Corn oil and dextrose extraction apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A corn product removal process for providing at least dextrose and oil from corn, the process comprising the steps of:
- extracting oil from the corn with a solvent to produce a corn-solvent mixture;
separating the oil from the corn-solvent mixture to produce deoiled corn solids including starch;
converting the starch to starch hydrolysates to produce a reaction mixture including dextrose; and
separating dextrose from the reaction mixture;
wherein said separating dextrose from the reaction mixture comprises;
separating suspended solids in the reaction mixture including fiber and corn gluten from dissolved solids including dextrose to produce a first product comprising fiber and corn gluten and, a second product comprising a solution of dissolved solids including dextrose; and
clarifying the solution of dissolved solids to produce a clarified dextrose solution.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for processing corn into one or more corn products including dextrose. In a preferred process, corn is processed and treated with solvent(s) to extract oil. The oil can be subsequently recovered using membrane technology. Zein may also be produced if the solvent is an alcohol. Starch in the deoiled meal is converted to dextrose by liquefaction and saccharification with enzymes. The reaction mixture containing the dextrose and other components is subjected to one or more unit operations such as screening, filtration, and/or membrane technology to produce one or more of corn gluten, soluble protein, dextrose, and fiber.
41 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A corn product removal process for providing at least dextrose and oil from corn, the process comprising the steps of:
-
extracting oil from the corn with a solvent to produce a corn-solvent mixture; separating the oil from the corn-solvent mixture to produce deoiled corn solids including starch; converting the starch to starch hydrolysates to produce a reaction mixture including dextrose; and separating dextrose from the reaction mixture; wherein said separating dextrose from the reaction mixture comprises; separating suspended solids in the reaction mixture including fiber and corn gluten from dissolved solids including dextrose to produce a first product comprising fiber and corn gluten and, a second product comprising a solution of dissolved solids including dextrose; and clarifying the solution of dissolved solids to produce a clarified dextrose solution. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A corn product removal process for providing at least dextrose and oil from corn, the process comprising the steps of:
-
extracting oil from the corn with a solvent to produce a corn-solvent mixture; separating the oil from the corn-solvent mixture to produce deoiled corn solids including starch; converting the starch to starch hydrolysates to produce a reaction mixture including dextrose; and separating dextrose from the reaction mixture; wherein said separating dextrose from the reaction mixture comprises; separating fiber from the reaction mixture for making a product comprising a solution comprising dextrose; and clarifying the solution dextrose in the reaction mixture after said separating fiber. - View Dependent Claims (14)
-
-
15. A corn product removal process for providing at least dextrose and zein from corn, the process comprising the steps of:
-
extracting zein from the corn with an ethanol or isopropanol solvent to produce a corn-solvent mixture; separating the zein from the corn-solvent mixture using at least one of centrifugation, filtration, and membrane filtration to produce dezeined corn solids including starch; converting the starch to starch hydrolysates to produce a reaction mixture including dextrose; and separating dextrose from the reaction mixture; wherein said separating dextrose from the reaction mixture comprises; separating suspended solids in the reaction mixture including fiber and corn gluten from dissolved solids including dextrose to produce a first product comprising fiber and corn gluten and, a second product comprising a solution of dissolved solids including dextrose; and clarifying the solution of dissolved solids to produce a clarified dextrose solution; wherein said clarifying comprises separating at least one of soluble protein, fine colloidal particles and emulsified solids from the dissolved solids. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A corn product removal process for providing at least dextrose and zein from corn, the process comprising the steps of:
-
extracting zein from the corn with an ethanol or isopropanol solvent to produce a corn-solvent mixture; separating the zein from the corn-solvent mixture using at least one of centrifugation, filtration, and membrane filtration to produce dezeined corn solids including starch; converting the starch to starch hydrolysates to produce a reaction mixture including dextrose; and separating dextrose from the reaction mixture; wherein said separating dextrose from the reaction mixture comprises; separating fiber from the reaction mixture for making a product comprising a solution comprising dextrose; and clarifying the solution dextrose in the reaction mixture after said separating fiber. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
-
-
25. A corn product removal system comprising:
-
an extractor extracting at least one of oil and zein from corn with a solvent to produce a corn-solvent mixture; a separator for separating at least one of oil and zein from the corn-solvent mixture to produce deoiled and/or dezeined corn solids including starch; a liquefaction and saccharification system for converting the starch to starch hydrolysates and producing a reaction mixture including dextrose; and a separator for separating dextrose from the reaction mixture; wherein said separator comprises; a suspended corn solids separator for separating suspended solids in the reaction mixture including fiber and corn gluten from dissolved solids including dextrose to produce a first product comprising fiber and corn gluten and, a second product comprising a solution of dissolved solids including dextrose; and a clarifier for clarifying the solution of dissolved solids to produce a clarified dextrose solution. - View Dependent Claims (26)
-
Specification