A device and method for producing a compound sweetener by vacuum belt continuous drying

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of sweetener production, and particularly relates to a device and method for continuously producing compound sweetener by vacuum belt drying. The device for continuously producing compound sweetener by vacuum belt drying comprises a vacuum belt drying device and a tubular concentration device, the outlet of the tubular concentration device is connected to the inlet of the vacuum belt drying device, a conveyor belt is arranged in the vacuum belt drying device, and the conveyor belt is sequentially provided with a first heating zone, a second heating zone, a third heating zone and a cooling zone along the advancing direction of the conveyor belt. After the compound sweetener solution is concentrated by the tubular concentration device, the solution is directly dried and cooled in the vacuum belt drying device to continuously produce the compound sweetener. Compared with the intermittent drying or co-crystallization process using a boiling dryer and a crystallization tank, the present application has lower cost and higher production efficiency. Meanwhile, in the vacuum belt continuous drying device, the product moisture content is controllable and the uniformity is better through the implementation of zoned precise temperature control drying.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of sweetener production technology, specifically to an apparatus and method for producing compound sweeteners using a vacuum belt continuous drying process. Background Technology

[0002] Erythritol is a four-carbon sugar alcohol, a member of the polyol family. It appears as white, odorless crystals with a molecular weight of only 122.12. Erythritol is widely found in various fruits, fermented foods, and animal fluids such as human eyeballs, serum, and semen. It is a filler-type biological sweetener with a refreshing taste, possessing all the excellent functions of sugar alcohols while also being uniquely characterized by low energy content and high tolerability. Erythritol's sweetening power is 70% that of sucrose, making it an effective and safe ingredient in low-calorie foods for people with diabetes and obesity.

[0003] Stevia glycosides are extracted and refined from stevia leaves. They have a refreshing sweetness, 200-400 times sweeter than sucrose, but only 1 / 300th the calories. Stevia also possesses numerous biological activities, such as helping to regulate blood sugar, providing adjunctive treatment for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and exhibiting antibacterial and anticancer effects. Monk fruit glycosides are natural sweeteners found in monk fruit. These glycosides are safe and non-toxic, characterized by high sweetness and low calories. Their sweetness is 200-300 times that of sucrose, making them a suitable substitute for sucrose in functional foods. Monk fruit glycosides not only have liver-protective, antitussive, anti-inflammatory, anti-fatigue, and immune-enhancing effects, but also have significant blood sugar-lowering effects, making them particularly suitable for the prevention and treatment of diabetes.

[0004] Erythritol's excellent properties have made it increasingly popular in low-sugar foods. To increase its sweetness, many producers have researched blending erythritol with high-intensity sweeteners to obtain high-sweetness blended sweeteners that also retain the functional properties of the sweeteners. Currently, the main research processes for blending erythritol with high-intensity sweeteners involve mixing powders, melt co-crystallization, or adding drying aids followed by drying in a fluidized bed dryer. These processes and equipment are intermittent, resulting in poor product uniformity and low production efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To improve the product uniformity and production efficiency of compound sweeteners, this invention provides an apparatus and method for producing compound sweeteners using a vacuum belt continuous drying process.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for producing compound sweeteners by vacuum belt continuous drying, comprising a vacuum belt drying device and a tubular concentration device, wherein the outlet of the tubular concentration device is connected to the inlet of the vacuum belt drying device, and a conveyor belt is provided inside the vacuum belt drying device, wherein a first heating zone, a second heating zone, a third heating zone and a cooling zone are sequentially arranged on the conveyor belt along the forward direction of the conveyor belt.

[0007] Secondly, the present invention provides a method for producing compound sweeteners using a vacuum belt continuous drying process, comprising the following steps:

[0008] (1) Dissolve erythritol, steviol glycosides and mogrosides in water to prepare a compound sweetener solution;

[0009] (2) The compound sweetener solution is fed into a tubular concentrator to concentrate it, and a concentrated solution is obtained.

[0010] (3) The concentrate enters the vacuum belt drying equipment and is conveyed by the conveyor belt through the first heating zone, the second heating zone, the third heating zone and the cooling zone in sequence, finally obtaining granular compound sweetener.

[0011] By directly connecting the tubular concentration equipment with the vacuum belt drying equipment, the concentrate directly enters the vacuum drying process, simplifying the process and enabling continuous production of compound sweeteners, which helps to improve production efficiency.

[0012] Furthermore, in step (1), by mass fraction, erythritol is 300-500 parts, stevioside is 1-20 parts, and mogroside is 1-6 parts.

[0013] Furthermore, in step (2), the solid content in the concentrate is 45% to 58%.

[0014] Furthermore, in step (3), the vacuum belt continuous drying conditions are as follows: feed temperature 50-70℃, feed rate 150-280L / h, conveyor belt speed 30-60min / rotation, vacuum degree -99--100Kpa, first heating zone temperature 110-130℃, second heating zone temperature 110-130℃, third heating zone temperature 80-90℃, and cooling zone temperature 25-35℃.

[0015] Erythritol crystallizes easily; a higher feed temperature ensures that erythritol does not crystallize and precipitate, thus guaranteeing product uniformity. The temperatures of the heating and cooling zones can be adjusted as needed to achieve precise control of the moisture content of the compound sweetener.

[0016] Furthermore, in step (1), 10wt% to 20wt% of a drying aid is added to the compound sweetener solution. Adding the drying aid helps to accelerate drying, reduce heating temperature, and reduce energy consumption.

[0017] Furthermore, in step (1), 10wt% to 20wt% of dextrin is added to the compound sweetener solution, which helps to protect the normal flavor of the sweetener.

[0018] Furthermore, in step (3), the feed temperature is 40-60℃ and the feed rate is 220-320L / h.

[0019] After adding dextrin or a drying agent, the proportion of erythritol in the concentrate is relatively reduced, the feed temperature can be appropriately lowered, and the feed rate can be increased, which helps to reduce energy consumption and improve production efficiency.

[0020] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0021] The apparatus and method for producing compound sweeteners using a vacuum belt continuous drying system provided by this invention concentrates the compound sweetener solution in a tubular concentrator before directly entering the vacuum belt dryer for drying and cooling, achieving continuous production of compound sweeteners. Compared with intermittent drying or co-crystallization processes using equipment such as fluidized bed dryers and crystallizers, this invention offers lower costs, faster production rates, and higher efficiency. Furthermore, the vacuum belt continuous drying system of this invention implements zoned, precise temperature control, ensuring controllable product moisture content and more uniform product particle size. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vacuum belt continuous drying device for producing compound sweeteners according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0024] In the diagram, 1 is a vacuum belt dryer; 10 is a conveyor belt; 11 is the first heating zone; 12 is the second heating zone; 13 is the third heating zone; 14 is the cooling zone; 2 is the feed inlet of the vacuum belt dryer; and 3 is the tubular concentration device. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of this invention, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0026] Example 1

[0027] like Figure 1 As shown, a device for producing compound sweeteners by vacuum belt continuous drying includes a vacuum belt dryer 1 and a tubular concentrator 3. The outlet of the tubular concentrator is connected to the inlet 2 of the vacuum belt dryer. The vacuum belt dryer is equipped with a conveyor belt 10, and a first heating zone 11, a second heating zone 12, a third heating zone 13 and a cooling zone 14 are arranged sequentially along the forward direction of the conveyor belt.

[0028] Example 2

[0029] (1) Dissolve 400 parts of erythritol, 10 parts of steviol glycosides and 3 parts of mogrosides in water by weight, stir well, and prepare a compound sweetener solution.

[0030] (2) The compound sweetener solution is fed into a vacuum tube concentrator and concentrated until the solid content is 45% to obtain a concentrated liquid.

[0031] (3) The concentrate enters the main body of the vacuum belt dryer through the feed inlet. The feed temperature is 60℃ and the feed rate is 150L / h. It is conveyed by the conveyor belt and passes through the first heating zone, the second heating zone, the third heating zone and the cooling zone in sequence. The conveyor belt speed is 30min / rotation, the vacuum degree is -99Kpa, the temperature of the first heating zone is 120℃, the temperature of the second heating zone is 100℃, the temperature of the third heating zone is 80℃, and the temperature of the cooling zone is 25℃.

[0032] Example 3

[0033] (1) Dissolve 400 parts of erythritol, 10 parts of steviol glycosides and 3 parts of mogrosides in water by weight, stir well, and prepare a compound sweetener solution.

[0034] (2) The compound sweetener solution is fed into a vacuum tube concentrator and concentrated until the solid content is 50% to obtain a concentrated liquid.

[0035] (3) The concentrated liquid enters the main body of the vacuum belt dryer through the feed inlet. The feed temperature is 65℃ and the feed rate is 200L / h. It is conveyed by the conveyor belt and passes through the first heating zone, the second heating zone, the third heating zone and the cooling zone in sequence. The conveyor belt speed is 45min / rotation, the vacuum degree is -100Kpa, the temperature of the first heating zone is 130℃, the temperature of the second heating zone is 110℃, the temperature of the third heating zone is 85℃, and the temperature of the cooling zone is 30℃.

[0036] Example 4

[0037] (1) By mass, 500 parts of erythritol, 1 part of steviol glycoside and 6 parts of mogroside are completely dissolved in water and stirred evenly to prepare a compound sweetener solution.

[0038] (2) The compound sweetener solution is fed into a vacuum tube concentrator and concentrated to a solid content of 58% to obtain a concentrated liquid.

[0039] (3) The concentrated liquid enters the main body of the vacuum belt dryer through the feed inlet. The feed temperature is 70℃ and the feed rate is 220L / h. It is conveyed by the conveyor belt and passes through the first heating zone, the second heating zone, the third heating zone and the cooling zone in sequence. The conveyor belt speed is 60min / rotation, the vacuum degree is -100Kpa, the temperature of the first heating zone is 110℃, the temperature of the second heating zone is 130℃, the temperature of the third heating zone is 90℃, and the temperature of the cooling zone is 35℃.

[0040] Example 5

[0041] (1) By mass, 400 parts of erythritol, 15 parts of steviol glycosides, 5 parts of mogrosides and 40 parts of dextrin are completely dissolved in water and stirred evenly to prepare a compound sweetener solution.

[0042] (2) The compound sweetener solution is fed into a vacuum tube concentrator and concentrated until the solid content is 50% to obtain a concentrated liquid.

[0043] (3) The concentrated liquid enters the main body of the vacuum belt dryer through the feed inlet. The feed temperature is 40℃ and the feed rate is 270L / h. It is conveyed by the conveyor belt and passes through the first heating zone, the second heating zone, the third heating zone and the cooling zone in sequence. The conveyor belt speed is 45min / rotation, the vacuum degree is -100Kpa, the temperature of the first heating zone is 130℃, the temperature of the second heating zone is 110℃, the temperature of the third heating zone is 85℃, and the temperature of the cooling zone is 30℃.

[0044] Example 6

[0045] (1) By mass, 400 parts of erythritol, 15 parts of steviol glycosides, 4 parts of mogrosides and 40 parts of drying agent are completely dissolved in water and stirred evenly to prepare a compound sweetener solution.

[0046] (2) The compound sweetener solution is fed into a vacuum tube concentrator and concentrated until the solid content is 50% to obtain a concentrated liquid.

[0047] (3) The concentrated liquid enters the main body of the vacuum belt dryer through the feed inlet. The feed temperature is 45℃ and the feed rate is 320L / h. It is conveyed by the conveyor belt and passes through the first heating zone, the second heating zone, the third heating zone and the cooling zone in sequence. The conveyor belt speed is 45min / rotation, the vacuum degree is -100Kpa, the temperature of the first heating zone is 110℃, the temperature of the second heating zone is 95℃, the temperature of the third heating zone is 85℃ and the temperature of the cooling zone is 30℃.

[0048] Example 7: Determination of moisture content and mesh size ratio of compound sweetener

[0049] 20.000g of the compound sweeteners from Examples 2 to 4 were weighed and dried in an oven at 60℃. The weight change was measured every 2 hours. The drying was continued until the weight change was less than 0.001g after two weighings. The moisture content was obtained by calculating the weight change before and after drying. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0050] 20.000g of the compound sweeteners from Examples 2 to 4 were weighed and passed through 30-mesh, 40-mesh, 50-mesh and 60-mesh sieves respectively. The proportion of different mesh sizes in each example was calculated, and the results are shown in Table 1.

[0051] Table 1. Moisture content and mesh size percentage of compound sweeteners in Examples 2-4

[0052] Group Example 2 Example 3 Example 4 Sweetness ratio of sucrose 26 12 4 Moisture content (%) 0.89 0.37 1.02 <30 mesh 5.7％ 0 0 30~40 mesh 22.97％ 22.57％ 28.46％ 40~50 mesh 36.83％ 43.91％ 38.79％ 50~60 mesh 22.79％ 29.94％ 31.67％ >60 mesh 11.71％ 3.68％ 1.08％

[0053] The common mesh size of erythritol in actual production process is 30-60 mesh. As can be seen from Table 1, the proportion of 30-60 mesh in the compound sweeteners produced in Examples 1-3 is 82%-98%. Therefore, the vacuum belt continuous drying method for producing compound sweeteners provided by the present invention helps to improve the uniformity and pass rate of compound sweeteners.

[0054] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto. Various equivalent modifications or substitutions can be made to the embodiments of the present invention by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and essence of the invention, and such modifications or substitutions should all be within the scope of the present invention. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should also be covered within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for producing compound sweeteners using a vacuum belt continuous drying process, characterized in that, An apparatus for producing compound sweeteners using a vacuum belt continuous dryer includes a vacuum belt dryer and a tubular concentrator. The outlet of the tubular concentrator is connected to the inlet of the vacuum belt dryer. The vacuum belt dryer is equipped with a conveyor belt, and a first heating zone, a second heating zone, a third heating zone, and a cooling zone are sequentially arranged on the conveyor belt along the forward direction of the conveyor belt. Includes the following steps: (1) Dissolve 300-500 parts of erythritol, 1-20 parts of steviol glycosides and 1-6 parts of mogrosides in water to prepare a compound sweetener solution. (2) The compound sweetener solution is fed into a tubular concentrator to concentrate it, and a concentrated solution is obtained. The solid content in the concentrated solution is 45%~58%. (3) The concentrate enters the vacuum belt drying equipment and is conveyed by the conveyor belt through the first heating zone, the second heating zone, the third heating zone and the cooling zone in sequence to finally obtain granular compound sweetener; The vacuum belt continuous drying conditions are as follows: feed temperature 50~70℃, feed rate 150~280L / h, conveyor belt speed 30~60min / revolution, vacuum degree -99~-100Kpa, first heating zone temperature 110~130℃, second heating zone temperature 110~130℃, third heating zone temperature 80~90℃, and cooling zone temperature 25~35℃.

2. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step (1), 10wt%~20wt% of a drying agent is also added to the compound sweetener solution.

3. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step (1), 10wt%~20wt% of dextrin is also added to the compound sweetener solution.

4. The method as described in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, In step (3), the feed temperature is 40~60℃ and the feed rate is 220~320L / h.

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