Embryo-free biogranules for producing foamed biogranule particles

Abstract

A semifinished product for producing shaped bodies, comprising foamed biogranules obtained from biogranules, wherein the embryos have been removed from the biogranules. In a method for producing a semifinished product, the embryo is removed from a grain, more specifically corn, in order to obtain embryo-free biogranules, which are then converted to foamed biogranules.

Description

[0001] Seedling-free biogranulate for the production of foamed biogranulate particles

[0002] Technical area

[0003] The invention relates to a semi-finished product for producing molded bodies, comprising foamed biogranules made from biogranules. The invention further relates to a process for producing the semi-finished product, a molded body produced from the semi-finished product, and a process for producing the molded body from the semi-finished product.

[0004] State of the art

[0005] The use of foamed biogranules as a material in various fields has long been known. The term "biogranules" refers to both whole and cut (shredded) grains, and especially to fractions of cut grains.

[0006] The term "biogranules" refers to all expandable grains. A typical example of expanded biogranules is puffed corn (one example not typically used for food production is popcorn). Rice, wheat, rye, barley, oats, millet, quinoa, spelt, etc. can also be processed into puffed biogranules.

[0007] Popcorn can't be made from just any type of corn. Only popcorn, also called pearl corn or bear paw corn, is suitable for making this snack and usually comes from America. Popcorn is a type of corn with a high water content. At the same time, the husk of the corn kernel is very tough. The high water content allows for sufficient steam potential during popping, while the husk's high strength allows for high pressure buildup.

[0008] During the popping process, popcorn is heated atmospherically with the addition of cooking oil or in a microwave to a temperature of 170°C to 200°C. This heating creates steam, which exerts pressure on the husk. Eventually, the husk can no longer withstand the pressure. The kernel explodes, and the water evaporates suddenly. At the same time, a white, dried starch foam is ejected, often still clinging to a golden-yellow residue of the burst husk. This is how popcorn is created.

[0009] Corn, which is grown on considerable areas in Europe, is primarily intended for the production of starch, animal feed, or energy. These varieties are very difficult or impossible to pop into popcorn in atmospheric conditions. There is too little water stored inside the popcorn to build up pressure. Furthermore, the husk is not stable enough to allow the pressure to build up. If kernels are damaged, the moisture can escape directly through openings during heating. The typical explosive popping simply doesn't occur in this case.

[0010] There are different types of corn, including dent corn, hard or horn corn, puffed or popped corn, sweet corn, starch corn, waxy corn and spelt corn.

[0011] Dent corn is of the greatest economic importance. Dent corn is the primary feed corn.

[0012] Hard corn, also known as flint corn, is also used as animal feed. Starch corn is softer than dent corn and hard corn and is therefore mainly processed into corn flour and cornstarch.

[0013] All commercially available and edible corn varieties are classified as sweet corn, also known as table corn or vegetable corn. They are characterized by a sweet flavor, which is due to the relatively slow conversion of starch to sugar. Feed corn (dent corn, flint corn, or hard corn) is processed into animal feed and fed to livestock, while sweet corn is used as human food. Although the two corn varieties are visually similar, they differ in flavor and kernel size. As the name suggests, sweet corn tastes sweet because it contains sugar.

[0014] Foamed biogranules, especially puffed corn, are commonly used in loose form as packaging material. It is also known to compress and / or bond puffed corn into molded articles to create dimensionally stable molded articles for various applications.

[0015] Depending on their shape, such molded bodies can be used for a variety of purposes, including, for example, insulation material, tableware, construction elements, or formative structures for furniture, partition walls, and much more. In preferred embodiments, the molded bodies are biodegradable. This also allows for particularly environmentally friendly disposal. The biogranules are renewable raw materials, which in turn results in a particularly environmentally friendly product.

[0016] WO 92 / 04253 A1 (Sommer et al.), for example, relates to such a packaging material, which is biodegradable. Puffed grains, such as puffed corn, puffed rice, or puffed wheat, are used for the packaging material. A slurry containing puffed grains and an organic binder such as starch can be formed, which is then poured into a mold corresponding to the object to be protected.

[0017] A disadvantage of the known molded bodies made of foamed biogranules is that the foaming process is very energy-intensive.

[0018] Another disadvantage is that the conventional use of foamed biogranules in molded articles involves the use of valuable foodstuffs as building materials. This situation is particularly problematic from an economic but also an ecological perspective, particularly in an environment characterized by grain shortages. The biogranules processed into molded articles are thus missing from the food chain, particularly in animal feed, for example.

[0019] Description of the invention

[0020] The object of the invention is to create a semi-finished product belonging to the technical field mentioned at the outset for the production of shaped bodies, comprising foamed biogranulate grains made from biogranulate grains, which can be produced with relatively low energy consumption.

[0021] The solution to the problem is defined by the features of claim 1. According to the invention, the biogranules are sterilized.

[0022] Experiments have shown that puffing sterilized biogranules requires significantly less energy than puffing non-sterilized biogranules.

[0023] Hydrothermal puffing of non-sterilized biogranules requires approximately 500–700 kWh / ton of material. In contrast, it has been shown that the energy consumption for sterilized biogranules is approximately half or even less than half, namely between 200 kWh / ton and 250 kWh / ton. This difference generally applies to all types of biogranules. This effect has been particularly pronounced with biogranules made from corn.

[0024] The energy savings during puffing, especially during hydrothermal puffing, are so significant that even the preceding disinfection process can be offset. This consumes approximately 80 kWh / ton of material. Thus, the total energy consumption for disinfection and hydrothermal puffing is approximately 280 kWh / ton and 330 kWh / ton, respectively. This means that even the upper limit of 330 kWh / ton is 170 kWh / ton to 420 kWh / ton lower than for non-sterilized material. The energy savings thus amount to approximately one-third to one-half (!) of the energy required for hydrothermal puffing of non-sterilized material. The significant reduction in energy consumption also significantly reduces the production costs for the foamed biogranules.Sterilizing the biogranules not only has the advantage of significantly reducing the energy required for puffing, but also of making the puffing process particularly clean and efficient. Tests have shown that sterilizing the biogranules can significantly reduce clogging and contamination of the system during the foaming process. This significantly simplifies the cleaning effort after the foaming process, which in turn allows for more efficient production. It was shown that the contamination was caused primarily by the high fat and protein content in the germ. By removing the germ, these contaminants were largely eliminated.

[0025] Another significant advantage is that the removed germs can be used, for example, as valuable animal feed, while the hard part of the endosperm, together with the aleurone layer, can be processed into foamed biogranules. This is particularly advantageous because, on the one hand, the germ contains the essential components that are valuable for animal feed—namely, proteins and fat. The hard part of the endosperm, together with the aleurone layer, which according to the invention constitutes the main component of the biogranules, essentially comprise carbohydrates, which are far less important as animal feed anyway.According to the invention, a particularly ecological and economical use of the biogranules is thus made possible by using the nutritionally valuable components as animal feed, while the nutritionally less valuable components are used to produce puffed biogranules.

[0026] The grain, especially corn, is essentially composed of the following components:

[0027] • Fruit and seed coat - so-called pericarp (approx. 6%),

[0028] • Aleurone (approx. 7%; the outer layers of the corn kernels that separate the endosperm from the outer shell),

[0029] • the glassy endosperm (approx. 51%), the mealy endosperm (approx. 23%), germ (approx. 11.5%),

[0030] • Tip cap (approx. 1.5%).

[0031] The germ fraction in corn, for example, is 11.5% by weight. This means that from 100 kg of corn, approximately 1.1 kg of animal feed with a high fat and protein content can be obtained by separating the germ.

[0032] For the production of the foamed biogranules, the hard part of the endosperm together with the aleurone layer is particularly preferred, as this allows the foaming process to achieve the foamed biogranules particularly efficiently and largely without contamination of the plant.

[0033] The endosperm (total approximately 74 wt.% of the grain), in particular the glassy endosperm (approximately 51 wt.% of the grain) together with the aleurone layer (approximately 7 wt.% of the grain) is particularly preferably used to produce the foamed biogranules.

[0034] This makes it particularly advantageous that other components of the grain are also separated during processing and added to animal feed. In particular, the fruit and seed coat, the mealy endosperm, the germ, and the tip cap are preferably processed into animal feed. The seed coat is particularly preferred, as it hinders cutting.

[0035] Experts are aware that 100% grain processing can never be achieved, which means that in practice the percentage yield is lower. In practice, for example, approximately 35–38% by weight of vitreous endosperm can be obtained, which, together with the aleurone layer, allows approximately 42–45% by weight of the grain to be processed into biogranulate.

[0036] In this respect, the term "sterilized" means that more than 80 wt.%, preferably more than 90 wt.%, particularly preferably more than 95 wt.% of the components of the germ have been removed from the biogranules. In a particularly preferred embodiment, more than 99 wt.% of the components of the germ have been removed from the biogranules. During the process of removing the germs, the germs themselves can also be comminuted, so that the proportion of germs removed does not necessarily refer to entire germs, but can also refer to components of the germ. It is also conceivable that in a process for removing the germs, only essential components of the germ, for example the proteins and / or fats of the germ, are specifically removed.

[0037] The biogranules are preferably made from corn, particularly preferably from feed corn. Dent corn and / or hard corn are particularly preferably used to produce the foamed biogranules.

[0038] In variants, however, other foamable grains can also be used to produce the foamed biogranules, in particular, for example, rice, wheat, rye, barley, oats, millet, quinoa, spelt, etc. Further variants are known to the person skilled in the art.

[0039] The foamed biogranules preferably have a fat content of less than 2 wt.%, preferably less than 1 wt.%, particularly preferably less than 0.5 wt.%. Sterilization simultaneously reduces the fat content of the biogranules. The reduced fat content promotes expansion during hydrothermal puffing. In principle, however, the fat content could also be specifically reduced using a suitable process, which would also achieve the advantages of the invention, albeit possibly to a lesser extent. In variants, the fat content can also be higher than 2 wt.%.

[0040] The foamed biogranules preferably have a protein content of less than 2 wt.%, preferably less than 1 wt.%, particularly preferably less than 0.5 wt. Sterilization simultaneously reduces the protein content of the biogranules. In principle, however, the protein content could also be specifically reduced using a suitable process, which would also achieve the advantages of the invention, albeit possibly to a lesser extent. In variants, the protein content can also be higher than 2 wt.%.

[0041] The foamed biogranules are preferably produced by hydrothermal puffing. This process is known from EP 0 835 066 B1 (Bichsei). In this process, the biogranules are placed in a closed container. A pressurized, heat-conducting medium is applied to the closed container in such a way that, upon subsequent opening of the container, such a sudden pressure reduction occurs, with the product being expelled from the container, that the biogranules are converted into foamed biogranules. The process is well known to those skilled in the art. In variations, other techniques can also be used to convert the biogranules into foamed biogranules.

[0042] The foamed biogranules preferably have a coating, wherein the coating comprises an adhesive, allowing the foamed biogranules to be bonded together in a molded body. The adhesive particularly preferably comprises an epoxy. In some variants, the coating can also be omitted. Furthermore, other substances can also be added to the coating, in particular pesticides, fire retardants, etc.

[0043] The adhesive may comprise an organic polymer, an organic copolymer, or mixtures thereof, with the adhesive being, in particular, bio-based or biological and / or biodegradable or compostable. In some variants, the adhesive does not necessarily have to be biodegradable. Nor does the adhesive necessarily have to be bio-based.

[0044] Adhesives that can be used include, in particular, thermoplastics, thermosets, thermosets, aminoplasts, phenolic resins, isocyanates, proteins, tannins, starch, synthetic or near-natural binders, or mixtures of binders, such as urea-formaldehyde resin, melamine-formaldehyde resin, melamine-reinforced urea-formaldehyde resin, tannin-formaldehyde resin, phenol-formaldehyde resin, polymeric diphenylmethane diisocyanate, or mixtures thereof. Alternatively or additionally, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polyacrylate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl laurate, polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxy acids such as polyhydroxybutyric acid, or cellulose derivatives, or mixtures thereof. Other adhesives are known to those skilled in the art. Preferably, the proportion of adhesive in the foamed biogranulate (based on the weight of the foamed biogranulate) is less than 10 wt.%, preferably less than 5 wt.%, in particular less than 1%. In some variants, the adhesive content may also be greater than 10% by weight.

[0045] Particularly preferably, the coating comprises an epoxy resin and a hardener for curing the epoxy resin, wherein the hardener is encapsulated in such a way that the curing of the epoxy resin for producing a molded body can be achieved by introducing energy into the semi-finished product, opening the encapsulation, and releasing the hardener. This results in a storable semi-finished product that can be combined into a mold without further additives. In variants, the hardener can also be omitted. In this case, the hardener can also be added to the semi-finished product during the production of the molded body.

[0046] Preferably, the semi-finished product is free-flowing. This makes it particularly easy to store, transfer, and transport it before use in the production of molded articles. In some variants, free-flowing properties can be omitted. In some cases, it may be sufficient for the semi-finished product to be merely deformable, particularly plastically deformable.

[0047] Preferably, the biogranules have a water content of 6-9 wt.%. This achieves a particularly optimal consistency of the foamed biogranules, specifically, they have a non-brittle and springy texture and are particularly suitable for the production of molded articles. In some variants, the water content can also be less than 6 wt.% or more than 9 wt.%.

[0048] In a process for producing a semi-finished product, grain, particularly corn, is degerminated using a degerminator. The germs are separated by the degerminator and fed for further processing into animal feed. The degermination process can be carried out in one step, preferably two steps. The germs with the meal content are removed. The remaining fraction containing the grains is passed through roller mills with corrugated rollers for comminution. The corrugated roller passes typically consist of three or more stages. After comminution, fractionation (screening, etc.) can follow. Fractions with an insufficient grain size, particularly the meal resulting from cutting, are fed for processing into animal feed. Fractions with the desired grain size are collected as biogranules for later puffing. Fractions with an excessive grain size are fed back to the roller mill.

[0049] This process has been shown to achieve particularly efficient and effective separation of germs, fruit and seed coat, mealy endosperm, and the apical caps. In principle, other techniques are also known to those skilled in the art by which the grains can also be degerminated and ground. In particular, degermination could be achieved directly on roller mills with corrugated rollers.

[0050] It is particularly preferred to clean the grain, especially corn, particularly dent corn and / or flint corn, prior to milling. Cleaning is preferably carried out as a silo / mill cleaning process, using mechanical, fluidic, and combined mechanical-fluidic processes to remove foreign matter from the corn kernels. Straw particles, foreign grains, stones, seeds, and other elements are separated from the good corn kernels.

[0051] The next step is preferably the degermination of the grain. The subsequent hydrothermal puffing can be carried out particularly cleanly and efficiently if the biogranulate grains are preferably flour-free. Therefore, degermination is preferably also carried out during the degermination process. The process then continues with the granulation of the germ- and flour-free grain component into the biogranulate grain.

[0052] In principle, cleaning and / or deflouring can be omitted. Deflouring can, for example, be performed as a separate step in a processing step between the milling process and the hydrothermal puffing process. Cleaning can be omitted if the raw material (grain, preferably corn) is already sufficiently clean when delivered.

[0053] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the grain, in particular the maize, is separated into the following components by milling: fruit and seed coat - so-called pericarp (approx. 6%),

[0054] • Aleurone (approx. 7%; the outer layers of the corn kernels that separate the endosperm from the outer shell),

[0055] • the glassy endosperm (approx. 51%),

[0056] • the mealy endosperm (approx. 23%),

[0057] • Seedling (approx. 1 1 ,5%),

[0058] • Tip cap (approx. 1.5%).

[0059] Preferably, the grain is degerminated in a first step. In a second step, the remaining fraction is crushed using roller mills with corrugated rollers. Other suitable techniques for degermination and comminution are also known to those skilled in the art.

[0060] When fractionating grains, especially corn kernels, the goal is to separate the germ, with its high fat content (approximately 38%), as completely and cleanly as possible, so that the fat content in the remaining semolina or biogranules, which are fed into the hydrothermal puffing process, is < 1% by weight, ideally < 0.5% by weight. A high fat content interferes with hydrothermal expansion. The germ also contains approximately 20% protein, which makes it nutritionally valuable. However, the germ is unsuitable for puffing or interferes with the process and is therefore preferably isolated and reused in the food / animal feed industry.

[0061] The flours produced during comminution, especially during cutting, especially those from the soft endosperm, are also preferably separated. These flours are unsuitable for puffing or interfere with the puffing process. Combined with the process steam during puffing, they can cause the puffing process to "spread out," thus making the puffing process impossible. Therefore, the biogranulate is preferably flour-free.

[0062] The expert therefore strives to process the starchy part of the endosperm as flour-free as possible. The harder (experts refer to this as "vitrity") a corn kernel is, the easier it is to separate the starch from the flour and the better the results during puffing, especially hydrothermal puffing. While "vitrified" corn varieties were once found primarily in Argentina (La Plata corn) and the USA (Yellow Corn), today, due to climate change and the possibilities offered by the seed industry, vitreous dent corn varieties are successfully cultivated practically all over the world.

[0063] The granulations during corn processing for food corn are typically:

[0064] • Granulation very coarse (coarse grits), ie 6.3 - 3.3 mm for cornflakes grits or also called hominys

[0065] • Granulation coarse to medium grits, ie 4.5 - 2.0 mm for starch digestion

[0066] • Semolina 1.25 - 0.3 mm as brewing semolina or polenta

[0067] • Semolina < 0.35 mm for porridge, flatbreads, soups etc.

[0068] Milling-processed semolina from feed maize has so far had little major application. This is where puffed organic granules are being used, using hydrothermal puffing according to the Bichsei process, which is precisely suited for this grain size range, preferably 0.8 mm to 1.9 mm.

[0069] These biogranules consist primarily of starch and have a low flour content, making them particularly well-suited for the hydrothermal puffing process. Depending on the glassiness of the corn variety, 42% to 48% of the good product from the whole corn kernel can be obtained as biogranules for the puffing process. The remaining 58% to 52% constitute the nutritionally valuable "waste," which thus has a specifically increased protein and lipid content, combined with a crude fiber and residual starch content.

[0070] The biogranules that are fractionated for the puffing process – referred to as "pulled" in the art – are primarily particles from the outer layers of the corn kernel and, depending on their hardness – referred to as glassiness – are generally difficult for animals to digest. According to the invention, the nutritionally valuable and easily digestible protein and fat components (lipids) preferentially remain in the feed cycle and are specifically enriched with proteins and lipids more than the whole corn kernel would be. The starch particles extracted for the puffing process in the form of biogranules can easily be supplemented with other starch carriers.

[0071] Before the foaming process, the biogranules preferably have a grain size between 500 pm and 3000 pm, more preferably between 800 pm and 1900 pm. This has been shown to yield the best results in the production of foamed biogranules. The resulting foamed biogranules exhibit particularly good properties in the manufacture of molded articles. The grain size is determined using sieve analysis, preferably according to the sieve analysis method specified in DIN 66165, June 2016. In certain variants, the grain size can also be smaller than 500 pm or larger than 3000 pm.

[0072] The grain size of the foamed biogranules is preferably between 1 mm and 30 mm, preferably between 3.5 mm and 6.5 mm, and in particular approximately 5 mm. The grain size is also determined by sieve analysis, preferably according to the sieve analysis according to DIN 66165, June 2016. In variants, the grain size of the foamed biogranules can also be smaller than 1 mm or larger than 30 mm.

[0073] The invention further relates to a molded body produced from a semi-finished product according to the invention. For this purpose, the semi-finished product preferably comprises a coating comprising an adhesive (see above). However, the coating can also be omitted.

[0074] Preferably, the semi-finished product is placed in a compression mold and then bonded to form a molded body under the influence of energy, in particular heat. Alternatively, the semi-finished product can also be placed in a mold that is not designed as a compression mold.

[0075] The energy exposure preferably takes the form of heat exposure, particularly using radio wave radiation, microwaves, hot air, infrared radiation, or a combination of the above. Furthermore, hot steam, preferably superheated steam, can also be used, preferably provided the foamed biogranulate grains are sufficiently hydrophobic. This allows a molded body to be created particularly easily and efficiently, particularly if the semi-finished product comprises a coating with a heat-activatable adhesive. In some variants, the application of heat can also be omitted. The adhesive can, for example, also be activated with UV radiation. Finally, it is also conceivable to use the semi-finished product as bulk material without bonding the foamed biogranulate grains together. Further variants for gluing the semi-finished product to form a molded body and possible areas of application for the semi-finished product are known to those skilled in the art.

[0076] Further advantageous embodiments and combinations of features of the invention emerge from the following detailed description and the entirety of the patent claims.

[0077] Short description of the drawings

[0078] The drawings used to explain the embodiment show:

[0079] Fig. 1 is a simplified schematic representation of a corn kernel; and

[0080] Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of a process for producing foamed biogranules from maize.

[0081] In principle, identical parts in the figures are provided with identical reference symbols.

[0082] Ways to implement the invention

[0083] Figure 1 shows a simplified example of the structure of a corn kernel 1. The corn kernel comprises a hull 2, which encompasses the fruit and seed coat, as well as the aleurone. Inside the hull 2 ​​is the endosperm 3, which comprises the glassy endosperm and the floury endosperm. Embedded in the endosperm 3 is the germ 4. The germ 4 is attached to the corn cob via the tip cap (not shown) - the tip cap supplies the corn kernel with water and nutrients from the plant. The germ 4 contains the fat and protein of the corn kernel and is therefore of great interest, particularly to the food and animal feed industries, while the hard part of the endosperm 3 can be used to produce biogranules and thus for foamed biogranules.

[0084] Figure 2 shows a process for producing the foamed biogranules using maize as an example.

[0085] In step 10, the corn kernels, in this case dent corn or flint corn, are cleaned. Subsequently, the cleaned corn kernels are sterilized in a sterilizer in step 11. In step 12, the sterilized fraction is processed for milling purposes. For this purpose, corrugated rollers with different corrugations are provided, which crush the sterilized fraction. The desired grain size of the biogranules used in the puffing process is between 0.8 mm and 1.9 mm, so that after puffing, the expanded biogranules have a grain size in the range of 5 mm. In step 13, fractionation therefore takes place by sieving via plansifters and fluid separation (e.g., aspiration channels and tare tanks). This fractionation separates the flour fraction from the biogranules.In step 13, the flour generated during cutting, especially that of the soft endosperm, is separated, as this flour can lead to spreading during the subsequent hydrothermal puffing process. The energy consumption for the defloured biogranules obtained in step 13 is approximately 80 kWh per ton of biogranules.

[0086] In step 14, the fractions separated from the biogranules are diverted for the production of animal feed. These fractions include, in particular, the fat- and protein-rich germs and are therefore particularly valuable as animal feed.

[0087] In step 15, the defloured biogranules are hydrothermally puffed to produce foamed biogranules. The energy consumption for this process is between 200 and 250 kWh per ton of foamed biogranules.

[0088] It should be noted that degerminating the biogranules can result in significant energy savings compared to puffing non-germinated corn. Depending on the kernel size and glassiness, non-germinated corn requires approximately 500–700 kWh / ton of corn for puffing, which represents a total of approximately 170–420 kWh / ton more energy than the combined energy required for degerminating and puffing.

[0089] In step 16, the foamed biogranules are coated with an adhesive, in this case an epoxy. An encapsulated hardener is then added to the coating. The hardener can later be heat-activated (see step 17) to cure the epoxy.

[0090] In step 17, the coated biogranules are placed in a mold and pressed into a molded body under the influence of heat. The heat is applied via radio waves or other heat sources and causes the hardener to be released from the encapsulation, thus curing the epoxy.

[0091] As already mentioned above, the process can be carried out equally with other foamable biological materials, such as rice, quinoa, millet, etc.

[0092] In summary, it can be stated that according to the invention a semi-finished product and a process for producing the semi-finished product based on foamed biogranules for the production of shaped bodies are provided, which has a particularly low energy requirement and also conserves the raw material components essential for animal feed.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Semi-finished product for the production of shaped bodies, comprising foamed biogranulate grains made from biogranulate grains, characterized in that the biogranulate grains are sterilized.

2. Semi-finished product according to claim 1, characterized in that the foamed biogranules have a fat content of less than 2 wt.%, preferably less than 1 wt.%, particularly preferably less than 0.5 wt.%.

3. Semi-finished product according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the foamed biogranules have a protein content of less than 2 wt.%, preferably less than 1 wt.%, particularly preferably less than 0.5 wt.%.

4. Semi-finished product according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the foamed biogranules are produced by hydrothermal puffing.

5. Semi-finished product according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the foamed biogranulate grains have a coating, wherein the coating comprises an adhesive with which the foamed biogranulate grains can be connected to one another in a shaped body, wherein the adhesive in particular comprises an epoxy resin.

6. Semi-finished product according to claim 5, characterized in that the coating comprises an epoxy resin and a hardener for curing the epoxy resin, wherein the hardener is encapsulated in such a way that the curing of the epoxy resin for producing a shaped body can be achieved by an energy input into the semi-finished product, for opening the encapsulation and a release of the hardener.

7. Semi-finished product according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the semi-finished product is free-flowing.

8. A process for producing a semi-finished product according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a grain, in particular maize, is degerminated in order to to obtain seedling-free biogranules, which are then converted into foamed biogranules.

9. A method according to claim 8, characterized in that the grain is crushed by means of a roller mill, particularly preferably by means of a corrugated roller.

10. A method according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that the Biogranulate grains have a grain size between 500 pm and 3000 pm, preferably between 800 pm and 1900 pm. (Sieve analysis according to DIN 66165, June 2016) 11. A process according to claim 10, characterized in that the biogranules are hydrothermally puffed to obtain foamed biogranules.

12. A molded body produced from a semi-finished product according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

13. A method for producing a shaped body according to claim 12, characterized in that the semi-finished product is introduced into a mold and then combined to form a shaped body under the influence of energy, in particular heat.

14. A method according to claim 13, characterized in that the energy effect is Heat exposure occurs, in particular, using radio wave radiation, microwaves, hot air, infrared radiation, superheated steam or a combination of the above.

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