An integrated process and corresponding apparatus that produces a relatively clean, delignified cellulose product from lignocellulosic biomass. The method includes treating a portion of the delignified cellulose itself as a substrate to produce on-site cellulolytic enzymes, including further treating the remaining delignified cellulose with the resulting cellulolytic enzymes for in situ enzymatic hydrolysis. The process and apparatus are useful to produce fermentable sugars for cost-effective manufacturing of fermentable sugars, fuels, bioproducts and chemicals.

The invention describes products, uses thereof, compositions thereof, and methods to prepare products formed from Maillard reaction products from a sugar donor and/or sweet tea extracts, stevia extracts, swingle (mogroside) extracts, one or more sweet tea extract components, one or more steviol glycosides, one or more mogrosides, one or more glycosylated sweet tea glycosides, one or more glycosylated steviol glycosides or one or more glycosylated mogrosides and an amine donor/reactant.

Provided are methods and compositions for high yields while using reduced enzyme loads in saccharification and fermentation processes. These methods increase the efficiency of enzymes and result in improved yields and composition of saccharification and fermentation end products.

A process for the conversion of a solid material containing hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin, which process comprises the following steps:

(i) hydrolyzing, at a temperature equal to or less than 40° C., preferably equal to or less than 30° C., at least part of the hemicellulose of the solid material by contacting the solid material with a first aqueous hydrochloric acid solution, which first aqueous hydrochloric acid solution has a hydrochloric acid concentration in the range from equal to or more than 15.0 wt. % to less than 40.0 wt. %, based on the weight amount of water and hydrochloric acid in such first aqueous hydrochloric acid solution, yielding a remaining solid material and an aqueous first hydrolysate product solution;

(ii) displacing aqueous solution from the remaining solid material with a non-aqueous displacement fluid;

(iii) hydrolyzing, at a temperature equal to or less than 40° C., preferably equal to or less than 30° C., at least part of the cellulose of the remaining solid material by replacing the non-aqueous displacement fluid with a second aqueous hydrochloric acid solution, which second aqueous hydrochloric acid solution has a hydrochloric acid concentration in the range from equal to or more than 40.0 wt. % to equal to or less than 51.0 wt. %, based on the weight amount of water and hydrochloric acid in such second aqueous hydrochloric acid solution, yielding a residue and an aqueous second hydrolysate product solution

wherein the process is carried out in one or more reactors and wherein the reactor comprises a cylindrical vessel with its axis arranged in an essentially vertical manner, and

wherein said non-aqueous displacement fluid is a non-aqueous, preferably hydrophobic, liquid having a density equal to or less than 1000 kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m.sup.3), and

wherein the non-aqueous displacement fluid is supplied to such reactor in a downward fashion.

Sweetener and flavor compositions with improved taste profiles are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of making and methods of using such sweetener and flavor compositions.

The present invention discloses a xylose hydrolysate decolorization and filtration device. A hydrolysate is filtered through a to-be-cleaned filtering machine to form a waste carbon liquid with a light transmittance of 7% to 10%, the waste carbon liquid is subjected to pressure filtration through a filter press to form a plate and frame liquid, the plate and frame liquid is filtered through a to-be-passed-through filtering machine to form a pre-decolorized liquid with a light transmittance of 30% to 35%, the pre-decolorized liquid enters a decolorization tank and is mixed with added new carbon in the decolorization tank to form a new carbon liquid, and the new carbon liquid is filtered through a standby filtering machine to form a decolorized liquid with a light transmittance of greater than 65%. The present invention further discloses a xylose hydrolysate decolorization and filtration method using the device. According to the present invention, the pollution of carbon powder to the surrounding environment is effectively reduced, the xylose hydrolysate is effectively decolorized and filtered, the device is designed in a compact way and takes up less space, and the entire decolorization and filtration process is carried out in a sealed environment, which reduces the pollution to the surrounding environment.

Sweetener and flavor compositions with improved taste profiles are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of making and methods of using such sweetener and flavor compositions.

Sweetener and flavor compositions with improved taste profiles are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of making and methods of using such sweetener and flavor compositions.

Systems and methods for producing carbohydrate (e.g., sugar) streams (and recycling enzymes) from a pretreated or untreated biomass such as cellulosic feedstock, including, for example, “brown stock” feedstock, or waste or recycled fiber sludge produced in the pulp and paper industry, such as for biochemical (e.g., biofuel) production, are provided. In one example, the system and method can produce high purity C6 (glucose and/or fructose) and/or C5 (xylose) sugar streams, and other carbohydrates and/or fibrous materials, from cellulosic feedstocks, such as brown stock or waste fiber sludge, that can be effectively converted into various biochemical products, such as ethanol.

Sweetener and flavor compositions with improved taste profiles are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of making and methods of using such sweetener and flavor compositions.