Rice Maltodextrin and Protein Isolation via Enzymatic Hydrolysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for manufacturing rice-based nutritional products face challenges in efficiently isolating and purifying maltodextrin and protein from rice, often resulting in the discarding of protein fractions during maltodextrin isolation and vice versa, leading to suboptimal utilization of rice resources.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the treatment of rice with water to form a hydrated slurry, followed by agitation with enzymes like α-amylase, separation using techniques such as microfiltration, and subsequent processing to isolate and separate maltodextrin and protein fractions, allowing for the production of high-quality rice syrup and protein products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If traditional methods are used to isolate maltodextrin from rice, then maltodextrin can be produced, but protein fractions are discarded leading to resource waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the discarding and recovering principle by capturing the protein fraction that would traditionally be discarded during maltodextrin isolation. The process separates protein from the starch slurry using filtration or centrifugation, then processes this previously wasted protein stream into valuable protein products, thereby recovering substance that would otherwise be lost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the rice processing stream into distinct protein and starch pathways. By separating the protein fraction early in the process and directing it through its own processing line, the patent enables independent optimization of both protein and maltodextrin production, improving overall resource utilization efficiency.
2Loss of substance
If traditional methods are used to isolate protein from rice, then protein can be produced, but maltodextrin fractions are discarded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers the maltodextrin fraction that would traditionally be discarded during protein isolation. After separating protein from the rice slurry, the process captures and processes the remaining starch-containing liquid to produce maltodextrin and rice syrup, thereby recovering valuable carbohydrate products from what would otherwise be waste stream.
3Manufacturing precision
If separate processing lines are used for maltodextrin and protein, then each product can be isolated, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary separation of protein and starch fractions early in the processing sequence, before either product requires extensive purification. This early division allows parallel processing of both streams simultaneously, reducing total processing time while maintaining the ability to achieve high purity in both final products through targeted downstream processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous processing where the separation and purification operations for both protein and maltodextrin occur in parallel continuous streams rather than sequential batch operations. This continuity eliminates idle time between operations and maintains constant production flow, reducing overall processing time while preserving product purity through consistent separation conditions.
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
This method enables the simultaneous isolation and purification of high-quality maltodextrin and protein fractions from rice, overcoming the limitations of traditional processes by allowing for the production of rice syrup and protein products with improved dextrose equivalents and protein purity.
Implementation Method 1
the slurry is agitated with an α-amylase enzyme until a mixture of dissolved maltodextrin and suspended protein is formed
Implementation Method 2
the milled rice slurry is heated with a steam injected jet cooker to enhance the rate of conversion of starch to maltodextrin
Implementation Method 3
the protein and maltodextrin are separated using a microfiltration membrane into an isolated protein fraction and an isolated maltodextrin fraction
Implementation Method 4
the isolated protein fraction is treated with a hydrolyzing agent to provide a hydrolyzed protein
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for manufacturing maltodextrin and protein nutritional products from rice are disclosed. Some embodiments include: milling hydrated rice, digesting with an α-amylase enzyme to form a mixture of maltodextrin and protein, and separating the protein and maltodextrin from one another.