not all, embodiments of the present invention. The detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A method for preparing high-nutrition whole wheat flour, characterized in that, Includes the following steps, S1 Bran Pretreatment: Remove impurities from the bran, then humidify the bran with ultrasonic atomization, seal and let it sit for 15-20 minutes, adjusting the moisture content of the wheat bran to 25-30%; S2 Instantaneous Steam Explosion Treatment: The bran treated in step S1 is placed into a steam explosion tank, and the temperature inside the tank is raised to 158.84-207.11℃ at a rate of 10℃ / min, and maintained at 0.6-1.8MPa for 2-5 minutes; the pressure inside the steam explosion tank is released instantaneously to atmospheric pressure in 0.00875s, and the steam-exploded bran is then placed in a microwave dryer and dried until the moisture content of the bran is 10-12%. S3 Grinding: Grind the bran treated in step S2 to 60-80 mesh using a hammer mill; then grind the bran to 90-150 mesh using an air jet mill to obtain bran powder; S4 compound: Mix bran flour with the remaining ingredients and pass through a 90-mesh sieve to obtain whole wheat flour.
2. The method for preparing high-nutrition whole wheat flour according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S4, whole wheat flour, by mass percentage, includes the following ingredients: 25%-45% bran flour, 54.9%-74.9% flour, and 0.1% wheat germ flour.
3. The method for preparing high-nutrition whole wheat flour according to claim 2, characterized in that, In step S4, the whole wheat flour, by weight percentage, includes the following ingredients: 45% bran flour, 54.9% flour, and 0.1% wheat germ flour.
4. The method for preparing high-nutrition whole wheat flour according to claim 4, characterized in that, In step S4, the mixing includes: adding a portion of flour and bran powder into a powder mixer and mixing at a speed of 50-100 rpm; mixing wheat germ powder with a portion of flour and then adding it to the powder mixer and mixing at 30-50 rpm for 20-25 minutes.
5. The method for preparing high-nutrition whole wheat flour according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S1, removing impurities from the bran includes: using a vibrating screen with an 8mm aperture to remove impurities from the bran; using a gravity destoner to remove stones from the wheat bran; and using a permanent magnet separator to remove metal impurities from the wheat bran.
6. A high-nutrition whole wheat flour, characterized in that, It is prepared by the method described in any one of claims 1-5.