Process for producing refined sugar
AssigneeInternational Food Processing Incorporated
InventorJean-Pierre Monclin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Refined sugar is produced without using conventional refining processes. Clarification of melted raw cane sugar is obtained either by ultra-centrifugation or ultra-filtration, and removal of certain compounds responsible for adverse color quality and viscosity is effected through a set of packed columns filled with an absorbent for these compounds. After evaporation and crystallization, refined cane sugar is produced.
Claims24
A process for producing refined sugar from raw sugar in the absence of added chemical components comprising the following steps:
- (a) melting said raw sugar to produce liquor;
- (b) ultra-clarifying the liquor to remove particulate matter and/or undissolved solids of greater than from about 0.1 to 1.0 micron, wherein said ultra-clarifying is performed by a process step selected from the group consisting of ultra-filtration, ultra-centrifugation, and screening;
- (c) treating the ultra-clarified liquor by contacting the ultra-clarified liquor with an adsorbent resin, wherein said adsorbent resin is made at least in part from a macroporous copolymer of a monovinyl aromatic monomer and a crosslinking monomer, wherein the macroporous copolymer has been post-crosslinked in the swollen state in the presence of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst and functionalized with hydrophilic groups;
- (d) separating the treated liquor from the adsorbent resin;
- and
- (e) separating refined sugar from the treated liquor.
A process for purifying a liquor produced in the absence of added chemical components and formed of melted raw sugar, comprising the following steps:
- (a) ultra-clarifying the liquor to remove particulate matter greater than from about 0.1 to 1.0 micron, wherein said ultra-clarifying is performed by a process step selected from the group consisting of ultra-filtration, ultra-centrifugation, and screening;
- and
- (b) treating the ultra-clarified liquor by contacting the clarified liquor with an adsorbent resin for a predetermined period of time, wherein said adsorbent resin is made at least in part from a macroporous copolymer of a monovinyl aromatic monomer and a crosslinking monomer, wherein the macroporous copolymer has been post-crosslinked in the swollen state in the presence of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst and functionalized with hydrophilic groups.
A process for purifying an ultra-clarified liquor formed of melted sugar cane with particulate matter and/or undissolved solids having a size greater than about 0.1 to 1.0 micron removed, wherein said ultra-clarifying is performed by a process step selected from the group consisting of ultra-filtration, ultra-centrifugation, and screening, comprising the step of treating the ultra-clarified liquor produced in the absence of added chemical components and by contacting said adsorbent resin is made at least in part from a macroporous copolymer of a monovinyl aromatic monomer and a crosslinking monomer, wherein the macroporous copolymer has been post-crosslinked in the swollen state in the presence of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst and functionalized with hydrophilic groups and separating the treated liquor from the adsorbent resin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.