Wet Grinding of In-Shell Nuts for Nutrient Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for preparing nut-based extracts, such as non-dairy milk, face challenges in achieving favorable organoleptic properties, high yields of nutritionally beneficial components, and efficient processing without extensive steps, equipment, and high costs, while also discarding valuable shell materials that contain antioxidants, leading to economic and environmental issues.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of non-shelled culinary nuts, where water is added to form a suspension that is then wet ground to less than 100 µm and separated into a solid and liquid phase, allowing for optimized extraction and processing of antioxidants and bioactive components without elaborate shell separation, using techniques like wet grinding and three-phase separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional methods are used to prepare nut-based extracts, then processing steps and equipment complexity increase, but extraction efficiency and yield of nutritionally beneficial components improve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple processing steps into a single integrated wet grinding operation that simultaneously achieves cell disruption, nutrient extraction, and shell material processing. This merging of operations reduces the number of separate equipment needs while maintaining high extraction efficiency for nutritionally beneficial components.
Solution Approach 2:
The wet grinding process serves multiple functions simultaneously: it grinds nuts to fine particles, extracts nutrients into the liquid phase, and processes shell materials to recover valuable components. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate specialized equipment for each operation.
2Ease of manufacture
If shell materials are discarded in conventional processing, then processing simplicity is maintained, but economic value and antioxidant content are lost
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discarding shell materials, the patent recovers valuable antioxidants and bioactive components from shells during the wet grinding process. The shell materials are processed alongside the nut kernels, and their extracted components are recovered in the liquid phase, transforming waste into a valuable resource.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the previously harmful or wasteful shell materials into beneficial sources of antioxidants. By incorporating shell processing into the wet grinding operation, the method transforms what was considered waste into a valuable contribution to the nutritional profile of the extract.
3Manufacturing precision
If elaborate shell separation is performed, then purity of nut extract is improved, but processing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges shell separation with the wet grinding operation itself, using the mechanical action of wet grinding to simultaneously achieve fine particle size reduction and separation of nut materials from shell materials. This eliminates the need for separate shell removal steps while maintaining extract purity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical shell removal systems with a wet grinding approach where water and mechanical grinding action work together to separate and process shell materials. This substitution reduces processing time while achieving comparable or superior separation effectiveness.
4Productivity
If rapid processing is implemented, then production cost decreases, but extraction completeness and organoleptic properties may suffer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes parameters such as water-to-nut ratio, grinding time, and particle size reduction to achieve rapid processing without compromising extraction completeness. By carefully controlling these parameters, the method maintains high extraction efficiency for both nut kernel and shell materials while reducing overall processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuous useful action throughout the wet grinding process, ensuring that extraction occurs simultaneously with grinding and shell separation. This continuous operation eliminates idle time and ensures complete extraction of nutritionally beneficial components without requiring prolonged processing steps.
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 rapid, inexpensive, and efficient production of culinary nut extracts with improved organoleptic properties and high yields of nutritionally beneficial components, effectively utilizing the entire nut, including shell materials, thus reducing waste and processing costs.
Implementation Method 1
adding water to non-shelled culinary nuts to form a suspension
Implementation Method 2
wet grinding said suspension in one or more steps to an average particle size of less than 100 µm
Implementation Method 3
separating the suspension into at least a solid phase comprising culinary nut solids and a liquid phase comprising culinary nut milk
Data Source
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AI summary
Described are methods and/or techniques for the production of culinary nut extracts, which simultaneously result in extracts and non-dairy products with favorable organoleptic properties, tasty appearance and high yields of nutritionally useful components, and which may be performed in a simple, rapid and cost-effective manner. In addition, the described methods are capable of processing in-shell culinary nuts to make effective use of the high contents of bioactive materials present in shell material. Specifically, the invention relates to a method for processing culinary nuts, comprising the steps of: a) adding water to culinary nuts to form a suspension; b) wet grinding said suspension in one or more steps to an average particle size of less than 100 µm; and c) separating the suspension into at least a solid phase comprising culinary nut solids and a liquid phase comprising culinary nut milk. Furthermore, a nut milk, edible nut-based products comprising the solid phase obtained by the aforementioned method or the nut milk, as well as nut oil extracts are disclosed.