Process for obtaining useful materials from Fenugreek seeds

Details Process for obtaining useful materials from Fenugreek seeds Process for obtaining useful materials from Fenugreek seeds

2001-02-09

2002-12-17

Tate, Christopher R. (Department: 1651)

Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions

Plant material or plant extract of undetermined constitution...

Containing or obtained from leguminosae

C424S776000, C424S725000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06495175

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a process for extraction of seeds and specifically to a process for the preparation of useful materials such as dietary fiber, oleoresin and fixed oils from the seeds of Fenugreek (Trigonella Foenum Graecum L). This invention also relates to an extraction apparatus for extraction of the seeds.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Fenugreek is an herbaceous plant of the leguminous family and is native to Western Asia, from where it has spread widely over Europe, the Mediterranean and rest of Asia. It is one of the oldest cultivated plants and through the ages has found wide application as a food, a food additive and in the traditional medicine of every region in which it has been cultivated. For example, one of its earliest uses was in Egypt where it was used as a flavoring agent in bread and other foods and as an anti-pyretic. Similarly, in India and elsewhere, the leaves, and both the ripe and unripe seeds of Fenugreek are used as vegetables and the ripe seed further, has numerous applications in the traditional medicine system of India. The seeds also function as a preservative and are added to pickles, chutneys and other similar products. In modem food practice, the seeds or the extract are used in bakery products, frozen dairy products, meat products, relish, condiments, candy, gravy sauces, gelatin puddings and in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The leaves of Fenugreek are also used in forage for cattle and the seeds as an additive in cattle feeds. Because of its significant nutrition potential, the seeds and products made therefrom are also used as food supplements.
Fenugreek has been used in treating colic flatulence, dysentery, diarrhea, dyspepsia with loss of appetite, chronic cough, dropsy, enlargement of liver and spleen, rickets, gout and diabetes. The seed is stated to be a tonic. It is also used in post-natal cure and to increase lactation in nursing mothers. Its lactation inducing property is also used with milch cattle to increase the yield of milk. The seed was used as a cure for baldness in the middle ages and today it is used as part of hair tonics in some countries. The seed also has several applications in veterinary medicine.
Modem medicine is beginning to provide confirmation of many of the traditional medicinal applications of Fenugreek. For example, it has been established that the saponins of Fenugreek and also the galactomannans contained in the mucilage of fenugreek have a beneficial effect on glucose, insulin and cholesterol metabolism.
Thus, these components along with the dietary fiber contained in fenugreek have an important role in the treatment and management of several disorders such as obesity, coronary heart disease, diabetes, piles, fissures, chronic constipation & diverticulitis. Similarly, the fixed oils of fenugreek are reported to contain the principle that causes increased lactation. The saponins mentioned above are also reported to contain active components that are anti-carcinogenic, anti-microbial and/or anti-oxidant. The saponins further contain a compound, a sapogenin called diosgenin—estrogen, that is the precursor in the manufacture of sexual hormones and oral contraceptives.
Fenugreek seed contains a large number of individual compounds such as volatile oil, fixed oils, proteins, carbohydrates, resins, pigments, vitamins, minerals and others. Typical analyses of fenugreek seed are shown in the tables below.
INGREDIENT
AMOUNT %
MOISTURE
 5.77 to 10.30
ASH
3.15 to 4.8 
FAT
7.61
REDUCING SUGARS
2.14
NON-REDUCING SUGARS
1.54
PENTOSES
6.07
METHYL PENTOSES
3.42
TOTAL NITROGEN
4.28
SOLUBLE NITROGEN
1.56
NITROGEN SOLUBLE IN ALCOHOL
0.048
TOTAL PROTEIN
16.97
ALCOHOL SOLUBLE PROTEIN
0.30
TOTAL AQUEOUS EXTRACT [COLD]
20.52
TOTAL ORGANIC EXTRACT [COLD]
18.81
TOTAL AQUEOUS EXTRACT [HOT]
15.89
TOTAL ORGANIC EXTRACT [HOT]
15.25
TOTAL ALCOHOL EXTRACT
2.28
HEMICELLULOSE
11.98
CELLULOSE
6.40
GUMS
23.05
MUCILAGE
28.00
TRIGONELLINE (C7H7O2N)
0.1274 to 0.38 
FIBER
15 to 20
ETHER EXTRACT
6.58
NON - NITROGENOUS EXTRACT
46.70
TOTAL SAPONIN
1.7
(Data taken from LUPEZ, RC; OLMEDO, RG; AND PERULTA T; ANULES BREMATOL., 2,353-60 (1950); CA 45:9140 b(1951))
CONSTITUENT
PERCENTAGE
1.
MOISTURE
9.0
2.
ASH
3.2
3.
LIPIDS
7.0
4.
PROTEIN (N X 6.25)
26.0
5.
STARCH
1.6
6.
FIBER
48.0
Mucilage
20.0
Hemicellulose
17.3
Cellulose
8.2
Lignin
2.5
7.
SAPONIN
4.8
8.
TRIGONELLINE
0.37
(Data taken from THE WEALTH IF INDIA, CSIR GOVT. OF INDIA PUBLICATION.)
The essential oil is conventionally obtained by steam distillation of the dried seed. Steam distillation does not extract the taste factors of Fenugreek as these are fairly non-volatile resinous compounds. Thus, when incorporated in foods, the essential oil isolated by prior art methods merely provides the odor of fenugreek and not the pungent taste of Fenugreek.
The oleoresin has been obtained by extraction with an organic solvent. However, in the conventional processes, traces of the solvent remain and tend to interfere with the aroma and taste of the oleoresin. Further, conventional processes employ solvents such as chlorinated solvents, e.g, ethylene dichloride and methylene dichloride, which are toxic and pose health threats. Chlorinated solvents potentially undergo decomposition when heated to form hydrogen chloride and carbonyl chloride, which by-products are toxic. Food regulations of most countries, however, dictate that these even trace amounts of these toxic solvents be removed. Removal of the solvent traces is extremely difficult. Removal is often effected by evaporation of the solvent traces under heat and/or vacuum. However, this invariably results in a degree of damage to the heat labile flavor components and the consequent change of the oleoresins' flavor. Other methods of removing the solvent have been developed; however, all those methods are costly, cumbersome and not always fully successfiil. The conventional production of oleoresin that is substantially true to the aroma and taste of the seed is an extremely difficult operation requiring skill and care at each stage of processing. Moreover, conventional processes are extremely unreliable due to significant variability in the quality of the isolated oleoresin.
The bitterness present in conventional extracts of Fenugreek typically comes from the hydrolytic breakdown of lipids present in the fixed oil fraction. This problem exists predominantly in conventional processes that employ steam or water extraction of components from Fenugreek seeds. The hydrolysis of lipids, which occurs over a period of time leads to rancidity and imparts a dark brown to black color to the seed. Therefore, the bitterness and darkened coloration is passed on to the residual dietary fiber of fenugreek even after the extraction. A dietary fiber product having such bitterness and coloration is not acceptable as a food product, supplement or additive.
Because of its inertness, the importance of dietary fiber was not realized until the link between fiber deficiency and several disorders and diseases was conclusively established. Modern diets, particularly the urban ones, include a large amount of processed foods that are carbohydrate rich and fiber deficient. Fiber deficiency is now known to be the causative factor of several disorders, such as heart ailments and coronary artery disease, diabetes, constipation, colon cancer, piles, fissures, gallstones and others. A diet having adequate amount of dietary fiber is now known to be important not only from the point of view of preventing the disorders but also in the cure and management thereof. Public health and Nutrition bodies now prescribe a minimum daily dietary fiber intake and the recommended figures range between 30 to 40 gm per day per person. For individuals having fiber related disorders, dietary fiber offers either a cure or help in the management thereof. It has been reported that high sugar and fat rich foods, i.e., fiber depleted foods, form 55 to 60% of the daily calorie intake in many countries as compar

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