Abstract:
The present invention relates to a process for purifying a carbohydrate composition, comprising an electrochemical treatment of this composition in an apparatus having at least two membranes 3, one anode 1 and one cathode 2, the membranes 3 forming at least three compartments, with the anode in an anode compartment 4, the cathode in a cathode compartment 5 and an intermediate compartment 6 between these compartments, wherein the carbohydrate composition is passed through intermediate compartment 6 and both membranes 3 have an ion exchange capacity of less than 0.3 meq/g. The present invention further describes an apparatus for performing the process.
Abstract:
This invention relates, inter alia, to various plant-based electrolyte compositions, methods of preparing them and methods of using them. One embodiment concerns a plant-based electrolyte composition comprising a plant-derived electrolyte content high in potassium relative to sodium, and a plant-derived carbohydrate content less than about 6% weight/volume. Another embodiment concerns a method for re-hydrating an individual or preventing dehydration or over-hydration of an individual or for preventing or treating potassium deficiency in an individual, by administering to the individual a plant-based electrolyte composition. The electrolyte compositions can be prepared from sugarcane juice, sugar beet juice, sweet sorghum juice, palm syrup, maple sap, vegetable juice or fruit juice.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a nanofiltration process for enriching and concentrating a neutral organic compound into the permeated liquid with negative retention.
Abstract:
The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for conversion of cellulosic material, such as chopped straw and corn stover, and household waste, to ethanol and other products. The cellulosic material is subjected to continuous hydrothermal pre-treatment without addition of chemicals, and a liquid and a fibre fraction are produced. The fibre fraction is subjected to enzymatic liquefaction and saccharification. The method of the present invention comprises: - performing the hydrothermal pre-treatment by subjecting the cellulosic material to at least one soaking operation, and conveying the cellulosic material through at least one pressurised reactor, and subjecting the cellulosic material to at least one pressing operation, creating a fibre fraction and a liquid fraction; - selecting the temperature and residence time for the hydrothermal pretreatment, so that the fibrous structure of the feedstock is maintained and at least 80% of the lignin is maintained in the fibre fraction.
Abstract:
A defect free semipermeable composite membrane having excellent integrity and high water permeability is provided. Said composite membrane comprises an inside support layer (20) to provide sufficient mechanical strength, an outside barrier layer (21) to provide selective separation and a middle layer (22) to provide both chemical and physical binding between the support and the barrier layers. Three different methods for making said defect free composite membrane are discovered. These methods have been successfully utilized to produce high quality coatings and defect free composite membranes, which are independent of chemical composition and physical structure of said support. In the present invention, the ultrasonic sonification is utilized to enhance mass transfer and to speed up the phase inversion process of a membrane casting solution, and to produce a composite membrane at a speed higher than those disclosed in the prior art. Said defect free composite membranes have broad applications, ranging from filtration of fruit juice, wine and milk to purification of drinking water, municipal and industrial wastewater.
Abstract:
A method of preparing L-arabinose from sugar beet pulp comprising the steps of: (a) treatment of a sugar beet pulp with aqueous alkali to provide a crude aqueous araban extract; (b) treatment of the crude araban extract with a precipitating agent to precipitate an insoluble salt from the araban extract; (c) removal of the insoluble salt sludge; (d) ultra-filtration to remove low molecular weight impurities and concentrate the araban extract; (e) acid hydrolysis of the purified araban extract after ultra-filtration to provide a crude aqueous L-arabinose solution; (f) ultra-filtration of the crude L-arabinose solution to remove high molecular weight impurities and provide a purified L-arabinose solution; (g) neutralisation of the Larabinose solution; and (h) concentration and crystallisation of the purified L-arabinose solution to provide a purified L-arabinose. The method allows L-arabinose to be prepared from sugar beet pulp with high purity, without the need for a chromatographic separation step.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a product based on a sugar beet extract, which is useful as a flavor improver in ingestible products, particularly in food-stuffs, especially in beverages sweetened with other than natural sugar. The invention also relates to a process for preparing said product starting from various streams of the beet sugar manufacturing process. The process of the invention is based on membrane techniques and/or chromatographic fractionation. The invention also relates to the use of said product as a flavor improver in ingestible products. Furthermore, ingestible products including said product are covered by the invention. The invention also relates to a method of improving the flavor of ingestible products by adding said product to the ingestible product.
Abstract:
The invention concerns a method for purifying an aqueous solution containing one or several sugars, polyvalent cations, monovalent metallic cations, monovalent anions and mineral polyvalent anions and/or organic acid anions, characterized in that it comprises the following steps which consist in: (a) substituting part at least of said polyvalent anions and/or said mineral polyvalent anions and organic acid anions respectively with monovalent metallic cations and/or monovalent anions; (b) nanofiltration of the solution resulting from step (a) to obtain a retentate; (c) demineralization of part at least of the retentate obtained in (b), and (d) regenerating cation and anion exchange resins used in step (c).
Abstract:
The present invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of ready-to-drink, shelf stable sugarcane juice beverage using a membrane-processing unit and subsequent pasterurization.
Abstract:
Process for manufacturing crystallized sugar from an aqueous sugar solution containing colorants, polyvalent cations such as Ca and Mg ions and possibly polyvalent anions, said process comprising the step of submitting said solution to a crystallization procedure to obtain a crystallized sugar, the process being characterized in that, in order to decrease the occlusion of colorants in the crystals of said crystallized sugar, it further comprises the step of treating said solution so as to increase the number of polyvalent anion equivalents with regard to the number of polyvalent cation equivalents in said solution.