Method for the production of xylitol
AssigneeSuomen Xyrofin Oy
InventorsHeikki Heikkila, Juha Nurmi, Leena Rahkila, Marja Toyryla
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Abstract
A method is disclosed for the production of xylitol from a xylose and/or xylan containing material. A solution containing xylitol and other hexoses is fermented with a yeast strain capable of converting free xylose to xylitol and other free hexoses present to ethanol, with the xylitol subsequently separated by chromatographic separation means.
Claims28
A method for the production of xylitol from an aqueous solution which contains xylose and other free hexoses comprising the steps of:
- fermenting said aqueous xylose solution with a yeast strain capable of converting the free xylose present to xylitol, and the free hexoses present in said solution to ethanol, for a period of time sufficient to produce a fermented solution containing xylitol;
- separating xylitol-rich fraction or fractions by chromatographic separation from said fermented solution;
- and recovering xylitol from said fraction or fractious.
A method for the production of xylitol from solution containing at least 50 g/L xylose and other free hexoses, which comprises the steps of:
- fermenting said solution by introducing cells of a yeast strain capable of converting xylose to xylitol, and other hexoses to ethanol for a period of time sufficient to produce xylitol;
- separating any xylitol rich fractions by chromatographic separation means;
- and
- recovering at least 90% of the xylitol present in said fractions in crystalline or other forms.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.