A method for cultivation and processing of sugar beets the includes steps of: providing the sugar beets and/or sugar beet seedlings in a first step; supplying the sugar beets and/or the sugar beet seedlings with a nutrient solution during growth in a second step; harvesting at least partially fully grown sugar beets in a third step; processing the harvested sugar beets in a sugar production plant in order to extract sugar from the sugar beets in a fourth step; the nutrient solution used in the second step is at least partially obtained by recovering water in the fourth step which is recycled in the second step.

A method for cultivation and processing of sugar beets the includes steps of: providing the sugar beets and/or sugar beet seedlings in a first step; supplying the sugar beets and/or the sugar beet seedlings with a nutrient solution during growth in a second step; harvesting at least partially fully grown sugar beets in a third step; processing the harvested sugar beets in a sugar production plant in order to extract sugar from the sugar beets in a fourth step; the nutrient solution used in the second step is at least partially obtained by recovering water in the fourth step which is recycled in the second step.

A process for the removal of contaminants from a liquor, including two or more of carbonatation, phosphatation and sulphitation of the liquor to form a precipitate having at least some of the contaminants from the liquor, and separating the precipitate from the liquor. The processes may be included in sugar refining or water decontamination processes.

A method of producing a sugar liquid from biomass includes decomposing a fermentation inhibitor contained in a sugar aqueous solution obtained from biomass with a microorganism incapable of utilizing glucose and/or xylose or a crude enzyme derived from the microorganism, wherein the fermentation inhibitor includes one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of courmaric acid, coumaramide, ferulic acid, ferulamide, vanillin, vanillic acid, acetovanillone, furfural, and 3-hydroxymethylfurfural.

Acid hydrolysis of biomass is an important step for releasing the component sugars before converting them to fuels and/or biochemicals. During such a process, a significant amount of mineral acid, such as sulfuric acid, is used. In most cases, the residual acid is neutralized with lime before the sugar conversion step. By doing so, a waste calcium sulphate stream is generated and sent to disposal. The efficient separation of acid from the sugars would allow the recycle of the acid and make the entire process more economically viable. We found that a resin bed packed with an acid retardation resin can be used to achieve an efficient separation (i.e. 98.5% recovery of the acid) of the sulfuric acid from the sugars. The resin bed can be simply regenerated with water.

The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having dextranase activity, and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.

An improved dry grind system and method for producing a sugar stream from grains or similar carbohydrate sources and/or residues, such as for biofuel production. In particular, a sugar/carbohydrate stream, which includes a desired Dextrose Equivalent (DE) where DE describes the degree of conversion of starch to dextrose (aka glucose) and/or has had removed therefrom an undesirable amount of unfermentable components, can be produced after saccharification and prior to fermentation (or other sugar conversion process), with such sugar stream being available for biofuel production, e.g., alcohol production, or other processes. In addition, the systems and methods also can involve the removal of certain grain components, e.g., corn kernel components, including protein, oil and/or fiber, prior to fermentation or other conversion systems. In other words, sugar stream production and/or grain component separation occurs on the front end of the system and method.

This invention relates to compositions and processes for improving the clarification of sugar juices and syrups in sugar mills. The process involves adding compositions directly to the juice and or syrup. The compositions provided in this invention are mixed intimately into the sugar juices or syrups, and allowed sufficient time to react with the sugar juices or syrups as well as with the any other chemicals added in the clarification processes so as to impart an improvement in the purity of the clarified juice or syrup obtained therefrom. Compositions include at least one particulate sulfur reagent containing at least one sulfur atom and at least three oxygen atoms, and one or more particulate solids selected from the group consisting of (A) a silica reagent, (B) a particulate phosphorous reagent containing at least one phosphorous atom and at least three oxygen atoms in the chemical formula, (C) a particulate carbonaceous reagent, (D) a particulate aluminum reagent containing at least one aluminum atom and at least three oxygen atoms in the chemical formula, (E) a particulate filter aid, (F) a polymer decolorant, (G) a particulate ammonium reagent having at least one ammonium group (NH.sub.4) in the chemical formula, and (H) a bleaching earth.

This invention refers to a method for reducing the color of any intermediate of a process for obtaining sugar, and sugar and a process for the production of low color sugar. This invention also refers to the use of components and combinations thereof for reducing the color of sugar and/or any intermediate of a process for obtaining sugar.