GRANULATION OF TOPINAMBUR

Abstract

A process for producing a granulate from a fermented topinambur syrup is disclosed. The product of the process is a free flowable granulate with a high content of carbohydrates such as inulin and fructooligosaccharides. Useful applications of this granulate are disclosed likewise.

Claims

1. Topinambur granulate, characterized by a content of minimum 30% carbohydrates by weight, minimum 20% solid water-insoluble binder by weight and a water content of less than 4% by weight, wherein the ratio of the solid water-insoluble binder to the overall carbohydrate content is in the range of 3:1 to 2:3 (w/v).

2. The topinambur granulate according to claim 1, characterized by a content of minimum 40% carbohydrates.

3. The topinambur granulate according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by a particle size of 0.5 mm to 2 mm in diameter.

4. Process for producing a topinambur granulate, comprising the following steps: a) Providing a high shear granulator that comprises a mixed bed, an inlet to the mixed bed, heating means for the mixed bed, a mixer, a homogenizer, a drying bed and heating means for the drying bed, b) Filling a solid water-insoluble binder suitable for granulation into the mixed bed of the high shear granulator at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, c) Running the mixer at a mixing velocity of 40 rpm to 120 rpm, d) Adding a first portion of a topinambur syrup into the mixed bed without running the homogenizer, wherein the ratio of the solid water-insoluble binder to the total topinambur syrup is in the range of 3:1 to 2:3 (w/v), and the first portion of the total topinambur syrup amounts to 20%-30% (v/v) of the total topinambur syrup, e) Setting the temperature of the mixed bed in the range of 5 C. to 40 C., f) Starting the homogenizer at a velocity of 60 rpm, g) Adding further portions of the topinambur syrup at portions of 1% to 15% (v/v) of the total topinambur syrup until the total topinambur syrup is added, wherein a subsequent portion of the topinambur syrup is added after homogeneity of the mixture has been reached, h) Conveying the granulate to the drying bed, and i) Drying the granulate at a temperature of 10 C. to 40 C. until the water content of the granulate is less than 4% by weight, characterized in that the process does not require a wetting step with a granulation liquid, a carrier gas, the addition of excipients, an enzymatic treatment of the topinambur syrup and in that no heating step of the granulation mixture is performed.

5. The process according to claim 4, wherein the solid water-insoluble binder is microcrystalline cellulose or diatomaceous earth.

6. The process according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the weight ratio of the solid water-insoluble binder to the topinambur syrup is 1:1.

7. Use of the topinambur granulate as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3 as a food additive in livestock farming.

8. Use of the topinambur granulate according to claim 7, wherein the livestock is selected from a group comprising poultry, chicken, geese, ducks, turkeys, rabbits, pigs, calves and cows.

9. Use of the topinambur granulate as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3 as a prebiotic dietary supplement.

10. Use of the topinambur granulate as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3 in an antifungal composition.

11. Use of the topinambur granulate as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3 as a diagnostic agent to measure kidney function by determining the glomerular filtration rate.

12. The topinambur granulate as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3 for use in medicine.

13. The topinambur granulate according to claim 12 for use in the prophylaxis and treatment of bone fractures, skin wounds, swelling, pain, breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, epithelial cancer, metabolic syndrome, methotrexate-induced liver toxicity, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and mycoses.

14. Pharmaceutical composition, comprising the topinambur granulate as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3 and at least one excipient.

15. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 12 for use in the prophylaxis or treatment of bone fractures, skin wounds, swelling, pain, breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, epithelial cancer, metabolic syndrome, methotrexate-induced liver toxicity, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and mycoses.

Description

EXAMPLES

[0096] All granulation experiments were carried out with a fermented topinambur syrup (TopinVet, Mhldorfer Nutrition AG, Mhldorf/Inn, Germany) having the following composition: [0097] 70% soluble dry substance; 71% total dry mass; 1% total acid; 60% total carbohydrates, having 5% inulin, 42% fructooligosaccharides, 8% saccharides, 4% fructose, 1% glucose; 38 g/kg crude ash; 46 g/kg raw protein; 2.2 g/kg crude fiber; <1 g/kg crude oils; 0.06 mg/100 g vitamin A; 0.95 mg/100 g vitamin B1; 0.3 mg/100 g vitamin B2; 6.2 mg/100 g niacin; 20 mg/100 g vitamin C; moisture content 30%. Minerals in mg/100 g in the organic substance: 2013 potassium, 50 magnesium, 123 calcium, 12 iron, 546 phosphor, 13 sodium, 3 nitrate. Neutral smell.

[0098] The granulator was a Ldige MGT 250 high shear granulator (Ldige, Paderborn, Germany).

Example 1

[0099] 10 kg of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC; Avicel PH-102; DFE pharma, Goch, Germany) was provided in the mixed bed of the high shear granulator at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The mixing velocity was set to 60 rpm. Then a first portion (3 l) of the fermented topinambur syrup was added. The temperature of the mixed bed was now set to 35 C. When this temperature was reached the homogenizer was started. When homogeneity of the mixture was reached (assessed by eye control) the next portion (1 l) of the fermented topinambur syrup was added. After ca. 3 minutes homogeneity was reached again. This stepwise addition of the fermented topinambur syrup was repeated until 10 l in total of the fermented topinambur syrup was in the mixture. After final homogenization the resulting granulate was conveyed to the drying bed. The temperature of the drying bed was set to 35 C. The drying step was continued until the water content of the granulate was less than 4% by weight (after ca. 3 hours). The water content was assessed with an infrared residual moisture balance (Mettler-Toledo M A 960; Mettler-Toledo GmbH, Giessen, Germany). The result was a homogenous, free-flowing granulate.

Example 2

[0100] The experimental setting of Example 1 was mostly maintained but the following process parameters were modified: The mixing velocity of the impeller was set to 100 rpm. The first portion of the fermented topinambur syrup was 2 l, all subsequent portions 500 ml. The temperature of the mixed bed was 38 C. In this setting homogenization was reached after ca. 2.5 min, respectively. The temperature of the drying bed was set to 30 C. Therefore the time of the drying step was ca. 4 hours. The resulting granulate is macroscopically similar to that of Example 1.

Example 3

[0101] The experimental setting of Example 1 was mostly maintained but the following process parameters were modified: The mixing velocity of the impeller was set to 40 rpm. The first portion of the fermented topinambur syrup was 3 l, all subsequent portions 500 ml. The temperature of the mixed bed was 30 C. In this setting homogenization was reached after ca. 4 min, respectively. The temperature of the drying bed was set to 40 C. The time of the drying step was ca. 3 hours. The resulting granulate is macroscopically similar to that of Examples 1 and 2.

Example 4

[0102] The resulting granulate from Example 1 was analyzed for its particle size by means of sieve analysis (Retsch GmbH, Haan, Germany). It turned out that virtually all particles (at least >95%) were in the size range of 0.5 mm to 2 mm in diameter. The particle size distribution was surprisingly very homogeneous.

Example 5

[0103] Three leghorn hens (ca. 2 years old) were kept outdoors in a fenced coop (ca. 2 m2 m) on a solid sandy soil for two days. They were given their standard food and additionally 20 g of the topinambur granulate of Example 1 (10 g each day), scattered on the soil. It could be observed that all three hens were picking the topinambur granules without distinction to their standard food granules. At the next morning, respectively, nearly all topinambur granules were eaten by the hens. No adverse reactions could be observed.