1. Process for the obtaining of an oryzanol concentrate from an oryzanol containing fatty substance which preferably is a crude oil, the oryzanol being a composition as defined in the specification, by the steps of
A at least one of the process steps of
A1 removal of phospholipids present and
A2 free fatty acids removal, preferably by the use of stripping;
B alkali neutralization of the obtained product;
C separation and removal of the obtained oil phase
2. Process according to claim 1, wherein the fatty substance is a rice bran oil, a corn bran oil, or a mixture thereof, preferably a crude rice bran oil.
3. Process according to any one of claims 1-2, comprising the steps of
A1 removal of phospholipids present;
A2 optionally, the removal of free fatty acids, a mixture thereof, preferably by the use of stripping;
B alkali neutralization of the obtained product;
C separation and removal of the obtained oil phase;
D bleaching the obtained product prior to step B or after step C:
4. Process according to any one of claims 1-2, comprising the steps of
A1 optionally, the removal of phospholipids present;
A2 the removal of free fatty acids, preferably by the use of stripping;
B alkali neutralization of the obtained product;
C separation and removal of the obtained oil phase;
D optionally, bleaching the obtained product prior to step B or after step C.
5. Process according to any one of claims 1-2, comprising the steps of
A1 the removal of phospholipids present, preferably by using a superdegumming process, followed by;
D bleaching the obtained product and
A2 the removal of free fatty acids preferably by stripping;
B alkali neutralization of the obtained product and
C separation and removal of the obtained oil phase
in the order listed.
6. Process according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein sodium hydroxide is used in the alkali neutralization step.
7. Process according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein the free fatty acids removal is obtained by stripping.
8. Process according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the phospholipids are removed to a level below 35 ppm P by a superdegumming process.
9. Process according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein the oryzanol concentrate product resulting from a process according to any of claims 1 to 8 is treated subsequently by the steps of:
F separation into an aqueous and an oil phase by the addition of an acid to a pH<5, preferably to a pH<2 and subsequent removal of any non-fatty substances such as water, alkali hydroxide and acid used from the oil phase.
10. Process according to claim 9, wherein the acid used for separation into an aqueous and an oil phase comprises phosphoric acid, citric acid, sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid or mixtures thereof.
11. Process according to any one of claims 9 to 10, wherein a second bleaching step andor free fatty acids removal treatment is carried out after acidification and removal of any non-fatty substances such as water, alkali hydroxide and acid used from the oil phase.
12. Process according to any one of claims 1-11, wherein the concentrate obtained from any of these processes is cooled or dry fractionated in order to crystallize oryzanol from it.
13. Oryzanol concentrate obtainable by a process according to any one of claims 1-11.
14. Oryzanol concentrate obtainable by a process according to any one of claims 9-11, wherein the concentrate substantially comprises a fat or oil and oryzanol.
15. Oryzanol concentrate according to claim 14, wherein the fat or oil is rice bran oil.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An electrical connector to be connected to a mating connector from above, comprising:
a housing formed of an insulation material, said housing including a pair of sidewalls and a protruding wall portion between the sidewalls; and
a terminal disposed in the housing, said terminal being formed in a curved shape bent in a thickness direction thereof, said terminal including a held portion fixed to the housing, an elastic arm portion, and a connection portion to be connected to a circuit board,
wherein said held portion is formed in a U-character shape so that the held portion is held in one of the sidewalls,
said elastic arm portion includes a contact portion and a slant surface portion,
said slant surface portion has a thickness decreasing toward a distal end portion of the elastic arm portion,
said protruding wall portion including a terminal holding groove,
said slant surface portion and said contact portion are situated outside the terminal holding groove, and
said contact portion is disposed adjacent to the slant surface portion.
2. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein said elastic arm portion has a curved portion at an edge of the slant surface portion.
3. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein said held portion includes a locking portion opposite to the elastic arm portion so that the locking portion engages with the mating connector when the mating connector is connected to the electrical connector from above.
4. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein said elastic arm portion has a plate thickness substantially same as that of the held portion and the connection portion.
5. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein said held portion includes a locking portion that faces the slant surface portion.
6. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein said slant surface portion is arranged so that the mating connector contacts with the slant surface portion before the mating connector contacts with the contact portion.