WO2006032119A1

WO2006032119A1 - Process for the manufacture of extract from dry guarana seeds

Info

Publication number: WO2006032119A1
Application number: PCT/BR2005/000187
Authority: WO
Inventors: José TURANO
Original assignee: Coca Cola Co
Current assignee: Coca Cola Co
Priority date: 2004-09-20
Filing date: 2005-09-19
Publication date: 2006-03-30
Anticipated expiration: 2007-03-20

Abstract

The present invention shows a process that has the substantial advantage that is manufacturing a soft drink that uses guarana extract with organoleptical properties very close of the natural properties of the guarana seed. The present process refers to the extraction of caffeine, tannin and other active principles of the guarana seeds for the manufacture with alimentary aims, using concepts that do not alter the active principles of the guarana seeds. The contents of the guarana seeds are not modified once the process employs a controlled temperature of a maximum of 70°C preventing the boiling of the extract with the consequent loss if natural flavors. While in the known processes a yield of the extraction ranging from 60 to 65% is obtained, the present process yields 89%.

Description

"PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF EXTRACT FROM DRY GUARANA SEEDS"

The present invention refers to a process that has been developed for obtaining an extract having the flavors and other active substances of dry guarana seeds through strict control of pressure and temperature, and, more particularly, to an extraction process that is more efficient than those usually employed.

Guarana seeds are grown in the field by employing high productivity guarana trees with high caffeine concentration since they are clones. The seeds are picked up from the trees manually and taken to a depulper where the outer skin is separated from the seed itself. Then, the seeds are taken to a steam-heated dryer by means of a heat exchanger where they reach a moisture content of about 8 to 10%. Next, the seeds are stocked preferably in 50 kg bags in ambient environment or in bulk in silos both with controlled moistures content.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The existing processes for the manufacture of guarana extract show a caffeine yield in guarana extraction of about 60% from the dry seed.

The existing processes are carried out with higher temperatures thus contributing to the loss of flavors and tastes of the seed. Other manufacture processes concentrate the extract in higher temperatures or do not concentrate it. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention refers to a process for the manufacture of guarana extract to be used as part of a product of the line of guarana soft drinks.

The present invention prevents the loss of active substances of the guarana seeds.

The substantial advantage provided by the present process is to produce a soft drink that uses guarana extract with organoleptical properties very close to the natural properties of the guarana seed.

In the present invention, differently from other processes found in the market of the manufacture of guarana extract, the proposed process embodies new items, such as the concentration of the solution which is subjected to vacuum in the range of 500 to 711 millimeters of mercury column for the concentration of the extract in the temperature range of 50 to 7O⁰C which is strictly controlled through PLC along the whole manufacture process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a flowchart of the process for the production of guarana extract, and

Figure 2 shows a block diagram of the process for the production of guarana extract.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The complete process as seen in attached figures 1 and 2 starts with the stocking of the bagged seeds in a warehouse or in bulk in silos 1 both with controlled temperature and moisture. The industrial process begins with the weighting of the seeds using a high precision electronic scale 2 from which the seeds are carried through preferably stainless steel conveying screw to a mill 3. The breaking up of the seeds begins in order to obtain a suitable grain size so that they can be taken to a steep and extraction step that should be as efficient as possible. In this case, the maximum size of the particles is of about 6 millimeters diameter.

The steeping/extraction solvent is prepared in a tank 4 in which treated water, neutral ethyl alcohol and alcoholic condensate are added, the latter proceeding from the previous batch of a concentrator 7, in the proportion of 40 to 60% of neutral ethyl alcohol.

The milled seeds are carried to a steeping/extraction tank 5 through a preferably stainless steel conveying screw where they are mixed with the solvent in the above mentioned percentages and in the proportion of one to four times of solvent in relation to the seed.

Then, a heating process of the solution is started for one to eight hours for the steeping of the seeds until a solution temperature in the range of 50 to 70⁰C according to the quality of the seeds is reached, aiming at extracting almost entirely their active substances. Then, the solution and the seeds are conveyed to a solid-liquid separator 6 where the separation and the washing of the seeds take place for a better yield of the remaining active substances. Then the solution already devoid of seeds is carried to the concentrator 7 where it is subjected to vacuum of about 500 to 711 millimeters of mercury column and in the temperature range of 50 to 70⁰C for obtaining a solution which is then able to absorb the necessary alcohol for the compliance of the specification of the final product, that is, a minimum of 40% of ethyl alcohol in volume and a minimum of 1.6% of caffeine.

This concentrated solution is pumped to the precipitation tanks 8, 9 where it receives the necessary neutral ethyl alcohol for obtaining a minimum of 40% in volume in the final extract. The adjusted solution is subjected to a cooling process, so that it remains cooled from +2 to +5⁰C for 24 to 72 hours for the elimination of the insoluble and undesirable components in the manufacture of beverages by precipitation.

Then, aiming at the removal of the precipitated impurities, the extract is filtrated through a preferably stainless steel plate filter 10 using a filter pre-cap with filtration aid; and, when this step is concluded, the extract is pumped to a tank 11 for adjusting the concentration of the components.

From this adjustment tank samples for laboratorial analysis are taken, and with these analytical results in hands, the necessary adjustments for the compliance of the extract with the specifications required by law and by the client are made. These adjustments are facilitated by the use of an electronic scale under the tank that provides precisely the weight of the extract with variations of +/- 20 grams in 16,000 kg batches. From this tank the extract is pumped to a stocking tank 13 previously passing through a polishing filter 12 of the kind of cartridge-filter with filtration elements with an opening of for example 5 microns. Afterwards, the process ends with the transfer of the guarana extract to a loading dock 15 with trucks through another polishing filter 14 with the same characteristics of filter 13 which will carry it to the client.

Claims

1. Process for the manufacture of extract from dry guarana seeds, wherein it comprises the following steps: a) stocking seeds bagged or in bulk in silos; b) weighting the seeds; c) milling the seeds in order to obtain a suitable grain size; d) preparing a steeping/extraction solvent in a tank to where treated water, neutral ethyl alcohol and alcoholic condensate are added; e) transporting milled seeds to a steeping/extraction tank; f) steeping/extracting the seeds by mixing them with the solvent in the proportion of one to four times of solvent in relation to the seed; g) heating the solution proceeding from step f) until a temperature of 50-70⁰C is reached for extracting almost entirely the active substances and evaporating all of the alcohol; h) carrying the solution and the seeds to a solid-liquid separator for the better yield of the remaining active substances; i) carrying of the solution from step h) to a concentrator where it is subjected to vacuum of about 500 to 711 millimeters of mercury column and a temperature in the range of 50-70°C; j) pumping the concentrated solution to precipitation tanks where it receives neutral ethyl alcohol;

1) cooling the adjusted solution from step j) to about +2 to +5⁰C; m) filtering the obtained guarana extract; n) pumping the extract to an adjustment tank of the components concentrations; o) pumping the extract with the adjusted concentrations to a stocking tank first going through a filter; and p) transferring the extract to a loading dock also going through a filter.

2. Process according to claim 1, wherein the grain size obtained in step c) is at most 6 millimeters diameter of the particle.

3. Process according to claim 1, wherein in step d) the alcoholic condensate is proceeding from a previous batch of the concentrator in a proportion of 40-60% of neutral ethyl alcohol.

4. Process according to claim 1, wherein in step f) the seeds are mixed with solvent in the proportion of about one to four times solvent in relation to the seeds.

5. Process according to claim 1, wherein in step i) a solution able to absorb alcohol for complying with the specification of the final product of a minimum of 40% of ethyl alcohol in volume and a minimum of 1.6% of caffeine is obtained.