Process for the recovery of betaine from molasses

Abstract

A process for the recovery of betaine from a raw material consisting essentially of molasses. The process includes a demineralisation step, a conversion step and a separation step. In the demineralisation step the overall amount of salts in the molasses is brought to a level lying below 2 wt. % (on overall dry matter). In the conversion step the molasses is subjected to the action of a fructan-forming enzyme, to form a fructan-containing molasses (fructan-molasses). Finally in the separation step, the fructan-molasses is subjected to a chromatographic separation, thereby obtaining a betaine-containing fraction. Whereby the demineralisation step is executed prior to the separation step and whereby demineralisation step may be executed prior to, during, or subsequent to the conversion step. The raw material may alternatively contain or consist essentially of thick juice.

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