Milling Process

• US 20160002690A1
• Filed: 11/26/2013
• Published: 01/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Novozymes A/S (Novozymes)
• Original Assignee: Novozymes A/S (Novozymes)
• Inventors: Long, Zhen, Saunders, Paria, Deinhammer, Randy, McLaughlin, Scott R., Han, Wang, Gibbons, Tom, Jones, Mandy
• Application Number:
  US14/646,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20160002690A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C08B 30/044 from corn or maize
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/04 Polysaccharides, i.e. compounds containing more than five saccharide radicals attached to each other by glycosidic bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/14 produced by the action of a carbohydrase (EC 3.2.x), e.g. by alpha-amylase , e.g. by cellulase, hemicellulase

Abstract

The present invention provides process for treating crop kernels, comprising the steps of a) soaking kernels in water to produce soaked kernels; b) grinding the soaked kernels; c) treating the soaked kernels in the presence of an effective amount of an enzyme composition comprising: i) a protease, and ii) a cellulolytic composition, wherein step c) is performed before, during or after step b).

Claims

1. A process for treating crop kernels, comprising the steps of:

a) soaking kernels in water to produce soaked kernels;

b) grinding the soaked kernels;

c) treating the soaked kernels in the presence of an effective amount of an enzyme composition comprising;

i) a protease,

ii) a cellulolytic composition comprising

1) a cellulase or a hemicellulase, and

2) a GH61 polypeptide, and

wherein step c) is performed before, during or after step b).

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the protease is present in a range of about 10% w/w to about 65% w/w, such as about 25% w/w to about 50% w/w of the total amount of enzyme protein.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the protease is present in less than about 60% w/w of the total amount of enzyme protein.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the protease is present in about 50% w/w of the total amount of enzyme protein.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the protease is present in about 25% w/w of the total amount of enzyme protein.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the GH61 polypeptide is a GH61 polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein the enzyme composition comprises a cellulase and a hemicellulase.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein the enzyme composition comprises an endoglucanase.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein the enzyme composition comprises a xylanase.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein the kernels are soaked in water for about 2-10 hours.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein the soaking is carried out at a temperature between about 40°

C. and about 60°

C.

12. The process of claim 1, wherein the soaking is carried out at acidic pH.

13. The process of claim 1, wherein the soaking is performed in the presence of between 0.01-1% SO₂ and/or NaHSO₃.

14. The process of claim 1, wherein the crop kernels are from corn (maize), rice, barley, sorghum bean, or fruit hulls, or wheat.

15. A process for treating crop kernels, comprising the steps of:

a) soaking kernels in water to produce soaked kernels;

b) grinding the soaked kernels;

c) treating the soaked kernels in the presence of an effective amount of an enzyme composition comprising;

i) a protease, and

ii) a cellulolytic composition comprising a cellulase or a hemicellulase,

wherein step c) is performed before, during or after step b), and

wherein the protease is present in a range of about 10% w/w to about 65% w/w of the total amount of enzyme protein.

16. (canceled)

17. A process for treating crop kernels comprising a) soaking kernels in water to produce soaked kernels;

b) grinding the soaked kernels;

c) treating the soaked kernels in the presence of an effective amount of a GH61 polypeptide, wherein step c) is performed before, during or after step b).

18. The process of claim 17, wherein the GH61 polypeptide enhances the wet milling benefit of one or more enzymes.