Patent ID: 7709034
Filing Date: 2010-05-04
Classification: A23K,A23L,C08B,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A process for extracting the water-soluble portion of corn fiber hulls to obtain a water-soluble non-caloric corn fiber comprising the steps of: subjecting said corn fiber hulls to a destarching process to obtain a destarched corn fiber, wherein said destarching process comprises treating a water and corn fiber mixture in the absence of an alkaline compound, at a temperature between about 35° C. and about 70° C. and at a pH from about 3 to about 5 in the presence of a starch-degrading enzyme mixture consisting of alpha-amylase and glucoamylase; dewatering said destarched corn fiber; and exposing said dewatered and destarched corn fiber to a thermochemical treatment to obtain a liquid fraction containing water-soluble non-caloric corn fiber, wherein said thermochemical treatment comprises elevating the temperature of the corn fiber to between about 130° C. to about 175° C. at a pressure of between about 2.70 bar to about 8.92 bar, in the presence of water and, optionally, acid.