Shaping and cleaning of gel-forming biopolymers

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for cleaning a biopolymer, which exists after extensive removal of the organic solvent used for extraction from the biomass by means of a steam distillation process in the form of granules. Through the novel cleaning method, the contaminants remaining in the granules of the extracted bio-polymer as well as solvent residues are to be depleted quickly, easily and inexpensively, whereby according to the invention, this is accomplished in that granules with a content of less than 25% by weight of organic solvents are treated at least once with an organic cleaning solution that cannot be randomly mixed with water such that through the displacement of the aqueous phase by means of the cleaning solution, the water-soluble contaminants [are depleted], and through elution of the contaminants that are soluble in the organic solvent in the cleaning solution, a depletion of the contaminants of the granules is brought about, whereby subsequently the aqueous phase is separated and the cleaned granules are separated from the cleaning solution.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.