Wheat Gluten Pellets with Controlled Viscoelasticity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing processes for manufacturing wheat gluten pellets either fail to preserve the viscoelastic properties of vital wheat gluten or require complex and finely controlled methods, leading to difficulties in handling and use, especially in applications like animal feed production where stable water retention and binding properties are crucial.
Innovation Solution
A novel process for producing 'partially vital' wheat gluten pellets with controlled water retention capacity and viscoelastic behavior, achieved by compressing vital wheat gluten powder under specific conditions, including regulating steam addition and particle size optimization, to maintain elasticity while reducing extensibility and improving handling characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If vital wheat gluten is pelleted to improve handling and prevent dust, then flowability and dust generation are improved, but the pellets tend to agglomerate and form lumpy masses upon hydration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the moisture content of the gluten powder before pelleting (maintaining it between 10-15%) and controlling the compression parameters during pelleting. These parameter adjustments allow the gluten to form stable pellets that disperse uniformly without agglomerating, resolving the contradiction between improved handling and maintained dispersion stability.
2Ease of operation
If vital wheat gluten is pelleted using conventional processes to improve handling, then flowability is improved, but the viscoelastic properties are lost or require complex control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains viscoelastic properties by carefully controlling the moisture content (10-15%) and compression parameters during pelleting. These parameter changes allow the gluten to be pelleted for improved handling while preserving its characteristic viscoelastic behavior, eliminating the need for complex control methods used in conventional processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-conditioning the gluten powder to the optimal moisture content range (10-15%) before pelleting. This preliminary moisture adjustment ensures that the gluten will maintain its viscoelastic properties during and after the pelleting process, while still achieving improved handling characteristics.
3Stability of the object's composition
If gluten powder is hydrated to achieve proper consistency, then the desired functional properties are obtained, but it forms a rubbery elastic mass that is difficult to work with
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the gluten into small, uniform pellets with controlled size distribution. This segmentation allows the gluten to be hydrated more uniformly and prevents the formation of large rubbery masses, making the hydrated product easier to work with while maintaining functional properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the workability of hydrated gluten by optimizing the initial pellet moisture content (10-15%) and the compression parameters. These parameter changes result in pellets that hydrate uniformly and form a manageable consistency rather than a rubbery elastic mass, improving ease of operation.
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 results in wheat gluten pellets with a water retention capacity between 40 and 160% and a viscoelastic behavior characterized by a P/L ratio between 3 and 10, enhancing their usability in animal feed production by preventing dough formation and maintaining protein content and durability, thus overcoming the limitations of conventional vital and devitalized gluten pellets.
Implementation Method 1
conditioning said vital wheat gluten powder by regulated addition of steam at the inlet of the blender in order to obtain at the outlet of the blender a temperature of the air-powder mixture between 10 and 50° C.
Implementation Method 2
introducing the wheat gluten powder into the die of the pellet press in order to obtain the wheat gluten pellets
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to protein pellets including wheat gluten, characterized in that the gluten has: a water retention capacity, determined according to a test A, of between 40 and 160%, preferably between 100 and 150%; and a viscoelastic behaviour, according to the Chopin Alveograph, determined at a P/L parameter value of between 3 and 10, preferably between 3 and 8.