Process for drying uronic acid oligosaccharides

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for spray drying uronic acid oligosaccharides and to a powder compositions thus obtained. Typically the powder composition comprises between 25 and 100 wt. % uronic acid oligosaccharide with a DP between 2 and 50 based on total weight of uronic acid, with and an average particle size between 20 μm and 100 μm.

1 . A spray-dried powder having particles comprising (i) uronic acid oligosaccharide with a DP of 2 to 250 and (ii) carbohydrates and/or proteins. 
     
     
         2 . The spray-dried powder of  claim 1 , wherein the powder is pasteurized. 
     
     
         3 . The spray-dried powder of  claim 1 , wherein the particles have a median size of 20-100 micron. 
     
     
         4 . The spray-dried powder of  claim 1 , wherein the particles have a median size of 20-80 micron. 
     
     
         5 . The spray-dried powder of  claim 1  having a singular Gaussian particle size distribution. 
     
     
         6 . The spray-dried powder of  claim 1  comprising at least 25 wt % of uronic acid oligosaccharide. 
     
     
         7 . A process for the manufacture of a spray-dried powder from an aqueous solution comprising spray-drying an aqueous solution comprising:
 (i) uronic acid oligosaccharide with a DP of 2 to 250; and   (ii) protein and/or carbohydrate,   wherein the spray-drying forms a powder from the aqueous solution.   
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 7 , wherein the aqueous solution comprises between 25 and 100 wt. % galacturonic acid oligosaccharide with a DP of 2 to 50 based on total weight of galacturonic acid in the aqueous solution. 
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 7 , wherein the aqueous solution has dry matter content of between 40 and 65 wt. %. 
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 7 , wherein the powder has a water content below 5 wt. % based on total weight of the powder. 
     
     
         11 . The process according to  claim 7 , wherein the aqueous solution comprises at least 50 wt. % uronic acid oligosaccharides with a DP of 2 to 50 based on total dry weight of the aqueous solution. 
     
     
         12 . The process according to  claim 7 , wherein the aqueous solution comprises between 2 and 25 grams protein per 100 grams dry weight, between 20 and 80 grams digestible carbohydrate per 100 grams dry weight, and between 5 and 40 grams fat per 100 grams dry weight. 
     
     
         13 . A process for the production of a powdered product:
 (a) heating an aqueous solution comprising (i) uronic acid oligosaccharides with a DP of 2 to 250 and (ii) carbohydrates and/or proteins; and   (b) spray drying the aqueous solution to form a powder composition with an oligosaccharide content of between 0.1 and 5 wt. % uronic acid oligosaccharide based on total dry weight of the composition.   
     
     
         14 . The process according to  claim 13 , wherein the aqueous solution is heated to a temperature between 50 and 90° C. 
     
     
         15 . The process according to  claim 13 , wherein the aqueous solution further comprises a fat. 
     
     
         16 . A powder obtainable by a process according to  claim 7 . 
     
     
         17 . A powder composition comprising particles comprising between 25 and 100 wt. % uronic acid oligosaccharide with a DP between 2 and 50 based on total weight of uronic acid and having an average particle size between 20 μm and 100 μm. 
     
     
         18 . The powder composition according to  claim 17 , wherein the uronic acid oligosaccharide is galacturonic oligosaccharide. 
     
     
         19 . The powder composition according to  claim 17 , wherein the powder composition comprises at least 50 wt. % uronic acid oligosaccharides with a DP of 2 to 50 based on total dry weight of the powder. 
     
     
         20 . The powder according to  claim 17 , comprising, per 100 grams powder, between 2 and 20 grams protein, between 20 and 75 grams carbohydrate, between 10 and 40 grams fat and between 0.1 and 5 grams of the uronic acid oligosaccharide with a DP of 2 to 50, wherein the uronic acid powder particles comprise a mixture of said protein, carbohydrate and fat. 
     
     
         21 . A food product comprising the powder composition according to  claim 17 . 
     
     
         22 . A process for the production of a powder from an aqueous solution comprising spray-drying an aqueous solution to form a powder, said aqueous solution comprising:
 a) between 25 and 100 wt. % uronic acid oligosaccharide with a DP of 2 to 250 based on total weight of uronic acid;   b) at least 0.1 grams uronic acid per liter; and   c) a dry matter content between 10 and 80 wt. % based on the total weight of the aqueous solution.