Abstract: A process and vat are disclosed for removing impurity deposits such as fermentation residues, lees and crystallized potassium bitartrate in the preparation of alcoholic beverages such as sparkling wines. After fermentation in a closed standing up vat, fermented liquid containing deposited impurities in the bottom portion of the vat is frozen with a freezing means within the bottom portion of the vat and unfrozen liquid above the frozen liquid is withdrawn. Depositing of impurities in the bottom portion of the vat prior to freezing can be accelerated by cooling the liquid in the vat without freezing so that cooling starts at the top of the vat and progresses towards the bottom.

Abstract: An apparatus for manipulating bottles of wine to precipitate and collect sediments in the wine includes a base frame from which a pair of stanchions extend upwardly. A rectangular frame is disposed between the stanchions and pivotally supported by the stanchions to rotate about a horizontal axis. A generally cubic housing is disposed within the rectangular frame, and is pivotally supported by the frame on an axis which is perpendicular to the horizontal axis. The housing includes doors which permit the unloading of bins of wine bottles supported in the housing in parallel arrays. The housing may be rotated slowly while the frame is slowly pivoted, so that the wine bottles are gradually rotated and tipped from horizontal to vertical disposition, the sediments in the wine precipitating to the upper neck portion of each wine bottle.

Abstract: A method of preparing a stable citrus flavored alcoholic malt beverage which does not form off aromas on storage comprises subjecting a feed or beer which contains components which can in the presence of citrus flavoring agents cause off aromas upon storage to reverse osmosis employing a membrane having a molecular weight cutoff of up to about 200 to remove substantial amounts of sulfur containing amino acids and other labile components which in the presence of citrus flavoring can cause off aromas, collecting the permeate which passes through said membrane and using it as the alcoholic base to which the citrus flavoring is added to obtain a stable citrus flavored alcoholic malt beverage.

Abstract: The Labrusca Flavour Index (LFI) of grape wine made from Labrusca grapes is decreased substantially by subjecting grape juice or wine produced from the grape juice to reverse osmosis with a semi-permeable membrane at ambient temperatures to cause the low molecular weight volatile esters, especially methyl anthranilate, to pass through the semi-permeable membrane. The reverse osmosis usually is effected with a membrane having a molecular weight cut-off of about 200 which enables colorants and sugars to be retained. By decreasing the LFI value of the wine, larger proportions may be used to blend with less proportions of higher quality Vinifera wines.

Abstract: Two powdered protein products are produced from animal raw material of varying composition, in particular offal from bacon factories and cattle slaughterhouses.The offal is heat treated and separated mechanically into a fluid phase and a solid phase, which is powder-dried with subsequent removal of bone pieces to obtain the first protein powder. The fluid phase is separated into a sludge which is returned into the process, into a fat phase--which is processed into technical fat and into a size phase which is spray-dried separately in order to obtain the second protein powder. The powders produced are free flowing without any lumping tendency. The first powder has a protein content which corresponds to the content of conventionally produced meat-bone meal, whereas the second powder has a high protein content and has gluing properties and may therefore be used as a gluing agent or as a protein supplement for fodder.

Abstract: A process of reducing the amount of cholesterol in egg-yolk which comprises reducing the pH of fresh wet egg-yolk to destabilize the emulsion, treating the destabilized emulsion with an edible oil to form a fine dispersion and centrifuging the dispersion to separate the egg-yolk phase from the oil-phase.

Abstract: A reverse osmosis method of concentrating fruit juices wherein a major portion of the fruit juice sugars are removed in a reverse osmosis first stage from the fruit juice at about room temperature and a pressure in the range 500 to 1500 psi, using porous cellulose acetate membrane material, while flavor compounds are removed in a reverse osmosis second stage from the separated water in liquid form therefrom at a temperature in the range 0.degree. C. to about room temperature and a pressure substantially in the range 50 to 1000 psi using asymmetric, porous, polymeric membrane material which is non-polar relative to the membrane material of the first stage as determined by .delta..sub.d of the solubility parameter of the membrane materials.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process in which an aqueous solution of proteins is subjected to hydrolysis, the product of hydrolysis is subjected to a heat treatment to denature the proteins which it contains and, finally, the proteins are eliminated by ultrafiltration. The ultrafiltration permeate constitutes the purified protein hydrolysate.

Abstract: A beverage stabilization process in which unstable beverages are contacted in a haze-free condition and at ambient temperature with positive-charge modified particulates, especially in the form of filter sheets, to initiate haze formation and the thus-formed haze is thereafter removed from the beverage at ambient temperature thereby resulting in the stabilization of the beverage.

Abstract: Distillers solubles are purified by a centrifugal separation to a degree above 50,000, which is the product of g.times.minute, or a filtration with addition of a filter aid. The clarified matter is purified by a molecular sieve treatment, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis or an organic solvent precipitation. The clarified matter or purified matter thus obtained is pulverized by spray drying, lyophilic drying or air drying.Said clarified matter, purified matter or pulverized matter is added to a fermentation medium or a feed as an available component.

Abstract: Caffeine is extracted from solutions thereof with supercritical carbon dioxide having a density of at least 0.85 g/ml.

Abstract: Decholesterolized and defatted egg powder is obtained by removing at least 95% of the cholesterol and neutral fat and retaining 30% or more of the phospholipids, based on the content thereof in the whole egg or yolk. Said powder is obtained by removing moisture from whole egg or yolk and extracting cholesterol and neutral fat from the dried whole egg or yolk with liquid dimethylether.

Abstract: Extraction of purified plant anthocyanin colors particularly from dark grapes by treating impure materials to insure discrete monomeric anthocyanin molecules in solution and then passing the solution through ultrafiltration membranes to retain soluble and/or cloudy macromolecular, e.g., colloidal, impurities upstream that produce, an aging, haze and sediments, and pass the monomeric anthocyanins downstream for further concentration as liquid or powder to give a stable color concentrate that can be used as a color additive. For example, fruit solids may be treated with sulfur dioxide solutions to ionize, decolor and insure the monomeric state of the pigment molecules (change from anthocyanins to chromon 2-and 4-sulfonates), ultrafiltering the solution to pass the anthocyanins downstream while retaining upstream the macromolecular components such as pectins, tannins, proteins, complexes thereof, etc.

Abstract: Protein is recovered from corn steep liquor by a process which involves ultrafiltration and precipitation with an alkaline precipitating agent. The recovered protein is acid soluble making it useful in acidic foods.

Abstract: A process for obtaining yolk lecithin from a raw egg yolk which comprises subjecting a raw egg yolk to extraction with liquid dimethyl ether to obtain an extract and dehydrating the extract to an extent that the water content is not more than 20% by weight, whereby a lecithin-rich fraction is obtained as a separate phase from a neutral lipids-fraction. The isolated lecithin-rich fraction may further be subjected to a second-stage dehydration to give a product in which the lecithin content is as high as 50 to 85% by weight and the water content is very small, for example, below 2 to nearly 0% by weight. By the process of the present invention, there can be obtained a high quality lecithin in high yield.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for separating an egg white from an egg yolk is disclosed for use in an automatic egg breaking and separating operation. The improved separator is used in a method where an egg is cracked and opened and drained into a separator cup. The yolk is supported in an imperforate cup over a substantial portion of its under surface and the surrounding egg white is drained from the yolk into a separate pan through an elongated generally spiral or curving opening in a support member extending upwardly from the yolk support cup. The white collecting pan is positioned to receive the egg white below the yolk cup.

Abstract: Aqueous vegetable extracts such as extracts of tea or green or roasted coffee are decaffeinated by permitting caffeine to diffuse through at least one porous, hydrophilic membrane and a water-immiscible solvent phase and into a water phase. The solvent may be either internal to a single membrane or positioned between two spaced-apart membranes.

Abstract: Alcoholic beverages such as beer are preserved without pasteurization by mechanically removing microorganisms from the beverage and by carrying out the removing of microorganisms and all subsequent treatment of the beverage including bottling and sealing in a circuit free of air.

Abstract: An apparatus for preparing edible products having a cylindrical shell of coagulated egg-white enclosing a central core. The apparatus has a plurality of cylindrical moulds moving cyclically in a closed path including stations in which raw materials are supplied and stations in which the finished products are withdrawn from the mould. Each mould is provided with a vertically displaceable bottom plug, which is pushed upwards to permit withdrawal of the finished product. It is subsequently pushed to the bottom of the mould by means of a rod carrying a pad for applying a metered amount of a lubricating agent onto the mould surface before a core member is inserted in the mould and the raw materials are supplied. Means are provided for cleaning the mould wall during the upward movement of the bottom plug.

Abstract: Mash is separated into draff and clarified beer wort using a cylindrical upright vessel having an upper portion with a circumferential wall, a lower portion conically converging toward an apertured support forming the bottom of the vessel, and a suction chamber connected to the vessel bottom having a lower conical portion with an outlet for wort and having a conduit leading from the side for applying a vacuum.

Abstract: An egg yolk material which has been fractionated such that major characteristics of the separate fractions F.sub.1, F.sub.2 and F.sub.3 are approximately:Unfractionated Egg Yolk Material F.sub.1 F.sub.2 F.sub.3 ______________________________________ Cholesterol 9.9 9.7 6.9 28 (mg. per gr. of sample) Fat 36.9 41.59 34.37 23.30 (per cent of total weight of fraction measured) Protein 17.55 13.36 20.02 26.

Abstract: A method of separating the components of eggs e.g. for microbiological processes in which the eggs are frozen and allowed to thaw and liquid components separated from solid components.