Amorphous insoluble cellulosic fiber and method for making same

Abstract

A method for producing amorphous insoluble cellulosic fiber gel, preferably in the form of a dietary fiber gel, and an aqueous product comprising soluble cellulose for use as an adhesive component from the fiber-containing by-products from a variety of grain manufacturing processes is described. The treatment of the fiber residue in the presence of alkali and mechanical shear produces a slurry containing amorphous insoluble cellulosic fiber. The slurry can be further processed to improve color attributes. The amorphous insoluble cellulosic fiber can be separated from the slurry to produce a dietary fiber gel. Water and solute are separated from a liquid component of the slurry. The solute can be yielded as an aqueous product that contains soluble cellulose and can be used as an adhesive component. The recovered water can be recycled within the method so as to reduce waste disposal.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to the processing of dietary fiber, including the processing of fiber-containing by-products from the processing of grain, legumes, seeds and other high-fiber plant components and by-products, to produce dietary fiber gel comprising insoluble amorphous cellulosic fiber and aqueous products comprising soluble cellulosic fiber. BACKGROUND OF INVENTION [0002] Methods for processing agricultural grains, the term “grain” to include grains, legumes, seeds and other high-fiber plant components and plant by-products throughout and for the purposes of this application, particularly methods that consume and convert soluble dietary fiber and starches, and reject insoluble dietary fiber, are known. Whole kernels of grain include the following components: the hull, the germ, and the endosperm. Dietary fiber, both soluble and insoluble, is distributed across these various components of the grain kernel. For example, about half of the die...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] A method for processing grain and agricultural by-products (collectively, “feedstock”) that contain insoluble dietary fiber includes an alkaline treatment step under physical conditions that produce a slurry containing amorphous insoluble cellulosic fiber. The physical conditions include at least one stage of shear that physically disrupts the cellular structure of the dietary fiber. The time, temperature, and strength of alkaline treatment can be varied depending on feedstock characteristics and desired end-product characteristics. Likewise, total shear input can be varied to accommodate feedstock characteristics and desired end-product characteristics.

Problems solved by technology

Although the rejected solids from some grain processes can be recovered, typically, the recovered solids are used in relatively low economical value applications such as supplements to animal feeds.

Alternatively, the rejected solids may not be suitable for human and animal consumption and must be disposed of in an environmentally safe and typically costly manner, i.e. the grain processor may have to pay to land fill the rejected solids.

Although yielding higher valued products from the rejected solids, particularly from the associated insoluble dietary fiber, can improve grain processing economics, the recovery and conversion of rejected solids generally involves multiple complex processing steps and is uneconomical.

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