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  Process of reducing fouling during heat processing of foods and beveragesUSPTO Application #: 20060240159Title: Process of reducing fouling during heat processing of foods and beverages Abstract: A pasteurization or sterilization process reduces fouling of a food or beverage composition containing protein during the heat treatment. An antifouling agent is added to the food or beverage composition that is selected from hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) with a hydroxypropyl molar substitution of greater than 3.0 and a weight average molecular weight (Mw) as measured by SEC of greater than 350,000 Dalton, methylhydroxypropylcellulose (MHPC) with a methoxyl content of greater than 17% and a hydroxypropyl content of greater than 3%, methylcellulose (MC) with a methoxyl content greater than 17% and a viscosity in water at ambient temperatures and a concentration of 2% of greater than 1,000 cps, or mixtures thereof, This food or beverage composition is then heated in a first heat exchanger at a temperature between 50 and 100° C. for a time of from about 2 seconds to 30 minutes for pasteurization or it is further heated to sterilization temperatures before being packaged out or further processed. The improvements of this process is that the heat exchangers are fouled at least 10% by weight less or run-time increased at least 10% as compared to when heat-treating a similar food or beverage composition without the antifouling agent. (end of abstract)
Agent: Hercules Incorporated Hercules Plaza - Wilmington, DE, US Inventors: Mary Jean Cash, Paquita Erazo-Majewicz, Richard M. Good USPTO Applicaton #: 20060240159 - Class: 426392000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Food Or Edible Material: Processes, Compositions, And Products, Processes, Packaging Or Treatment Of Packaged Product The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060240159. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/662,704, filed Mar. 17, 2005. FIELD OF INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to a method for reducing fouling of heat transfer surfaces. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method of using certain cellulose ethers for reducing fouling of heat transfer surfaces of food and beverage compositions containing proteins during pasteurization or sterilization. BACKGROUND [0003] Many processed foods and beverages available to the consumer are heat-processed to eliminate microbial contamination and to ensure a suitable product shelf-life. These heat-processed foods have been subjected or exposed to temperatures that would kill disease-causing microorganisms and/or reduce the number of spoilage microorganisms. Heat-processing is used in the production of a variety of food and beverage products, including but not limited to juice, juice products, milk and other dairy products, egg based foods and beverages, and canned condensed soups. [0004] In addition to improving the shelf-life of the food or beverage, heat-processing can also initiate reversible and irreversible changes in the solubility of proteins, fats, and salts that are components of the food or beverage product. The result is the deposition and adsorption of these organic components, e.g., proteins, fat, and other food components, and inorganic components, e.g., calcium phosphates and other salts onto the surface of the processing equipment, producing a surface deposit layer known as a fouling layer on the equipment. The heat exchanger surfaces of the processing equipment are particularly affected. [0005] Fouling and subsequent cleaning of processing equipment, and particularly heat exchangers, is a problem in the food and beverage industry because of its impact on food safety as well as plant performance and production efficiency. Fouling and subsequent cleaning of processing equipment in the dairy industry causes significant increases in capital and operating costs annually. Frequent cleaning of plate heat exchangers (PHE), tubular heat exchangers, equipment used in pasteurization, ultra-high temperature (UHT), and high temperature short time (HTST) treatments, and other heat processing equipment, is needed to remove food and microbiological deposits and to restore PHE heat transfer characteristics, which are reduced by the presence of the fouling layer. In addition, the fouling layer leads to reduced flow rates and pressure buildup in the processing equipment over time, which leads to the need for equipment shutdown and cleanout. [0006] In the prior art, various types of heat exchangers are used in heat-processing of food and beverage products. Indirect PHE are used for processing milk, flavored milk, fermented milk products such as drinking yogurt, as well as cream and coffee whiteners. The indirect tubular-based heat exchanger system is used for processing milk, flavored milk, cream, ice cream mix, evaporated milk, desserts and puddings, cheese sauces, dairy sauces, soups, liquid protein concentrates and preparations. This system is also used for juices, and especially for juices with pulp. Neutral and acidic pH dairy and nondairy beverages can also be processed in this equipment. A wide range of products can be processed in scraped-surface heat exchangers, including milk concentrate, yogurt, processed cheese, whey protein concentrate and quarg products. [0007] Direct steam infusion of a food or beverage product into a steam chamber followed by rapid cooling or direct injection of steam into a food or beverage product followed by cooling with a PHE or tubular heat exchanger are more gentle heat treatments that are also used in food and beverage processing. [0008] In order to remove fouling deposits and operate equipment safely, efficiently, and free from microbial contamination, several cleaning practices have been adopted, including 1) manual cleaning of surfaces using brushes and cloths, 2) spray jet cleaning of tanks and vessels, 3) empirical clean-in-place protocols have been developed in the milk processing industry, using either a) a two stage alkali and/or acid circulation through equipment or b) a single stage formulated detergent containing wetting and/or surface active agents and chelating compounds, and 4) the use of coatings on equipment which are toxic to organisms, i.e., Microban.RTM. coatings. [0009] Approaches to reduce the occurrence of a fouling layer in food and beverage processing equipment have been investigated, including mechanical and chemical methods. Studies have shown that fouling during milk pasteurization and sterilization is related to heat denaturation of proteins, especially B-lactoglobulin protein. Milk deposit formation on the heat exchanger surface area when temperatures are less than 90.degree. C. has been directly linked with denaturation of this protein. [0010] Some prior art discuss approaches to reduce fouling in other systems and processes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,361 discloses the use of surfactants to control fouling in protein-containing fluids during a corn milling operation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,414 discloses the use of lecithin as an additive to control proteinaceous fouling deposits. U.S. Pat. No. 3,483,033 discloses the use of anionic polymers, such as carboxymethylcellulose, as an additive to help control scale formation in evaporators used in the concentration of cane and beet sugar. [0011] Other prior art, such as British Publication No. 2249467 A, discloses a process for pasteurizing or sterilizing a liquid food composition by adding a methyl cellulose ether, a hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose or mixtures thereof to the liquid composition after the temperature of the liquid composition has been raised above the hydration temperature of the cellulose ether. [0012] There remains a need to reduce fouling of heat transfer surfaces during heat processing of food and beverage compositions in order to increase run time of the process, improve cleaning efficiency, and improve product quality. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0013] This invention is directed to a process for reducing fouling of heat exchanger's surfaces by food or beverage compositions containing proteins during a heat treatment treatment of the food or beverage. The process includes the following steps: [0014] a) adding to a food or beverage composition an antifouling agent selected from hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) having a hydroxypropyl molar substitution of greater than 3.0 and a weight average molecular weight (Mw) as measured by SEC of greater than 350,000 Dalton or a methylhydroxypropylcellulose (MHPC) with a methoxyl content of greater than 17% and a hydroxypropyl content of greater than 3%, methyl cellulose (MC) with a methoxyl content of greater than 17% and a viscosity in water at ambient temperatures at a concentration of 2% of greater than 1,000 cps, or mixtures thereof; [0015] b) heating the food or beverage composition in a first heat exchanger at a temperature between 50 and 100.degree. C. for a time of about 2 seconds to about 30 minutes; and [0016] c) packaging the food or beverage composition wherein the first heat exchanger is fouled at least 10% by weight less or run-time increased at least 10% as compared to when heat-treating a similar food or beverage composition without the antifouling agent. [0017] The present invention also comprehends a process of sterilizing the food or beverage compositions mentioned above by heat treating the food or beverage composition to a temperature and time sufficient to sterilize the food or beverage composition. [0018] The present invention also relates to a heat treated food or beverage composition that is prepared by the above mentioned processes. This product by process excludes use of HPC alone in creams as the antifouling agent. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0019] It has been surprisingly found that organic and salt deposits that build up on heat exchangers and other processing equipment during the heat-processing of foods and beverages (i.e., pasteurization or sterilization) can be reduced or eliminated by using certain cellulose ethers in a unique process. Continue reading... Full patent description for Process of reducing fouling during heat processing of foods and beverages Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Process of reducing fouling during heat processing of foods and beverages patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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