	US 7,329,425 B2
	Process for natural recycling of protein waste
Jonathan Scott Darling, Pender, Nebr. (US); and Don Scott Darling, Pender, Nebr. (US)
Assigned to Naturally Recycled Proteins, LLC, Pender, Nebr. (US)
Filed on Jun. 30, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/607,690.
Prior Publication US 2004/0265950 A1, Dec. 30, 2004
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A23L 1/31 (2006.01); C05F 15/00 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 426—56 [426/55; 426/53; 426/54; 426/59; 426/443; 426/656; 426/657; 426/807; 71/11; 71/15; 71/18; 99/483; 99/484; 435/289.1; 435/290.1; 435/290.4; 241/38; 241/98; 241/53]

21 Claims

1. A process for recycling protein waste comprising the steps of:

a) providing an apparatus comprising:

i. an enzymatic digest mixing assembly for mixing a medium and for adjusting its pH level;

ii. a mobile grinding assembly mounted on a movable platform and comprising grinding means for protein waste and mixing means for combining said ground protein waste and said enzymatic digest medium to produce a protein solubles mixture;

iii. a digesting and emulsification assembly;

iv. a drying system comprising a dough mixing apparatus, an extruder, and a drying apparatus;

b) preparing an enzymatic digest medium by mixing within said enzymatic digest mixing assembly an enzyme and a fluid waste, said fluid waste being substantially liquid and including protein, fat, and water and adjusting a pH level of said enzymatic digest medium to a pH between about 4 and about 6;

c) grinding a generally solid protein waste using said grinding means and mixing said generally solid protein waste with said enzymatic digest medium using said mixing means to produce said protein solubles mixture comprising a mixture of said generally solid protein waste and said enzymatic digest medium;

d) maintaining said protein solubles mixture at a temperature optimal for enzymatic digestion using said digesting and emulsification assembly;

e) periodically recirculating said protein solubles mixture to insure complete enzymatic digestion;

f) emulsifying said protein solubles mixture using said digesting and emulsification assembly to disperse said protein, said fat, and said water to produce emulsified proteins;

g) allowing separation of said water into a water layer, removing said water layer, and recycling said water layer in preparing said enzymatic digest;

h) mixing said emulsified proteins with a carrier using said dough mixing apparatus;

i) extruding a doughlike mixture using said extruder into a plurality of pellet-like pieces;

j) evenly drying said plurality of pellet-like pieces using said drying apparatus; and

k) sizing said plurality of pellet-like pieces to uniform size and retaining said uniformly sized pellet-like pieces.