Soybean drying in fluidized bed. effect on the hydratable and nonhydratable phosphatide concentration in crude and degummed crude oil

The content of nonhydratable phosphatides in soybean crude oil is increased by phospholipase D activity during the oil-making process. Enzyme inhibition would allow to minimize them. Recently harvested soybeans with high moisture levels require adequate drying to store safely. Simultaneous soybean drying and phospholipase D inactivation in a single operation when applying a thermal treatment by the fluidized-bed technique was evaluated. The process conditions for performing the drying and a complete enzyme inhibition on soybeans, with an initial moisture content between 7.4 and 20.6% wet basis, similar to that at the time of the harvest, were fluidizing and drying medium temperature between 110 and 140°C, and a drying time between 1 and 2 min. For the treated soybeans, the phosphorus content increased up to 223% in crude oil and decreased 17% in degummed crude oil with regard to the values of the control sample.