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Title: Method of producing edible meal from cottonseed
Claims: We claim: 1. A process for producing edible meal from cottonseed comprising the steps of: (a) introducing dry, raw cottonseed meats into a cooker; (b) subjecting said meats in said cooker to mild agitation at a temperature range between about 140.degree. F to 170.degree. F under high humidity conditions for a period of time sufficient to raise the moisture content of said meats to a range of about 14% to 30% by weight of said meats, thereby creating conditions for the release of oil and unruptured gossypol cells from said meats; (c) continuing said agitation at said temperature range for a period of approximately 20 to 50 minutes, whereby said oil and said unruptured gossypol cells are released from said raw meats along with moisture and form an admixture therewith; and (d) flowing off said admixture from said meats so as to substantially reduce the moisture content of said meats below the level attained during said agitation under high humidity conditions whereby said meats have a reduced oil and gossypol cell content. 2. The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein: (a) said cottonseed meats are milled prior to introduction into said cooker. 3. The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein: (a) said cottonseed meats are relatively whole upon introduction into said cooker. 4. The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein: (a) said cottonseed meats contain about 6% to 8% moisture upon introduction into said cooker. 5. The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein: (a) said cooker is a multi-ring flow down cooker and; (b) said high humidity conditions are introduced primarily in the top ring of said cooker. 6. The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein: (a) said cooker is vented to the atmosphere. 7. The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein: (a) said agitation results from the rotation of an agitator revolving at a speed of approximately 30 to 70 revolutions per minute. 8. The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein: (a) said step of removing oil and gossypol occurs continuously during said period. 9. The process as set forth in claim 1, further including the steps of: (a) removing said meats having reduced oil and gossypol cell content from said cooker; (b) forming a slurry with said meats and an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of ethyl alcohol and acetone and mixtures thereof, thereby extracting residual oil and gossypol from said meats and producing slurried meats; (c) separating said slurried meats from the liquid portion of said slurry; and (d) stripping residual organic solvent from said slurried meats, producing desolventized, oil-extracted meats having a free gossypol content of less than 0.045% by weight. 10. The process as set forth in claim 9 including the step of: (a) sterilizing said desolventized meats. 11. A process as set forth in claim 9 wherein: (a) said organic solvent includes approximately 50% to 90% by weight of ethyl alcohol and approximately 10% to 50% by weight of acetone and approximately 0.5% to 5% by weight of water. 12. A process as set forth in claim 9 wherein: (a) said stripping residual organic solvent occurs during a period of approximately 15 to 20 minutes and under a vacuum of approximately 15 to 20 inches of mercury and at a maximum temperature of approximately 170.degree. F. 13. A process as set forth in claim 10 wherein: (a) said sterilizing is accomplished by increasing the temperature of said desolventized meats to approximately 180.degree. F. under a vacuum of approximately 15 to 20 inches of mercury for approximately 5 to 20 minutes. 14. The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein: (a) said moisture content of said meats after said flowing off is approximately 10% by weight. 15. The process as set forth in claim 9 including the steps of: (a) pressing said meats having reduced oil and gossypol cell content before forming said slurry, thereby removing additional said admixture. Other info: Inventors: Hipp, deceased, James P. (late of Tulia, TX, US) Foster, Jr., Carter (Temple, TX, US) Application Number: 714593 Filing Date: 1976-08-16 Publication_date: 1978-04-11 Assignee: Carpat International Inc. (Tulia, TX) Primary Class(es): 426/430 426/478, 426/507 Other Classes: US Patent Ref:
Other Refs: Other References: King, W. H., "Drying Moist Cottonseed Prot. Prod.," J.A.O.C.S., vol. 46, pp. 184A, 186A, 188A, 190A. | |