DE102011009074B4 - Process for obtaining juice from the hemp plant - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for extracting juice from the hemp plant. The leaf and flower of the hemp plant have so far been upgraded to essential hemp oils by steam distillation. Hemp seeds are an essential part of bird feed. Hemp oil is also obtained from the hemp seeds. Hemp fibers are separated from the rest of the plant by breaking and rolling the stems. Depending on the length of the fiber obtained in this way, coarse tile or the finest cellulose is produced. A classic application is as a sealing material for pipe threads. Fiber hemp is harvested when the male flowers are in full bloom. The hemp plant is dried and roasted before processing. The procedure must be changed to extract juice from the hemp plant. In a first embodiment, the invention relates to a method for extracting juice from the hemp plant, in which the entire hemp stalk is pressed out after the harvest, without prior drying or roasting. In a second embodiment, the invention relates to a method of extracting juice from the hemp plant, in which the upper leafy part of the hemp plant is separated, the leaves are striped from the rest of the stem, fibers and shives are separated from one another in the stem, the leafy part of the stem, the fibers and the bars are each squeezed separately under pressure and the squeezed juices thus obtained are mixed in a controlled manner.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for obtaining juice from the hemp plant suitable for human consumption, wherein the hemp is harvested before seed ripening and the entire hemp stalk is squeezed out after harvest without drying or roasting, and one by means of the method produced juice and the use of such juice.

Hemp belongs to the cannabicea family and is the closest relative of the hops. It is a very fast growing, very undemanding plant and can often be harvested already after 100 days.

As useful hemp all varieties of hemp are referred to, which are grown for commercial use away from use as an intoxicant. These are mainly varieties of the Cannabis sativa cannabis species and its cultivated form. Hemp is grown mainly for the production of hemp fibers, other products are hemp shives, hemp seeds and the resulting hemp oil and hemp flowers and leaves. A total of 41 EU-certified low-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) grades are available for hemp cultivation. They have in contrast to other varieties a very high fiber content of 30-40%.

Normally, the hemp plant is dioecious, that is, there is a male and a female form of the plant. While the female hemp forms resinous flowers, the male plant contains hardly any psychoactive substances. If the female flower is pollinated by the pollen of the male flower, a seed forms, which ripens within a period of about 6 weeks. There are also monoecious hemp plants, where both male and female flowers are formed by a single plant. Externally, these hermaphrodites look very similar to the female plants.

The hemp leaf consists of several fingers, the number of which is very variable. It usually moves between 5 and 13 fingers and is almost always odd due to the arrangement of the fingers on the sheet. Leaf and flower of the hemp plant can be refined today to essential hemp oils. These steam distillates are then found as flavorings in food or as an odorant in z. B. detergents use.

Hemp seeds have long been an indispensable component of bird food. From the hemp seeds also hemp oil is obtained.

Hemp fibers are separated from the rest of the plant by breaking and rolling the stems. Depending on the length of the fiber thus obtained from them coarse tile or fine pulp. Hemp fibers are in demand because of their longevity and pest resistance as an insulating material. They are also suitable for the production of textiles and paper. A classic application is to be seen as a sealing material of pipe threads. Plant mechanics for sanitary, heating and air conditioning use hemp fibers to seal water and heating pipes.

The shives are the remnants of the woody plant parts that can not be used for fiber production. Hemp trunks are mainly used as litter for horses.

Sowing of the hemp takes place between mid-April and mid-May with grain harvesters to 4-6 cm sowing depth. Harvesting fiber hemp takes place with special machinery or Harvest-adapted harvesting technology at the time of full flowering of the male flowers and, depending on the variety and cultivation conditions, extends from the end of July to the end of September. Depending on the type of intended use of hemp fiber, the post-harvest treatment differs in the field. For long fiber processing, the hemp straw is laid out in parallel on the field and dried. Drying is followed by roasting and re-drying in the field. For pretreatment on the fiber pulping of the short fiber and total fiber line, the hemp straw is cut in the field and roasted and then pressed into round and square bales. If the seeds are also used, the harvest takes place with the full maturity of the seeds in mid-September to mid-October.

The DE 196 31 830 A1 discloses a method in which the juice was pressed from the hemp plant to use the residues for utility materials. From the AT 002 501 U1 For example, a process is known in which the hemp plant is dried and ground and from which a liquid or liquid is mixed to produce a drink or an extract. The extraction of juice from leaves, fibers and shives for human consumption was previously unknown.

The present invention is based on the object to provide a method for obtaining juice from the hemp plant, such a juice and the use of such a juice.

According to a first embodiment, the object is achieved by a method for obtaining juice from the hemp plant, which is suitable for human consumption, whereby the hemp is harvested before seed ripening and the entire hemp stalk is squeezed out after harvesting, without prior drying or roasting.

• a) der Hanf vor der Samenreife geerntet wird,
• b) der obere blättrige Teil der Stängel abgetrennt wird,
• c) die Blätter vom übrigen Stängel gestreift werden,
• d) bei den Stängeln Fasern und Schäben voneinander getrennt werden,
• e) der blättrige Teil der Stängel, die Fasern und die Schäben jeweils getrennt unter Druck ausgepresst werden und
• f) die so erhaltenen ausgepressten Säfte gemischt werden.

The object is achieved according to a second embodiment by a method for obtaining juice from the hemp plant, which is suitable for human consumption, in which

• a) the hemp is harvested before the seed is harvested,
• b) the upper leafy part of the stems is separated,
• c) the leaves are streaked from the remaining stalk,
• d) fibers and shives are separated from each other in the stems,
• e) the leafy part of the stems, the fibers and the shives are pressed out separately under pressure and
• f) the resulting squeezed juices are mixed.

The object is further solved by juice from the hemp plant, which is suitable for human consumption and which can be produced by the method described above. Finally, the object is also by the use of a juice obtained as described from the hemp plant as a beverage, as an admixture in cosmetics, for the production of detergents, for the production of alcoholic beverages after fermentation and optionally distillation, for brewing a beer-like drink or after processing into creams or gels, dissolved for medical purposes such as wound healing and healing of eczema on the skin or for cosmetic purposes or for surface treatment of leather.

According to a first embodiment, the hemp plant is squeezed out immediately after harvesting as an entire plant or preferably after separation of the leaves and flowers, without any previous drying or roasting of the harvested plant.

Preferably, the plant is cleaned of soil and then, as described below, preferably with an extruder or a press roll pressed. The juice thus obtained can be used as a beverage, further processed into a carbonated beverage, cosmetic products or medical products or fermented to an alcoholic beverage and optionally subsequently distilled.

Alternatively, immediately after harvesting the hemp, the upper leafy part of the stems is first separated from the rest of the plant. The upper leafy part is usually about 1/3 to 1/4 of the length of the hemp plant in the upper part. At the lower green and juicy stems, the separation of the fibrous casing of the hemp stem - the "fibers" - from the woody interior of the stem - the "shives" - made.

For the quality of the drinks and other products from the hemp juice, this separation of fibers and shives, as well as the separation of the upper, leaf-rich part of the hemp stem before the pressing process is advantageous. The aqueous extracts / pressed juices from the fibers and from the shives as well as from the upper leaf-rich part of the stem, have different taste, smell and color. The controlled mixture of these three liquid parts from the hemp plant makes it possible to produce different drinks and products for human consumption.

After separating the upper leaflet part of the hemp stem, the remaining, lower part of the hemp plant is preferably freed from soil and / or preferably beaten into smaller pieces. Preferably, the remaining, lower part of the hemp plant is beaten into pieces having a length between 5 and 50 cm, more preferably between 10 and 40 cm.

The separation into fibers and shives can be done in different ways. The machines already used, which are used for the separation of fibers and shives in the traditionally roasted or dried and stored hemp, are well suited for the process according to the invention. Preference is given to the comminution of the remaining lower part of the hemp plant and the subsequent separation of fibers and shives using rotating blades. In doing so, the fibers projecting from the previous hitting of the plant hang on rotating blades, while the shives flake off and are thus cleanly separated from the fibers.

Before pressing the plants are preferably washed from soil residues or soil residues are removed with compressed air. Preferably, the stems are washed after stripping the leaves.

The pressing of the leafy part of the stems, the fibers and the shives is carried out separately under pressure. Any ordinary press can be used like a wine press. Preferably, the leaflet part of the stem, the fibers and / or the shives are pressed at a pressure of 10 to 300 bar, preferably 20 to 200 bar, more preferably 30 to 100 bar, preferably in an extruder and / or a press roll. The pressing out of the entire, optionally leaves and / or flowers freed hemp plant according to the first embodiment is preferably carried out in an extruder or a press roll, preferably at a pressure of 10 to 300 bar, preferably 20 to 200 bar, more preferably 30 to 100 bar.

The type of pressing depends on the desired processing of the residue. If, for example, the fibers are to be further processed into textiles or the shives into paper or pulp, then an extruder is preferred since a high compacting pressure can be exerted. Due to high pressure, valuable oily components can be pressed out of the hemp. In the further processing of the press residue to insulation or animal litter a less compressive press can be selected. Here is a press roll advantageous. In any case, however, it is preferred that the press residue after squeezing has a moisture content of below 15% (w / w), preferably below 10% (w / w), most preferably below 5% (w / w).

The above-mentioned extruders are well known for squeezing juice and are used, for example, in the DE 44 10 768 A1 which is fully incorporated herein by reference.

The above-mentioned press rolls are well known and used, for example, for sugarcane presses. The Cane Sugar Handbook, James C. P. Chen, 11th ed., John Wiley & Sons (1984) describes a precise overview of the tube press technique. The content contained therein is incorporated herein by reference. As is apparent from the Cane Sugar Handbook, the most common press units generally include three cylindrical press rolls arranged in a triangular shape, but also press units having two to five or more rolls are used. Usually, three to seven sets of such press units are used to form a press bond.

A press roll typically includes a cylindrical roll body that is shrunk tightly onto a central shaft. Generally, most press roll bodies have a V-shaped circumferential crease on the peripheral surface to increase the refining surface per unit of nuisance. The size of the scoring generally decreases from the first press roll to the last press roll and can vary from four to six grooves per inch at a pitch of one inch or greater. Typically, a three-roll unit includes an "upper roll" (or "upper roll") and two lower rolls "(or" lower rolls ") arranged in a triangular relationship. The two lower rollers include at the upstream end a "feed roller" or "tube roller" for receiving the shredded sugar cane and at the downstream end a "discharge roller" or "bagasse roller" to bring out the crushed bagasse.

During the pressing process, the fibers and / or shives or the whole, possibly exempt from leaves and / or flowers hemp plant is first introduced into an opening between the upper and the feed roller. Then, the bagasse, along with some squeezed juice, is passed from the opening between the upper and feed rollers to the opening between the upper and discharge rollers via a curved plate positioned between the feed and discharge rollers below the upper roller, often called a baffle becomes. The squeezed juice is collected in a juice trough below the lower rollers. The press should have the highest possible pressing capacity.

A press roll which is very suitable for pressing out the fibers and / or shives of the hemp plant or of the entire hemp plant, if appropriate freed of leaves and / or flowers, is also known in the art DE 693 04 347 T2 which is fully incorporated herein by reference.

The hemp plant is harvested before seed maturity. The harvest of the hemp plant before seed maturation and the reduced retention time of the hemp plant in the field have the advantage that the hemp in Germany can be harvested twice a year or as the second crop on the field an additional harvest per year.

The hemp plant is squeezed out and processed immediately after harvesting, without the plant being dried or roasted before the juice is harvested. Without drying or roasting the hemp is - as described above - pressed preferably below 15% moisture content (w / w) and thus immediately storable. The juice, the leaves, as well as the fibers and shives suffer through the immediate further processing no loss of quality. The elasticity of the fibers in the stalk sheath, as well as the pulp fibers in the shives is advantageously increased, whereby they are useful for further use, for example for the production of insulating and sealants. In the shives also remains the natural light color obtained by the inventive method, so that for further processing into paper or diapers / feminine hygiene templates etc, the environmentally harmful bleach, as it is necessary in pulp production from wood, can be omitted or reduced.

Another advantage of harvesting the plant juice without drying and roasting the plant earlier is the easier and cleaner separation of the fibers from the shives, since in the freshly harvested state, fibers and shives are delimited from each other by a separating layer of plant liquid. In the usual drying or roasting this separating plant liquid is lost and the fibers often remain when shaving stick parts and vice versa. As a result, further operations are required, which can be omitted in the method according to the invention.

If the plant can not be further processed immediately, it is preferably stored in closed containers in which the evaporated liquid is collected. This can later be admixed with the juice obtained or preferably be used for processing leather surfaces or for the production of skin cosmetics, since the evaporated liquid contains substances that make leather and / or skin supple.

The juice obtained by the method according to the invention is directly suitable for consumption, but can also be carbonated or fermented to a beer-like drink and / or distilled. Further, it may be used as an admixture in cosmetics, cleansers or, preferably, after processing into creams or gels, for medical purposes such as wound healing and healing of eczema on the skin or for cosmetic purposes. From the harvested hemp juice and mixed drinks can be produced. Preferably, a beer-like beverage is brewed from hemp juice.

Claims (8)

A method for obtaining juice from the hemp plant suitable for human consumption, wherein the hemp is harvested before seed ripening and the entire hemp stalk is squeezed out after harvesting without drying or roasting. Process for obtaining juice from the hemp plant suitable for human consumption, wherein a) the hemp is harvested before the seed is harvested, b) the upper leafy part of the stems is separated, c) the leaves are streaked from the remaining stalk, d) fibers and shives are separated from each other in the stems, e) the leafy part of the stems, the fibers and the shives are pressed out separately under pressure and f) the resulting squeezed juices are mixed. Method according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the pressing out of the hemp plant or the pressing out of the leafy part of the stem, the fibers and / or the shives at a pressure of 10 to 300 bar. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the pressing out of the hemp plant or the pressing out of the leafy part of the stems, the fibers and / or the shives takes place by means of a press roll or an extruder. Method according to one of claims 2 to 4, wherein in step a) and b) about 1/3 to 1/4 of the length of the plant is separated as the upper leaflet part of the stems. Juice from the hemp plant suitable for human consumption, which can be produced by a process in which: a) the hemp is harvested before the seed is harvested, b) the upper leafy part of the stems is separated, c) the leaves are streaked from the remaining stalk, d) fibers and shives are separated from each other in the stems, e) the leafy part of the stems, the fibers and the shives are pressed out separately under pressure and f) the squeezed juices thus obtained are mixed in a controlled manner. Juice from the hemp plant according to claim 6, wherein the extrusion takes place by means of an extruder or press roll, Use of a juice obtained from the hemp plant according to any one of claims 6 or 7 as a beverage, as an admixture in cosmetics, for the production of cleaning agents, for the production of alcoholic beverages after fermentation and optionally distillation, for brewing. a beer-like drink or after processing into creams or gels, for medical purposes such as wound healing and healing of eczema on the skin or for cosmetic purposes or for the surface treatment of leather.