Process for the purification of sugarbeet juice and the reduction of lime salts therein

In the purification of raw sugarbeet juice having relatively low or even negative so-called effective alkalinity involving the treatment of the juice with an alkaline earth metal oxide and with carbon dioxide and separating precipitated solids from the liquid phase of the treated material, the improvement which comprises overcarbonating the juice to an alkalinity of 0.0 to 0.02% CaO equivalent during final carbonation in a gassing vessel;

• adding sufficient active MgO into the gassing vessel while carbonating to raise the effective alkalinities to around 0;
• and, subsequently, re-alkalizing the overcarbonated juice to an alkalinity of 0.01 to 0.03% CaO equivalent by the addition of active MgO, followed by a final separation of precipitated solids.