Selective Dry Decortication for Whole Durum Wheat Semolina
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing processes for producing whole durum wheat semolina face challenges in maintaining nutritional characteristics, are organoleptically unappealing, and involve energy-intensive and microbiologically unstable wetting treatments, leading to reduced shelf-life and increased production costs.
Innovation Solution
A dry process for producing whole durum wheat semolina that includes decortication to remove the germ and outermost pericarp layers, followed by milling and sieving to achieve specific particle sizes, without preliminary wetting, ensuring high fibre and protein content while maintaining good organoleptic qualities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If wetting treatment is applied to durum wheat caryopses before decortication, then the decortication process becomes easier and more efficient, but the microbial load increases and shelf-life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical-chemical parameters of the wheat caryopses by controlling moisture content within a specific range (10-14%) and adjusting the water activity through controlled humidification rather than wetting. This parameter optimization allows decortication to proceed efficiently while maintaining microbial stability and extending shelf-life.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies preliminary controlled humidification to the wheat caryopses before decortication, which prepares the material for easier processing while simultaneously controlling microbial growth. This preliminary action optimizes the physical state of the wheat without creating the microbiological instability associated with wetting treatments.
2Manufacturing precision
If traditional decortication and milling processes are used to remove bran, then the semolina achieves high purity, but the nutritional value is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies selective decortication that removes only the outermost pericarp layers while preserving the inner bran layers (aleurone, nucellar, and testa layers) that contain valuable nutrients. This local quality approach ensures that the semolina maintains high purity from the endosperm while retaining the nutritional benefits of the inner bran layers.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of complete bran removal, the invention applies partial decortication that removes only the necessary outer protective layers (pericarp) while leaving the nutritionally valuable inner bran layers intact. This partial action achieves sufficient purity for semolina production while preserving nutritional content.
3Quantity of substance
If whole bran is included in semolina to improve nutritional value, then fibre and protein content increase, but organoleptic qualities deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention differentiates between outer pericarp layers (removed) and inner bran layers (retained), keeping the nutritious aleurone, nucellar, and testa layers while eliminating the outer layers that contribute to dark color and coarse texture. This local quality selection maintains nutritional value while improving organoleptic qualities.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments the bran into different functional components: the outer pericarp layers are separated and removed, while the inner bran layers are retained in the semolina. This segmentation allows the product to maintain high nutritional value without the negative organoleptic effects of complete whole bran inclusion.
4Quantity of substance
If multiple decortication and milling steps are used to produce whole semolina, then nutritional characteristics are maintained, but production complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary controlled humidification to optimize the wheat caryopses for decortication, which facilitates more efficient separation in fewer subsequent steps. This preliminary action reduces the number of repeated decortication and milling cycles needed, thereby simplifying the overall process while maintaining nutritional characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
By optimizing moisture content and water activity parameters before processing, the invention enables more effective decortication that achieves the desired separation in fewer steps. This parameter optimization reduces production complexity and energy consumption while preserving the nutritional value of the semolina.
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 simplifies production, reduces energy consumption, minimizes microbial load, and extends shelf-life, while maintaining nutritional and organoleptic qualities, resulting in a semolina with enhanced fibre and protein content that meets regulatory ash content requirements.
Implementation Method 1
subjecting durum wheat caryopses to a step of decortication in order to remove the germ and only the outermost layer or outermost layers of said pericarp
Implementation Method 2
The decorticator (2) comprises a rotating shaft with vertical axis on which abrasive wheels are mounted, arranged so as to determine the removal of the germ and outermost bran layers of the durum wheat caryopsis in form of powder
Implementation Method 3
The flow of decorticated caryopses coming from the decorticator (2) is then fed into a milling chamber (8) defined between two rolling grooved rollers (6, 7)
Data Source
AI summary
A dry process for the production of whole durum wheat semolina is described, wherein wheat caryopses (101) are subjected to decortication in order to remove the germ (107) and only the outermost layers of the pericarp (102) of the multilayer bran coating of said caryopses and the caryopses decorticated in this way are subjected to milling followed by sieving, selecting fractions having a particle size lower than or equal to 500 μm, which form the aforementioned whole durum wheat semolina. The invention also refers to a whole durum wheat semolina obtained by the aforementioned process having a moisture content lower than or equal to 13%, a total fibre content between 8% and 13% and a protein content between 12% and 17%, and a whole-wheat pasta and a bakery product obtained using the aforementioned semolina.