REMOVAL OF BRAN FROM WHEAT FLOUR

RESEARCH ON A NOVEL MEANS OF REMOVING BRAN AND OTHER CONSTITUENTS FROM WHEAT FLOUR, BASED ON ADVANCED ENERGY DYNAMIC'S UFC SYSTEM, A DRY, ELECTROSTATIC POWDER CLEANING SYSTEM, IS PROPOSED TO ACCOMPLISH THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS: (1) RECOVERY OF ADDITIONAL PATENT-GRADE FLOUR (ORDINARY BAKING FLOUR) AND FIRST CLEAR FLOUR (USED TO MAKE RYE BREAD AND HARD ROLLS) FROM THE BYPRODUCT AND ANIMAL FEED STREAMS OF CURRENT FLOUR PLANTS. (2) SEPARATION OF OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WHITE FLOUR, E.G., GLUTEN FROM STARCH. ALSOTHE PURIFICATION OF SPECIALTY FLOUR PRODUCTS, SUCH AS REMOVAL OF BRAN AND WEED SEEDS FROM FARINA. (3) DEMONSTRATION OF A TECHNOLOGY WHICH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO REPLACE TRADITIONAL WHEAT MILLING WITH A MORE EFFICIENT AND LESS EXPENSIVE PROCESS FOR PRODUCING WHITE FLOUR FROM WHEAT. THE PROCESS IS BASED ON THE DIFFERENCE IN ELECTROSTATIC CHARGING PROPERTIES OF BRAN COMPARED TO WHITE FLOUR AND GLUTEN COMPARED TO STARCH. IT REPRESENTS A MAJOR ADVANCE OVER CURRENT MILLING PROCEDURES WHICH RELY ON THE DIFFERENTIAL FRIABILITY AND DENSITY OF THE WHEAT SEED CONSTITUENTS TO ACCOMPLISH THE SEPARATION. PRELIMINARY ECONOMICS SUGGEST SIGNIFICANT COST SAVINGS OVER CONVENTIONAL METHODS.