Process for improving enzymatic degumming of vegetable oils and reducing fouling of downstream processing equipment

• US 20070134777A1
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bunge Oils, Inc. (Bunge Limited)
• Original Assignee: Bunge Oils, Inc. (Bunge Limited)
• Inventors: Berkshire, Thomas, Dayton, Chris, Staller, Kerry
• Granted Patent: US 7,713,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/134
• CPC Class Codes: A23D 9/02 characterised by the production or working-up
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 1/025 by enzymes or microorganisms, living or dead
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 3/001 by a combination of two or more of the means hereafter
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 3/003 by enzymes or microorganisms, living or dead
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 3/04 with acids
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/6445 Glycerides
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/6481 Phosphoglycerides phosphoglycerides having carboxylic acids with less than seven carbon atoms C12P7/62
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/74 Recovery of fats, fatty oils, fatty acids or other fatty substances, e.g. lanolin or waxes

Abstract

A process controls enzymatic degumming characteristics which cause fouling of post-reactor equipment of industrial scale processing of edible oils. An anti-fouling agent including an organic or mineral acid is added after the reactor and before any post-reactor equipment such as heat exchangers and centrifuges. Typically the anti-fouling agent is added at greater than about 100 ppm of the oil, and typically the pH of the aqueous phase of the oil is between about 3.5 and 4.2.

Claims

1. A process for reducing fouling of industrial scale edible oil processing equipment, comprising:

reacting an edible oil source with an enzyme thereby cleaving fat components of the edible oil source to provide hydrated sites and create cleaved components to provide a reacted edible oil;

adding a post-reaction anti-fouling component to the reacted edible oil to provide a post-reaction mixture thereof;

passing a flow of said post-reaction mixture of reacted edible oil and anti-fouling component into and through downstream processing equipment; and

thereby preventing fouling on working surfaces of the downstream processing equipment through the action of said anti-fouling component present within said reacted edible oil of the post-reaction mixture while same is within the downstream processing equipment.

2. The process in accordance with claim 1, wherein said anti-fouling component is an organic or mineral acid suitable for use with food for human consumption.

3. The process in accordance with claim 2, wherein said anti-fouling component is citric acid, phosphoric acid, maleic acid or malic acid.

4. The process in accordance with claim 2, wherein said anti-fouling component reduces the pH of said reacted edible oil'"'"'s aqueous phase to not greater than 4.5 pH.

5. The process in accordance with claim 4, wherein said reacted edible oil'"'"'s aqueous phase is reduced to between about 3.5 and 4.2 pH.

6. The process in accordance with claim 4, wherein, during said reacting, said edible oil'"'"'s aqueous phase is at a pH of between 4.5 and 5.2.

7. The process in accordance with claim 1, wherein said reacting is characterized by shear mixing.

8. The process in accordance with claim 1, wherein said anti-fouling agent is present at a level of at least about 100 ppm during said passing that is after said adding.

9. The process in accordance with claim 8, wherein said level of the anti-fouling agent is between about 100 ppm and about 200 ppm.

10. The process in accordance with claim 1, wherein said passing into the downstream processing equipment is completed in not more than one minute after said adding of anti-fouling component.

11. The process in accordance with claim 1, wherein said enzyme of the reacting step is selected from the group consisting of any of phospholipase A-1, A-2, B, C and D.

12. A degummed edible oil made in accordance with a process comprising:

reacting an edible oil source with an enzyme thereby cleaving fat components of the edible oil source to provide hydrated sites and create cleaved components to provide a reacted edible oil;

adding a post-reaction anti-fouling component to the reacted edible oil to provide a post-reaction mixture thereof;

passing a flow of said post-reaction mixture of reacted edible oil and anti-fouling component into downstream processing equipment, thereby preventing fouling on working surfaces of the downstream processing equipment; and

whereby said degummed edible oil has a phosphorus content of not greater than about 5 ppm.

13. The product in accordance with claim 12, wherein said anti-fouling component is an organic or mineral acid suitable for use with food for human consumption, and said reacted edible oil has an aqueous phase with a pH of between about 3.5 and 4.2.

14. The product in accordance with claim 12, wherein said anti-fouling component is citric acid, phosphoric acid, maleic acid or malic acid, and said reacted edible oil has an aqueous phase with a pH of between about 3.5 and 4.2.

15. The product in accordance with claim 12, wherein said anti-fouling agent is present at a level of at least about 100 ppm during said passing that is after said adding.

16. The product in accordance with claim 15, wherein said level of the anti-fouling agent is between about 100 ppm and about 200 ppm.

17. The product in accordance with claim 12, wherein said passing into the downstream processing equipment is completed in not more than 45 seconds after said adding of anti-fouling component.

18. The product in accordance with claim 12, wherein said enzyme of the reacting step is selected from the group consisting of any phospholipase A-1, A-2, B, C and D.