Method and Apparatus for Controlled Hydrolysis

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlled hydrolysis. The method can comprise hydrolyzing a first reagent in a first hydrolysis reaction and deactivating a first enzyme catalyzing the first hydrolysis reaction. The deactivating step can occur in about 10 seconds or less; the deactivating step can comprise adding a deactivating fluid to a composition comprising the first enzyme and heating the first enzyme using a deactivating mechanism. In other aspects, hydrolyzing the first reagent and deactivating the first enzyme can occur in a conduit, and the first hydrolysis reaction can occur in a composition that is at least 50% water by weight. The apparatus can provide a hydrolysis reactor comprising: a conduit; a composition inlet in the conduit for a composition; a first enzyme inlet in the conduit downstream of the composition inlet; and a first deactivating mechanism downstream of the first enzyme inlet to deactivate the first enzyme.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 hydrolyzing a first reagent in a first hydrolysis reaction; and   deactivating a first enzyme catalyzing the first hydrolysis reaction;   wherein the deactivating step lasts no more than about 10 seconds.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein the first reagent is selected from the group consisting of starch molecules, fiber molecules, and protein molecules.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein the first hydrolysis reaction is a first enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis reaction selected from the group consisting of a starch-hydrolysis reaction, a fiber-hydrolysis reaction, and a protein-hydrolysis reaction.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein the first hydrolysis reaction is part of a continuous hydrolysis process;   wherein the first enzyme and a composition comprising the first reagent are fed to a first hydrolysis reaction zone;   wherein the first enzyme is deactivated in a first deactivation zone; and   wherein the first deactivation zone begins downstream of where the first hydrolysis reaction zone begins.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 deactivating the first enzyme before more than about  10  wt. % of the first reagent has been converted to molecules selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides, and both monosaccharides and disaccharides; 
 wherein the first reagent is selected from the group consisting of fiber and starch. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 hydrolyzing a second reagent in a second hydrolysis reaction catalyzed by a second enzyme, wherein the second reagent is starch; 
 deactivating the second enzyme before more than about 10 wt. % of the second reagent has been converted to non-starch molecules; 
 wherein the first reagent is selected from the group consisting of fiber and protein. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 activating the first enzyme by heating the first enzyme. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 activating a second enzyme; and 
 deactivating the second enzyme. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 wherein the first reagent is fiber; and 
 wherein a second reagent is starch. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein whole grain comprises the first reagent; and   wherein, after hydrolyzing the first reagent, the whole grain has a mass ratio selected from the group consisting of:
 a mass ratio of fiber to protein equal, within a tolerance of +/−20%, to a mass ratio of fiber to protein of the whole grain before hydrolyzing the first reagent; 
 a mass ratio of fat to protein equal, within a tolerance of +/−20%, to a mass ratio of fat to protein of the whole grain before hydrolyzing the first reagent; 
 a mass ratio of starch to protein equal, within a tolerance of +/−20%, to a mass ratio of starch to protein of the whole grain before hydrolyzing the first reagent; and 
 any combination thereof. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein a bran composition comprises the first reagent; and   wherein no more than about  10  wt. % of beta-glucan in the bran composition is hydrolyzed to non-beta-glucan molecules.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing a composition to a conduit, wherein the composition comprises at least 50 wt. % water, wherein the composition comprises grain with whole grain status, wherein the grain comprises the first reagent, and wherein the first reagent is starch;   mixing the first enzyme with the composition in the conduit to catalyze the first hydrolysis reaction, wherein the first enzyme is α-amylase; and   combining steam with the composition in the conduit to deactivate the first enzyme, thereby maintaining the whole grain status of the grain and thereby providing a product composition, wherein the product composition is food grade.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 hydrolyzing a second reagent in a second hydrolysis reaction; 
 deactivating a second enzyme catalyzing the second hydrolysis reaction; 
 hydrolyzing a third reagent in a third hydrolysis reaction; and 
 deactivating a third enzyme catalyzing the third hydrolysis reaction. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein the first enzyme is an endo-cellulase; and   wherein the first enzyme provides about 30-200 International Units (IU) of enzyme activity per gram of fiber.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 6 :
 wherein the second enzyme is α-amylase; and   wherein the second enzyme provides about 600-3100 Modified Wohlgemuth Units (MWU) of enzyme activity per gram of starch.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 6 :
 wherein whole grain comprises the second reagent; and   wherein, after hydrolyzing the second reagent, the whole grain has a mass ratio selected from the group consisting of:
 a mass ratio of fiber to protein equal, within a tolerance of +/−20%, to a mass ratio of fiber to protein of the whole grain before hydrolyzing the second reagent; 
 a mass ratio of fat to protein equal, within a tolerance of +/−20%, to a mass ratio of fat to protein of the whole grain before hydrolyzing the second reagent; 
 a mass ratio of starch to protein equal, within a tolerance of +/−20%, to a mass ratio of starch to protein of the whole grain before hydrolyzing the second reagent; and 
 any combination thereof. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein whole grain comprises the first reagent; and   wherein the whole grain maintains whole grain status after hydrolyzing the first reagent.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 :
 wherein the bran composition is oat bran; and   wherein the bran composition comprises:
 at least about 5.5 wt. % beta-glucan on a total dry weight basis; 
 at least about 16.0 wt. % dietary fiber on a total dry weight basis; and 
 wherein at least one-third of the total dietary fiber is soluble fiber. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method provides a product composition; and
 wherein the product composition is a food grade product composition.   
     
     
         20 . A hydrolysis reactor comprising:
 a conduit;   a composition inlet in the conduit for a composition;   a first enzyme inlet in the conduit downstream of the composition inlet; and   a first deactivating mechanism downstream of the first enzyme inlet to deactivate the first enzyme.   
     
     
         21 . The hydrolysis reactor of  claim 20  further comprising:
 a preconditioning fluid inlet in the conduit downstream of the composition inlet. 
 
     
     
         22 . The hydrolysis reactor of  claim 20  further comprising:
 an intermediate heater along the conduit, downstream of the composition inlet, and upstream of the first deactivating mechanism. 
 
     
     
         23 . The hydrolysis reactor of  claim 20  further comprising:
 an intermediate heating device along the conduit, downstream of the composition inlet, and upstream of the first deactivating mechanism. 
 
     
     
         24 . The hydrolysis reactor of  claim 20 , wherein the hydrolysis reactor is located on a mobile skid. 
     
     
         25 . The hydrolysis reactor of  claim 20  further comprising:
 a second enzyme inlet in the conduit downstream of the first enzyme inlet. 
 
     
     
         26 . The hydrolysis reactor of  claim 25  further comprising:
 a second deactivating mechanism downstream of the second enzyme inlet to deactivate the second enzyme. 
 
     
     
         27 . The hydrolysis reactor of  claim 26  further comprising:
 a third deactivating mechanism downstream of a third enzyme inlet to deactivate a third enzyme.