Process for producing a powder containing crystalline particles of maltitol

Abstract

The invention concerns a process for the manufacture of a powder containing crystalline particles of maltitol, which comprises continuously mixing maltitol syrup having a dry matter content of at least 70% by weight and a maltitol content of at least 85% by weight on a dry matter basis, the mixing being effected by simultaneously dispersing the maltitol syrup and maltitol containing seeds into an open rotating receptacle containing maltitol based granules whereby the maltitol syrup and maltitol containing seeds are mixed at the surface of the maltitol based granules contained in the receptacle, collecting maltitol based granules from the receptacle and crystallizing maltitol contained in said granules, the maltitol based granules in the receptacle being maintained in motion by the rotation of the receptacle.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A powder containing crystalline particles of maltitol, prepared by a process which comprises continuously mixing maltitol syrup having a dry matter content of at least 70% by weight and a maltitol content of at least 85% by weight on a dry matter basis, the mixing being effected by simultaneously dispersing the maltitol syrup and maltitol containing seeds into an open rotating receptacle containing maltitol based granules whereby the maltitol syrup and maltitol containing seeds are mixed at the surface of the maltitol based granules contained in the receptacle, collecting maltitol based granules from the receptacle and crystallizing maltitol contained in said granules, the maltitol based granules in the receptacle being maintained in motion by the rotation of the receptacle.  
     
     
         2 . A powder according to  claim 1 , wherein the maltitol syrup is introduced into the receptacle in a sub-divided form.  
     
     
         3 . A powder according to  claim 2 , wherein the maltitol syrup is introduced in the form of drops.  
     
     
         4 . A powder according to  claim 2 , wherein the maltitol syrup is introduced in the form of jets.  
     
     
         5 . A powder according to  claim 1 , wherein the axis of rotation of the receptacle is inclined to the horizontal.  
     
     
         6 . A powder according to  claim 1 , wherein the maltitol based granules are collected by overflow at the outlet of the receptacle.  
     
     
         7 . A powder according to  claim 1 , wherein granules of a diameter from 150 to 10,000 μm are collected.  
     
     
         8 . A powder according to  claim 1 , wherein maltitol syrup having a dry matter content of at least 90 weight % is brought to a temperature of at least 80° C. and continuously mixed with maltitol containing seeds, the seed/syrup ratio, the dimensions, the orientation of the axis of rotation and the speed of rotation of the receptacle being selected so that the product collected from the receptacle appears in the form of granules of a diameter of from 150 to 10,000 μm.  
     
     
         9 . A powder according to  claim 8 , wherein the seed/syrup ratio is not more than about 4/1.  
     
     
         10 . A powder according to  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle is in the form of an open tank or drum having a substantially flat bottom.  
     
     
         11 . A powder according to  claim 10 , wherein the axis of rotation of the receptacle makes an angle of from 25 to 450 to the horizontal.  
     
     
         12 . A powder according to  claim 1 , wherein the collected maltitol granules are matured in order to increase their crystallinity by maintaining the granules at a temperature of from 5 to 90° C. for from 1 to 20 hours while keeping the granules moving in a current of air.  
     
     
         13 . A powder according to  claim 12 , wherein the collected matured maltitol granules are ground and dried in order to achieve a residual moisture content of not more than about 2%.  
     
     
         14 . A powder containing crystalline particles of maltitol according to  claim 1 , exhibiting a speed of dissolution in water, according to test A, which is less than 3 min.  
     
     
         15 . A powder containing crystalline particles of maltitol according to  claim 1  exhibiting a hardness value, according to test B, which is up to 500 N.  
     
     
         16 . A powder containing crystalline particles of maltitol according to  claim 1  which exhibit an apparent specific gravity determined, according to test C, between 0,550 and 0,650 g/ml.  
     
     
         17 . Tablets containing a powder containing crystalline particles of maltitol according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         18 . Baked products containing a powder containing crystalline particles of maltitol according to  claim 1.