阅读说明：本技术 用于从动物组织中回收食用蛋白质粉、ω-3油以及纯化蒸馏水的自动化方法和系统 (Automated method and system for recovering edible protein powder, omega-3 oil, and purified distilled water from animal tissue ) 是由 S·M·古尔巴尼 K·考顿 于 2014-03-14 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明描述了用于从动物组织的混合物中回收食用蛋白质粉、粗的和纯的Ω-3油和纯化蒸馏水的一种方法和自动化系统,所述动物组织的混合物在过滤器-干燥器-反应罐中处理。将例如鱼的动物组织和有机溶剂直接或间接地进料至所述过滤器-干燥器-反应罐中。所述过滤器-干燥器-反应罐混合、加热,并分离混合物的固体和重质液体部分,有机溶剂在蒸馏后自动再循环返回至系统中。所述固体部分保留在过滤器-干燥器-反应罐中并被烘烤。固体蛋白质粉产品(食用蛋白质粉)由此得以回收。(A method and automated system for recovering food protein powder, crude and pure omega-3 oil, and purified distilled water from a mixture of animal tissues processed in a filter-dryer-reaction tank is described. Animal tissue, such as fish, and organic solvent are fed directly or indirectly into the filter-dryer-reaction tank. The filter-dryer-reaction tank mixes, heats, and separates the solid and heavy liquid portions of the mixture, with the organic solvent automatically recycled back into the system after distillation. The solid portion remains in the filter-dryer-reaction tank and is baked. The solid protein powder product (edible protein powder) is thus recovered.)

1. A process for recovering food protein powder, crude and pure omega-3 oil, and purified distilled water from animal tissue comprising:

a. providing a first mixture of animal tissue and an organic solvent;

b. feeding the animal tissue and organic solvent into a single integrated filter-dryer-reaction tank;

c. agitating and heating the first mixture of animal tissue and organic solvent in the filter-dryer-reaction tank;

d. removing a liquid portion of the first mixture comprising organic solvent from the filter-dryer-reaction tank to recover purified distilled water and pure omega-3 oil while retaining a solid portion of the first mixture in the filter-dryer-reaction tank;

e. recycling the organic solvent; and

f. roasting the remaining solid portion to recover the edible protein powder.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the animal tissue comprises raw fish.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

pure omega-3 oil was recovered from the removed liquid portion of the first mixture by using molecular distillation in combination with Wiped Film Evaporation (WFE).

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recovering water from the removed liquid portion of the first mixture.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

feeding additional organic solvent into the filter-dryer-reaction tank prior to the baking step;

stirring and heating a second mixture in the filter-dryer-reaction tank, the second mixture comprising the retained solids portion of the first mixture and the additional organic solvent; and

removing a second liquid portion from the second mixture while retaining a solid portion of the second mixture in the filter-dryer-reaction tank.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the additional organic solvent comprises recycled organic solvent derived from the removed liquid portion of the first mixture.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the additional organic solvent comprises recycled condensed vapors of organic solvent fed into the filter-dryer-reaction tank.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the animal tissue and organic solvent are fed into the filter-dryer-reaction tank in a ratio of about 1:1 to 1: 2.2.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the solid protein recovered is greater than 18 wt.% of the animal tissue fed to the filter-dryer-reaction tank.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein the recovered solid protein has less than about 8 wt.% moisture therein.

Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to an automated method and system for completely recovering edible protein meal, crude and pure omega-3 oil, and purified distilled water from animal tissue (e.g., various fish species and/or portions of fish). The edible protein powder is referred to herein as a solid protein product or a solid product, and the three terms are used interchangeably throughout. The system of the present invention is also referred to as the "SEAVIOR system".

Crude omega-3 oil is obtained after extraction and separation of solids from the liquid and of oil from whole fish and fish fractions. The crude omega-3 oils are relatively high in value and have a variety of applications. The crude omega-3 oil can be further processed to obtain a pure omega-3 oil. By pure omega-3 oil is meant a high purity omega-3 oil suitable for human consumption. For example, a pure omega-3 oil can include approximately 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5%, or 99.9% pure omega-3 oil. The terms crude omega-3 oil, pure omega-3 oil, and omega-3 oil are used interchangeably throughout. Purified distilled water refers to high purity water suitable for human consumption. The terms purified distilled water and water are used interchangeably throughout. The recovered edible protein powder, omega-3 oil and purified water can be used in many fields, for example as a main component in food manufacturing, nutritional products, hunger relief packs, cosmetics and high quality pet food. It should be noted that the method and system of the present invention can be used with any animal tissue, although the method and system are preferably used in conjunction with virtually any fish, by-products, and recyclable fresh fish portions, as this is an abundant and sustainable resource.

More specifically, in view of the increasing world food shortage problem in many regions of the world, the present invention provides a method of producing a high quality protein supplement that can provide a way to address the growing malnutrition crisis. Protein supplements may be derived from a variety of optionally 100% natural resources, such as small, short-lived, fresh and abundant marine fish that are considered green and sustainable, an excellent renewable natural resource, and with which, coupled with discarded fresh fish partial debris produced by the fish processing industry, over-fishing for certain species can be combated and contribute to the balance of the marine ecosystem. Environmental benefits are realized by recycling these otherwise discarded fresh fish material in the process associated with the present invention. In an era of growing demand for green (i.e., environmentally conscious) processing, the ability to recycle and recycle fresh, nutritionally valuable waste produced by the general fisheries industry provides a certain uniqueness to the present invention.

Background

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention presents a unique and original technique for producing a high purity, stable edible protein powder that is further supplemented with certain levels of desirable minerals such as calcium, potassium, zinc and other desirable inorganic materials. These components are naturally derived from bone and meat associated with, for example, raw fish ingredients. The obtained edible protein powder is a complete food source containing full amino acid spectrum, and its components are further supplemented by natural inorganic minerals. The technology is characterized by the use of pharmaceutical-type processing systems and unit operations to ensure final protein product purity and to comply with requirements imposed by regulatory industries.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a more efficient system and method for recovering products from animal tissue. The animal tissue may be raw fish. The raw fish can be any kind of fish and any part of fish, including sustainable abundant species and parts of fish that are generally considered waste.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method that improves the yield of recovered product.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system and method for improving the shelf life of recycled products.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method that recycles organic solvents and reduces the emission of VOC gases into the atmosphere.

The present invention can be considered to be an overall recycling process for fish debris and related material that is discarded daily by facilities in the fish processing industry. Recycling of otherwise discarded material results in the production of high quality protein products (also referred to as "meal", used interchangeably herein) that enable a green, sustainable process that reduces the environmental burden.

In one aspect of the invention, an improved system and method for recovering products from animal tissue is described. In particular, the techniques involve mixing animal tissue with an organic solvent in sufficient proportions to produce a mixture thereof. The mixture was stirred, heated and filtered in a tank to produce a food protein powder. Preferably, the canister is of a single unitary construction. Animal oil and water derived from the animal are also recovered. In a preferred embodiment, the animal tissue is fish and the recovered product comprises fish protein, fish oil and water derived from the fish. In an exemplary embodiment, the solid protein (also referred to as "edible protein meal," used interchangeably herein) is transferred to a mill for further processing into a powder. In another exemplary embodiment, the filtered liquid portion of the mixture is filtered to separate fish oil from water. In yet another embodiment, the portion of the mixture that remains within the single monolithic structure after filtration is mixed with recycled organic solvent. The recycled organic solution is recovered from the liquid portion of the mixture.

In another aspect of the invention, a system for recovering a product from animal tissue is described. Preferably, the animal tissue is fish. The system includes a filter-dryer-reaction tank including one or more inlets and outlets. Feeding an animal tissue feedstock and an organic solvent, independently or together, into the filter-dryer-reaction tank. The filter-dryer-reaction tank mixes, heats and filters a mixture containing animal tissue and an organic solvent. The filter-dryer-reaction tank includes an outlet for removing filtrate, and an outlet for removing solid products.