# US 11,078,548 B2 · Method for producing xylitol by fermentation

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- Number: US 11,078,548 B2
- Document ID: US11078548B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/541,544
- Filed: 2016-01-06
- Published: 2017-12-28
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2015-01-07
- Assignees: Virdia, Inc.
- Applicants: Virdia, LLC
- Inventors: Robert Jansen; James Alan Lawson; Adam Tyler Carden; Philip Travisano; Brendon Christopher Stout; Noa Lapidot
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11078548B2

## CPC

- C13K 13/002: {Xylose}
- C08B 37/0057: {beta-D-Xylans, i.e. xylosaccharide, e.g. arabinoxylan, arabinofuronan, pentosans; (beta-1,3)(beta-1,4)-D-Xylans, e.g. rhodymenans; Hemicellulose; Derivatives thereof}
- C08H 8/00: Macromolecular compounds derived from lignocellulosic materials {(pretreatment thereof B27N)}
- C12P 7/18: polyhydric
- C13K 1/02: obtained by saccharification of cellulosic materials (manufacture of fodder A23K10/32)
- C13K 11/00: Fructose (separation from invert sugar C13K3/00)
- C13K 13/00: Sugars not otherwise provided for in this class
- C13K 13/007: {Separation of sugars provided for in subclass C13K (C13K3/00 takes precedence)}
- C13K: SACCHARIDES OBTAINED FROM NATURAL SOURCES OR BY HYDROLYSIS OF NATURALLY OCCURRING DISACCHARIDES, OLIGOSACCHARIDES OR POLYSACCHARIDES (chemically synthesised sugars or sugar derivatives C07H; polysaccharides, e.g. starch, derivatives thereof C08B; malt C12C; fermentation or enzyme-using processes for preparing compounds containing saccharide radicals C12P19/00; production of sucrose C13B)
- C08B: POLYSACCHARIDES; DERIVATIVES THEREOF (polysaccharides containing less than six saccharide radicals attached to each other by glycosidic linkages C07H; fermentation or enzyme-using processes C12P19/00; sugar industry C13; production of cellulose D21)
- C08H: DERIVATIVES OF NATURAL MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (polysaccharides C08B; natural rubber C08C; natural resins or their derivatives C09F; bituminous materials C10)
- C12P: FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {(brewing of beer C12C; producing vinegar C12J; producing specific peptides or proteins C07K; producing enzymes C12N9/00; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q; measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844; fermentation processes to form a food composition, A21 or A23; compounds in general, see the relevant compound class, e.g. C01, C07)}

## Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and processes for the production of sugars and conversion products from biomass.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for producing xylitol by fermentation of a refined hemicellulose sugar stream derived from a lignocellulosic hydrolysate, the method comprising converting xylose in the refined hemicellulose sugar stream to xylitol through fermentation by a microorganism, wherein at least 70% of xylose from the hydrolysate is converted to xylitol, and wherein the refined hemicellulose sugar stream comprises: 50 to 90% xylose weight/weight relative to total dissolved sugars, at least 10% hexoses weight/weight relative to total dissolved sugars, wherein glucose and fructose comprise at least 50% weight/weight of the hexoses, nitrogen in an amount up to 1000 ppm, less than 200 ppm calcium, and furfural in an amount up to 1000 ppm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the hexoses comprise glucose, galactose, mannose, and fructose.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the ratio of xylose to hexoses is between 1.5:1 and 5:1 weight/weight.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the refined hemicellulose sugar stream further comprises arabinose in an amount up to 12% weight/weight relative to total dissolved sugars.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the refined hemicellulose sugar stream further comprises less than 5% oligomers weight/weight relative to total dissolved sugars.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the refined hemicellulose sugar stream further comprises ash in an amount up to 0.25% weight/weight.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the refined hemicellulose sugar stream further comprises phenolic compounds in amounts up to 200 ppm.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the refined hemicellulose sugar stream further comprises furfural in an amount up to 200 ppm.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the xylose has not been purified by crystallization.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the converting produces, in less than 80 hours, at least 60 grams of the xylitol per liter of fermentation broth.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the converting produces the xylitol at a rate of at least 1 g/L/h.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the converting produces less than 1 gram of ethanol per liter of fermentation broth.

### Claim 13

A method of producing xylitol from a lignocellulosic hydrolysate, comprising:
(i) extracting hemicellulose sugars from the lignocellulosic hydrolysate, thereby obtaining a hemicellulose sugar stream and a lignocellulose remainder stream;
(ii) contacting the hemicellulose sugar stream with an amine extractant to form a mixture;
(iii) separating from the mixture an organic stream comprising the amine extractant and at least one impurity and a refined hemicellulose sugar stream, the refined hemicellulose stream comprising nitrogen and furfural in an amount up to 1000 ppm, less than 200 ppm calcium, 50 to 90% xylose weight/weight relative to total dissolved sugars, and at least 10% hexoses weight/weight relative to total dissolved sugars, wherein glucose and fructose comprise at least 50% weight/weight of the hexoses;
(iv) fermenting the refined hemicellulose sugar stream to produce a fermentation broth comprising xylitol by converting xylose in the refined hemicellulose sugar stream to xylitol; and
(v) recovering xylitol from the fermentation broth, wherein at least 70% of xylose in the lignocellulosic hydrolysate is converted to xylitol.