Wet Grinding Culinary Nuts to Sub-100 µm for High-Yield Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for preparing nut-based extracts, such as non-dairy milk, face challenges in simultaneously achieving favorable organoleptic properties, high yields of nutritionally beneficial components, and cost-effectiveness, often requiring multiple processing steps and expensive equipment.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the wet grinding of culinary nuts in suspension to an average particle size of less than 100 µm, followed by separation into solid and liquid phases, which allows for optimized extraction and yield of nutritionally beneficial components, and optionally includes the use of ground culinary nut shell material to enhance stability and cloudiness of the resulting emulsion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional methods are used to prepare nut-based extracts, then processing can be performed with simple equipment, but multiple processing steps and expensive equipment are required to achieve favorable organoleptic properties and high yields of nutritionally beneficial components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple processing operations (grinding, extraction, and separation) into a single integrated wet grinding process. By adding water to culinary nuts and performing wet grinding in one step, the method achieves particle size reduction below 100 µm while simultaneously extracting nutritionally beneficial components into the liquid phase, eliminating the need for separate extraction and filtration steps
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the nut material into fine particles through wet grinding to an average particle size of less than 100 µm. This segmentation increases the surface area of the nut particles, enabling more efficient extraction of nutritionally beneficial components into the liquid phase while maintaining simple processing equipment
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional methods are used to prepare nut-based extracts, then equipment requirements can be kept simple, but favorable organoleptic properties and tasty appearance cannot be achieved without elaborate equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the key parameter of particle size by performing wet grinding to achieve an average particle size of less than 100 µm. This parameter change directly improves organoleptic properties including taste, appearance, and mouthfeel, while being achieved through simple wet grinding equipment rather than elaborate processing systems
3Loss of substance
If in-shell nuts are processed, then environmental impact is reduced and shell material is utilized, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wet grinding process serves multiple functions simultaneously: it breaks down the shell material, extracts nutritionally beneficial components including antioxidants from the shells, and separates the mixture into solid and liquid phases. This multi-functionality allows complete utilization of in-shell nuts without increasing processing complexity
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 processing of culinary nuts, resulting in high yields of usable aromatic constituents and nutritionally beneficial components, while simplifying the process and reducing environmental impact by utilizing in-shell nuts.
Implementation Method 1
wet grinding said suspension in one or more steps to an average particle size of less than 100 µm measured as volume moment mean (D[4,3]) by laser photometry
Implementation Method 2
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.