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US 5,079,011 AGranted
Method using immobilized yeast to produce ethanol and alcoholic beverages
AssigneeCultor Ltd.
InventorsHeikki Lommi, Juha Ahvenainen
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Abstract
According to the invention, yeast cells are immobilized on a substantially noncompressible carrier having anion exchange properties. The immobilized yeast can then be used to ferment a sugar-containing substrate. The noncompressibility enables the system to be sterilized and to operate under pressure. A preferred example of the carrier is granular DEAE cellulose.
Claims21
A method of producing an ethanolic product in a primary fermentation comprising:
- obtaining a reactor loaded with an aqueous mixture of a substantially noncompressible positively charged carrier having anion exchange properties;
- eluting the loaded reactor with an aqueous mixture of yeast broth to cause the yeast to become immobilized through electrostatic forces on the carrier;
- passing an aqueous substrate containing a fermentable sugar through the reactor containing immobilized yeast cells to produce the ethanolic product.
A method for producing an ethanolic product in a primary fermentation comprising:
- loading a reactor with an aqueous mixture of a substantially noncompressible positively charged carrier having anion exchange properties, to produce a loaded reactor;
- sterilizing the loaded reactor;
- eluting the loaded reactor with a yeast broth to cause the yeast to become immobilized through electrostatic forces on the carrier;
- passing an aqueous substrate containing a fermentable sugar through the reactor containing immobilized yeast to produce the ethanolic product.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.