Food-grade flour from dry fractionated corn germ and collet composition and method for producing same

Abstract

A nutrient rich food-grade defatted corn germ flour derived from a dry-milled corn germ fraction is provided. The flour produced contains high levels of protein, dietary fiber, and amino acids and is low in fat. Furthermore, a method for preparing the flour by forming collets and removing oil from the dry-milled corn germ fraction is provided. The method includes: providing a dry-milled corn germ fraction; conditioning the fraction; flaking the fraction to increase surface area; adding water and steam to the flaked fraction; forming the flaked fraction into collets; removing oil from the collets by solvent-extraction; drying the collets; and processing the collets in a food-grade flourmill to obtain food-grade defatted corn germ flour with a desired consistency. The solvent-extraction process produces a miscella, a mixture of corn oil, hydrocarbon solvent, and water. The miscella may be processed through a distillation system to recover crude food-grade corn oil.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for processing a raw dry-milled corn germ fraction comprising:
 providing a raw dry-milled corn germ fraction;   forming moistened corn germ by adding water and steam into an expander;   producing corn germ collets by extruding said moistened corn germ through said expander;   drying said corn germ collets; and   producing miscella and de-oiled collets by extracting and washing said corn germ collets.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising desolventizing said de-oiled collets and producing food-grade defatted corn germ flour by milling said de-oiled collets. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising producing conditioned corn germ by heating and conditioning said raw dry-milled corn germ. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising producing flaked corn germ by processing said conditioned corn germ though a flaker. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said flaked corn germ has a greater surface area than said conditioned corn germ. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein water and steam is added into said expander to form said moistened corn germ from said flaked corn germ. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said water is added at ambient temperature. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said water is added at a rate of less than one gallon per minute with a corn germ running rate of 155 tons per day. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said steam is added at a pressure between 35 and 80 pounds per square inch. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising producing food-grade oil. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said miscella and de-oiled collets are produced in an extractor by washing said corn germ collets with a hydrocarbon solvent. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said food-grade oil is produced by removing said hydrocarbon solvent and water from said miscella. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising producing conditioned corn germ by heating and conditioning said raw dry-milled corn germ. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising producing flaked corn germ by processing said conditioned corn germ though a flaker. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein water and steam is added into said expander to form said moistened corn germ from said flaked corn germ. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said water is added at ambient temperature. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said water is added at a rate of less than one gallon per minute with a corn germ running rate of 155 tons per day. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said steam is added at a pressure between 35 and 80 pounds per square inch. 
     
     
         19 . A method for processing a raw dry-milled corn germ fraction comprising:
 providing a raw dry-milled corn germ fraction;   forming moistened corn germ by adding water and steam into an expander;   producing corn germ collets by extruding said moistened corn germ through said expander;   drying said corn germ collets;   producing miscella and de-oiled collets by extracting and washing said corn germ collets with a solvent;   desolventizing said de-oiled collets; and   producing food-grade defatted corn germ flour by cooling and milling said de-oiled collets.   
     
     
         20 . A method for processing a raw dry-milled corn germ fraction comprising:
 providing a raw dry-milled corn germ fraction;   forming moistened corn germ by adding water and steam into an expander;   producing corn germ collets by extruding said moistened corn germ through said expander,   drying said corn germ collets;   producing miscella and de-oiled collets by extracting and washing said corn germ collets with a solvent;   producing crude food-grade oil by distilling said miscella to remove said solvent and water from said miscella.