WO2005053431A1

WO2005053431A1 - Method for producing honey powder and foods using the honey powder

Info

Publication number: WO2005053431A1
Application number: PCT/KR2004/000073
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mun-Kwu Park
Original assignee: XEBECPHARMA CO Ltd
Current assignee: XEBECPHARMA CO Ltd
Priority date: 2003-12-04
Filing date: 2004-01-16
Publication date: 2005-06-16
Anticipated expiration: 2006-06-04
Also published as: KR20040031672A

Abstract

Disclosed are a method for producing honey powder having granular, powdered or other various shapes by drying a composition in which crude honey and other additives are mixed, and a honey powder produced by the method. The method includes (a) preparing constituent ingredients by weighting 5 to 95 wt% of crude honey and 95 to 5 wt% of predetermined additive powder; (b) homogeneously mixing the prepared constituent ingredients; and (c) dry-powdering the mixed composition by removing moisture in the mixed composition using a predetermined drying manner. While crude honey was in a liquid state that is not easily dealt and stored and has a limit in development of products in various ways, this method solves such problems. Thus, the method will contribute to more profits of apicultural farmers as well as promote health of the people and development of relative industries by means of various kinds of honey products.

Description

METHOD FOR PRODUCING HONEY POWDER AND FOODS USING THE

HONEY POWDER

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a honey powder producing method and a honey

powder produced by the method, and more particularly to a method for producing a

honey powder having granular, powdered or other various shapes by drying a

composition in which crude honey and predetermined additives are mixed, and a honey

powder produced by the method.

BACKGROUND ART

Sugar has close relation with dietary life of human and its benefits are also well

recognized. However, sugar is also a radical factor of high blood pressure and diabetes.

Thus, a natural honey is preferred as an alternative of sugar. Sugar is gathered and

stored in a liquid state, which gives various problems in storage and distribution,

obstructing its commercialization. In recent years, the number of farmers engaging

only in apiculture is increased, but the farmers are paltry and not sufficiently supported

by honey processing technique. Thus, most farmers concentrate their efforts on

gathering and producing honey itself, but they are not willing to work secondary

processing with the honey as a source so as to make various commercial products using

the honey. However, according to the tendency of the world, there are many attempts

for technical research and commercialization in relation to development of secondary

honey products, breaking from the conventional manner dependent on simple honey production. In addition, in view of opening of the agricultural market, it is apparent

that a large amount of honey will be put into the international distribution network,

activating import and export of agricultural products. Thus, there is a need for technical development required for new products adopting a honey processing technique in relation to apicultural industry. In particular, the technique for solidifying honey into powder or granular is most urgent so as to solve the technical and commercial problems caused by a liquid state of the honey. That is to say, honey is gathered in a natural state or from artificially cultured bees, and then generally commercialized in a liquid state, which is limited in utilization

due to the formation of product in spite of various benefits of honey. Namely, the honey in a liquid state needs a container for storage, and special attention is required for treatment due to physical characteristics thereof despite the need for long time storage.

Thus, honey shows many limitations in commercialization, and there have been many attempts to change formation of honey. That is to say, there rises a need for processing a new formation of honey that pursues convenience for carrying and taking honey and may also answer a new life pattern of persons who are familiar to instant foods, Thus, the present invention is designed to fit in with the need for new technical development with great commercial and industrial utilization related to the honey

processing technique on the basis of such social and economical backgrounds.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

On the grounds of the conventional problems, a technical subject aimed by the present invention is to solve the aforementioned several problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a method for producing honey powder, which is concrete and

industrially applicable, and foods using the honey powder produced by the method. In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a method

for producing honey powder, which includes (a) preparing constituent ingredients by weighting 5 to 95 wt% of crude honey and 95 to 5 wt% of predetermined additive powder; (b) homogeneously mixing the prepared constituent ingredients; and (c) dry-powdering the mixed composition by removing moisture in the mixed composition using a predetermined drying manner. The predetermined additive powder in the step (a) is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of glucose, maltodextrin, cyclodextrin, roast dextrin, starch sugar, starch sugar alcohol, glucose isomerase, sweet

potato starch, corn starch, potato starch, arrowroot starch, casaba starch, sago starch, and processed starch. The predetermined drying manner in the step (c) is preferably progressed using at least one selected from the group consisting of freeze drying, vacuum drying, and hot air drying. The freeze drying may include a first step of freezing the mixed composition, a second step of sublimating ice crystals in the mixed composition into vapor for primary drying by decreasing pressure below a triple point of water, and a third step of removing residual moisture in the primarily dried mixed composition by means of distortion. The vacuum drying may be progressed using at least one selected from the group consisting of simple vacuum drying, vacuum drying with microwave, and vacuum drying with strip gas. In another aspect of the invention, there is also provided food using honey powder, which includes 5 to 95 wt% of crude honey; and 95 to 5 wt% of predetermined additive powder. The predetermined additive powder is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of glucose, maltodextrin, cyclodextrin, roast dextrin, starch

sugar, starch sugar alcohol, glucose isomerase, sweet potato starch, corn starch, potato starch, arrowroot starch, casaba starch, sago starch, and processed starch. 1 to 10 wt% of at least one selected from the group consisting of vitamin, chitosan, propolis, royal jelly, fruit powder, and dietary fiber additives may be further included in the food on the basis of the total weight of the food.

In relation to numerical limits of content of each ingredient mentioned in detail

for the honey powder producing method and the honey powder according to the present invention, if the content is not in the mentioned range, there may happen that honey powder is not produced or powder particles coagulated and hardened with each other after the honey powder is produced (so-called 'a caking phenomenon), which

deteriorates a product value of the honey powder. In this case, the honey powder is weak against moisture in the air, so it may not be taken in custody for a long time once it is opened. Moreover, white powders of maltodextrin and glucose used as additives are observed by naked eyes, deteriorating a product value. Thus, special attention is asked for the numerical limits.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a flowchart for illustrating a method for producing honey powder according to an embodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

First, benefits of honey, a main ingredient used in the present invention, are described in brief. Crude honey contains various useful enzymes in addition to various and ideal nutritive substances such as vitamin, protein, mineral, aromatic material and amino acid, as evaluated as a synthetic nutritive material, so it is also called 'alive product'. Glucose and fructose contained in the honey is by no means inferior to any other food in view of recovery from fatigue, as revealed from various research results.

The following table 1 shows kinds and contents of various nutritive substances included in crude honey as well as benefits of each substance, which is proposed for better understanding of honey.

Table 1

Meanwhile, the following table 2 shows a content of each kind of vitamin contained in honey (in a unit of mg per lOOg of honey), its action and diseases caused by its deficiency so as to give concrete understanding of benefits possessed by honey.

Table 2

In addition, the following table 3 shows contents of organic substances (minerals) contained in honey (or, an amount contained in 1 kg of honey, 1 g = 10 ^~10 mg), as well as their actions and diseases caused by their deficiency so as to give concrete understanding of benefits possessed by honey.

Table 3

Honey, which is known to contain nutritive substances as shown in the tables 1 to 3 and give special benefits, is called rape honey, acacia honey, chestnut honey, multiflora honey, bush clover honey or the like depending on the kind of a flowerpot provided as a honey source. In relation to vegetation of flowers and trees, honey is gathered nationwide or in a limited area of Korea according to the kind of flowerpots, and each gathered honey gives different color, flavor, and apparent quality, which are physical characteristics of each honey. This may be understood better with reference to the following table 4.

Table 4

It may be fully understood that honey has various benefits in view of the substances described above. However, as mentioned above, the present invention is designed on the consideration that commercialization of honey was not enough due to the lack of commercializing technique.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with suggesting a flowchart illustrating the producing method as an accompanying drawing for better understanding. However, the embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various ways, and the present invention should be not interpreted as limited to the following embodiments. The embodiments are just for more clearly describing the present invention to those having ordinary skill in the art. As shown in FIG. 1, the method for producing honey powder according to the present invention includes the following steps.

(1) Preparing materials for constituent powder (S10) Ingredients for the composition were respectively prepared to have components according to the following table 5. Additive powder used in the embodiments 1 to 3 described below was glucose powder. Meanwhile, it is also possible to use additive powder composed of at least one of glucose, maltodextrin, cyclodextrin, roast dextrin, 2

starch sugar, starch sugar alcohol, glucose isomerase, sweet potato starch, corn starch, potato starch, arrowroot starch, casaba starch, sago starch, and processed starch.

Table 5

In the table 5, a content ratio of each ingredient was expressed by wt% on the basis of the total weight of the composition. Meanwhile, in the food using honey powder, 1 to 10 wt% of at least one of vitamin, chitosan, propolis, royal jelly, fruit powder, and dietary fiber additives is preferably further included on the basis of the total weight of the food. Such functional additives are put into the composition when or after the ingredients initially prepared are mixed.

(2) Mixing ingredients of the composition (SI 1) The constituent ingredients in a powder state prepared according to the table 5 were homogeneously mixed . This mixing process is preferably progressed until the ingredients are perfectly mixed though it takes time more or less. If the following step is executed with the ingredients being imperfectly mixed, the additive powder may be exposed out, deteriorating a product value of the honey, so special care is required. Meanwhile, at a place where the mixing process is progressed, a dehumidifying device should be provided and in operation. If there is no dehumidifying device, the ingredients may possess moisture from the mixing process, so a final product may be

weak against moisture.

Dry-powdering (S 12^ If moisture included in the mixed composition is dried using a predetermined

drying manner, honey powder is produced.

1) Freeze Drying (SI 2a) Freeze drying dries the mixed composition by sublimating ice of a frozen food in

a decompressed state. The freeze drying is classified into natural freeze drying and artificial freeze drying, and the artificial freeze drying is more preferred in the honey

powder producing method of the present invention. Specifically, the mixed

composition is decompressed and dried in a freeze drying chamber at 18°C or lower

below zero and at 0.1 to 1 torr. If moisture in the mixed composition is removed by means of the freeze drying, the following advantages are preferably given: it is easy to produce a powder product having a porous structure, the composition is better recovered into its initial state when it is put into or dissolved in water, a powder crystal keeps the same shape and size as it was before freezing, loss of vitamin and perfume is decreased, there is no contraction, movement of soluble components and surface hardening, protein is not denatured due to heat, oxidization and chemical reaction of the interior constituent

substances are reduced, and contamination of microbes is minimized.

2) Vacuum Drying (S12b) The vacuum drying for dry-powdering the composition according to the present

invention may adopt simple vacuum drying, vacuum drying using microwave, and

vacuum drying using strip gas. When required, these vacuum drying manners may be

subsequently executed or simultaneously applied for dry-powdering. Hereinafter, each

vacuum drying is introduced in brief. Such various vacuum drying manners are

already well known and widely used in the related art, so they are not described in

detail.

First, the simple vacuum drying is a dehydrating drying method using the

principle that moisture included in the mixed powder is removed by means of

sublimation in a state that pressure in the sealed container containing the composition is

decompressed below a triple point of water. This simple vacuum drying is also called

vacuum freeze drying, or also called simple vacuum drying in order to emphasize that

any additional treatment is not applied. Meanwhile, the vacuum drying using

microwave introduces microwave into the decompressed container together with

removing moisture in the mixed powder by means of the simple vacuum drying. This

vacuum drying with microwave is preferable since it may improve the moisture

removing efficiency and shorten a drying time. Finally, the vacuum drying using strip

gas improves removal of moisture in the mixed powder with the use of difference of

partial vapor pressures of the moisture-included mixed powder and the vapor in the

container since it continuously introduces dry gas into the container together with

removing moisture included in the mixed powder by means of the simple vacuum

drying. 3) Hot Air Drying (S 12c)

A common hot air drying known in the art until now may be applied to the powder drying step of the present invention. In case of using the natural drying, a drying speed may be varied according to the moisture content in the atmosphere, and the drying process generally takes a long time. Thus, the hot air drying forcibly blows heat of a heat source to a subject to be dried by means of a blower so that the drying process may be progressed fast.

(4) Commercialization (including the packaging process) (SI 3) In order to prevent the honey from being liquefied again, the honey is packaged using the vacuum packaging or the like. The packaged honey may be used as a substitute of sugar that is conventionally used in cooking foods or making cakes or ice creams. Meanwhile, the packaged honey may be utilized as a granulated honey tea, an instant honey in a tea bag, and an agent for dietary treatment of a patient suffered from diabetic. In addition, the packaged honey may be used instead of various portable sugars, so it may be usefully utilized commercially.

Meanwhile, material properties of the honey powder produced according to the embodiments 1 to 3 were analyzed in the Korean Bea Product's Research Institute, and its results are shown in the following table 6.

Table 6

As understood from the table 6, no defect was detected from the honey powder products on the basis of various detection criteria. The color of the product according to each embodiment is varied according to the kind of honey initially used and a mixing ratio thereof, so it is possible to meet various customer needs by means of suitable selection of kind and mixing ratio of the honey. The present invention has been described in detail. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY According to the present invention, it is possible to solve various conventional

problems of the honey in a liquid state that is not easily dealt and stored and has a limit

in development of products in various ways. Thus, the present invention may

contribute to more profits of apicultural farmers as well as promote health of the people

and development of relative industries by means of various kinds of honey products.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method for producing honey powder, comprising:

(a) preparing constituent ingredients by weighting 5 to 95 wt% of crude honey

and 95 to 5 wt% of predetermined additive powder;

(b) homogeneously mixing the prepared constituent ingredients; and

(c) dry-powdering the mixed composition by removing moisture in the mixed

composition using a predetermined drying manner.

2. The method for producing honey powder according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined additive powder in the step (a) is at least one selected

from the group consisting of glucose, maltodextrin, cyclodextrin, roast dextrin, starch

sugar, starch sugar alcohol, glucose isomerase, sweet potato starch, corn starch, potato

starch, arrowroot starch, casaba starch, sago starch, and processed starch.

3. The method for producing honey powder according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined drying manner in the step (c) is progressed using at least one selected from the group consisting of freeze drying, vacuum drying, and hot air

drying.

4. The method for producing honey powder according to claim 3, wherein the freeze drying includes a first step of freezing the mixed composition,

a second step of sublimating ice crystals in the mixed composition into vapor for primary drying by decreasing pressure below a triple point of water, and a third step of

removing residual moisture in the primarily dried mixed composition by means of

distortion.

5. The method for producing honey powder according to claim 3, wherein the vacuum drying is progressed using at least one selected from the

group consisting of simple vacuum drying, vacuum drying with microwave, and vacuum drying with strip gas.

6. Food using honey powder, comprising: 5 to 95 wt% of crude honey; and 95 to 5 wt% of predetermined additive powder.

7. The food using honey powder according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined additive powder is at least one selected from the group consisting of glucose, maltodextrin, cyclodextrin, roast dextrin, starch sugar, starch sugar alcohol, glucose isomerase, sweet potato starch, corn starch, potato starch, arrowroot starch, casaba starch, sago starch, and processed starch.

8. The food using honey powder according to claim 6 or 7, wherein 1 to 10 wt% of at least one selected from the group consisting of vitamin, chitosan, propolis, royal jelly, fruit powder, and dietary fiber additives is further included in the food on the basis of the total weight of the food.