Defatted Peanut Processing via Hydraulic Pressing and Water Reconstitution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing low-fat, low-calorie snack nuts are inefficient, resulting in long processing times, low yields, and unappealing texture and taste, making them unsuitable for commercial viability and consumer acceptance.
Innovation Solution
A physical process involving shelling, blanching, close-packed monolayer pressing with vacuum cycles to extract oil, rapid reconstitution with hot water, annealing with cold water, and subsequent drying and roasting to produce snack nuts with high protein, fiber, and acceptable hardness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If chemical solvents are used to remove oil from nuts, then fat and calorie content is reduced, but the process becomes undesirable due to chemical usage in food production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts oil from nuts using only mechanical pressure through a hydraulic press, completely eliminating the need for chemical solvents. The nut kernel is placed in a hydraulic press where high pressure forces the oil out through a screen, achieving oil removal through physical extraction alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces chemical solvent-based oil extraction with a purely mechanical hydraulic pressing system. The hydraulic press applies controlled pressure to the nut kernel, and the expelled oil is collected through a screen, substituting chemical methods with mechanical force.
2Quantity of substance
If high pressure is applied to remove maximum oil from nuts, then fat content is reduced, but the nuts become deformed and cannot be reformed to look like natural nuts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial pressure rather than maximum pressure to the nut kernel. The hydraulic press applies sufficient pressure to extract a significant portion of the oil (reducing fat content) while stopping before the pressure level that would cause permanent deformation of the nut shape.
3Quantity of substance
If conventional oil removal processes are used, then fat content is reduced, but processing time becomes excessively long (30 minutes to two hours)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent rushes through the oil removal process by applying high mechanical pressure immediately after shelling and blanching. The hydraulic pressing step completes quickly compared to conventional methods, extracting oil in a fraction of the time required by traditional slow-pressure or chemical extraction processes.
4Quantity of substance
If nuts are pressed to remove oil, then fat content is reduced, but the nuts become flattened and require reconstitution which lowers yield
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial pressure that removes oil effectively without causing complete flattening of the nuts. This partial action preserves enough of the original nut shape and structure to maintain high yield during subsequent drying and packaging, avoiding the need for extensive reconstitution.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process significantly reduces processing time, increases yield, and produces snack nuts with taste, texture, and hardness comparable to regular nuts, addressing the long-felt need for cost-effective, commercially viable low-calorie snack nuts.
Implementation Method 1
The second type of process removes nut oil by applying pressure to the nuts. The high pressure expels the oil from the nuts.
Implementation Method 2
The nuts are then reconstituted to their original shape by placing them in contact with water heated to a temperature between 176° to 212° F.
Implementation Method 3
The nuts are then immediately annealed (hardened) by subjecting them to cold water at a temperature ranging from 32° to 68° F. for a period of time typically less than one minute.
Implementation Method 4
The expelled oil is simultaneously removed and collected using the vacuum pump.
Data Source
AI summary
The Present Invention is an uncoated reduced fat, high fiber, high protein, and low calorie roasted snack peanut. The uncoated snack peanuts are manufactured using a physical process comprising expelling the oil from nutmeat kernels (defatting) using a novel pressing process that takes less than a minute. The defatting process deforms the nuts. The peanuts are reformed to their original shape using water. Then the reformed nuts are annealed using cold water to produce hardened nuts. The peanuts are then dried and roasted using state-of-the-art technology. Prior art processes that expel the oil from nuts and reconstitute them produce nuts that easily break and flake. Most of these nuts have an undesirable taste. By contrast, the uncoated, defatted peanuts of the Present Invention have hardness, texture, taste, aroma, and a physical appearance closely approximating that of natural nuts. The shelf life is improved relative to the prior art processes.