Processes for converting lignocellulose to feedstock and downstream products are disclosed. The processes may include acid treatment of lignocellulose to produce a fermentation feedstock. In various instances, the processes include recovery or recycling of acid, such as recovery of hydrochloric acid from concentrated and/or dilute streams. Downstream products may include acrylic acid-based products such as diapers, paper and paper-based products, ethanol, biofuels such as biodiesel and fuel additives, and detergents.

Methods and compositions are provided for ionic liquid processing of biomass.

The invention relates to a process for the preparation of a fermentation product from lignocellulosic material, comprising the following steps: a) optionally, pre-treatment of the lignocellulosic material, b) optionally, washing of the optionally pretreated lignocellulosic material, c) enzymatic hydrolysis of the optionally washed and/or optionally pretreated lignocellulosic material using an enzyme composition comprising at least two cellulases and whereby the enzyme composition at least comprises LPMO, and optionally purifying the hydrolysed lignocellulosic material, d) fermentation of the hydrolysed lignocellulosic material to produce a fermentation product, and e) optionally, recovery of a fermentation product, wherein oxygen is consumed in amounts corresponding to between 20 and 5000 mmol molecular oxygen per kg glucan present in the lignocellulosic material, the oxygen is added after the pretreatment and before and/or during the enzymatic hydrolysis of the lignocellulosic material, preferably in an amount corresponding to at least 30 mmol molecular oxygen per kg glucan present in the lignocellulosic material, more preferably in an amount corresponding to at least 40 mmol molecular oxygen per kg glucan present in the lignocellulosic material, and most preferably in an amount corresponding to at least 50 mmol molecular oxygen per kg glucan present in the lignocellulosic material is consumed.

A method of generating a refined a sugar stream that comprises xylose from a biomass hydrolysis solution, including contacting a biomass hydrolysis solution that includes a population of mixed sugars comprising xylose, an acid, and impurities, with a thermally-phase separable solvent such as a glycol solvent to form an extraction mixture; and separating from said extraction mixture a first stream including the thermally-phase separable solvent, acid, and impurities and a second, refined sugar stream that comprises xylose.

In one aspect, methods of HMF production are described herein. A method of HMF production, in some embodiments, comprises providing a saccharide feedstock including glucose and bringing the saccharide feedstock into contact with a solid state catalytic structure at a temperature sufficient to effectuate dehydration of the glucose to provide HMF. The solid state catalytic structure comprises a substrate having one or more surfaces functionalized with saccharide solubilization functionalities and acid functionalities, wherein the saccharide solubilization functionalities comprise one or more imidazolium salts pendant along chains of a first polymeric species attached to the substrate surface.

Methods of forming cellulosic sugars from the stalk or roots of a plant of the Nicotiana species are provided herein, the methods including i) receiving a tobacco material including at least one of a stalk material and a root material of a harvested plant of the Nicotiana species; ii) delignifying the tobacco material to form a tobacco-derived pulp; and iii) hydrolyzing the tobacco-derived pulp to form a hydrolyzed tobacco product including residual solids and a liquid including at least one tobacco-derived cellulosic sugar. A cellulosic sugar derived from hydrolyzed tobacco material including at least one of a tobacco stalk material and a tobacco root material of a harvested plant of the Nicotiana species is also provided herein. Tobacco products incorporating the cellulosic sugars derived from hydrolyzed tobacco material or products derived from the cellulosic sugar are also provided.

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.

Process for the production of sugars from biomass derived from guayule plants comprising placing an amount of said biomass (G.sub.2) (g) in contact with an amount of water (G.sub.1) (g) and with at least one organic acid, and optionally at least one inorganic acid, obtaining a mixture, said at least one organic acid and said at least one inorganic acid optionally present being used in such amounts that the total moles of said at least one organic acid and said at least one inorganic acid optionally present (m.sub.TOT) contained in said mixture are calculated according to the following equation (1):

m.sub.TOT=m.sub.1+m.sub.2 (1)

wherein m.sub.1 and m.sub.2 are defined according to the following equations (2) and (3), respectively:

m.sub.1=R.sub.1.Math.G.sub.1 (2)

m.sub.2=R.sub.2.Math.G.sub.2 (3)

wherein: R.sub.1 (mmol/g) is the ratio between a first amount of said at least one organic acid (mmol) and a first amount of said at least one inorganic acid (mmol) optionally present and the amount of water G.sub.1 (g) used, R.sub.1 being between 0.06 mmol/g and 0.25 mmol/g, preferably between 0.09 mmol/g and 0.18 mmol/g, said first amount of said at least one organic acid (mmol) and said first amount of said at least one inorganic acid (mmol) optionally present being dependent upon the amount of water G.sub.1 (g); R.sub.2 (mmol/g) is: in the absence of said at least one inorganic acid, the ratio between a second amount of said at least one organic acid (mmol) and the amount of biomass G.sub.2 (g) used; or in the presence of said at least one inorganic acid, the ratio between the sum of said second amount of said at least one organic acid (mmol) and of a second amount of said at least one inorganic acid (mmol) and the amount of biomass G.sub.2 (g) used; or in the presence of said second amount of said at least one inorganic acid (mmol) and in the absence of said second amount of said at least one organic acid (mmol), the ratio between said second amount of said at least one inorganic acid (mmol) and the amount of biomass G.sub.2 (g) used; said second amount of said at least one organic acid (mmol) and said second amount of said at least one inorganic acid (mmol) being dependent upon the amount of bi

The presently disclosed subject matter relates to processes for isolating xylose from an aqueous solution. A representative process can comprise providing an aqueous solution comprising xylose; combining a boron compound with the aqueous solution to form a boron derivative of the xylose; isolating the boron derivative of the xylose from the aqueous solution as a precipitate; dissolving the boron derivative of the xylose in a solvent; and isolating the xylose from the solvent as a precipitate using a boron capture agent.

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.