| 摘要 |
<p>An improved method of producing semi-refined kappa carrageenan is provided having processing steps including: (a) pre-rinsing carrageenan containing seaweed; (b) cooking the seaweed in a cooking tank containing an aqueous solution of KOH to cause desulfation at the 6-position of the galactose units of the carrageenan, to create recurring 3,6 anhydrous galactose polymers by dehydration and reorientation; (c) washing the seaweed in a neutralizing bath; (d) rinsing the seaweed in water; and, (e) drying and chopping the seaweed, the improvement being monitoring the reaction progress of the desulfation, dehydration and reorientation by continuously measuring oxidation-reduction potential of the aqueous KOH solution and, upon the occurence of substantial reaction equilibrium of the reorientation, as indicated when the oxidation-reduction potential has reached a predetermined constant value, stopping the reaction by removal of the seaweed from the aqueous KOH solution. The process is further improved by the batch processing of the seaweed in a single processing basket thereby enabling single handling of the seaweed throughout each of the processing steps (a) through (d). The process is further improved by chopping the seaweed prior to the KOH cooking to simulate homogeneity and to accelerate the reaction progress.</p> |
