Beet Sugar Heat Treatment Reduces Amino Nitrogen
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing process for extracting raw sugar from sugar beet results in unsuitable organoleptic characteristics and nutritional losses, making it difficult to produce a raw sugar suitable for human consumption due to high amino acid content and unpleasant flavor, whereas raw sugar from sugar cane is more widely available and appreciated.
Innovation Solution
A process involving heat treatment of beet sugar extraction liquids between 120°C and 150°C for 30 minutes to 120 minutes to reduce amino acid content and enhance flavor, followed by mixing the treated syrup with sugar crystals and centrifugation to separate coated crystals, thereby reducing unpleasant odors and flavors and retaining nutritional elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If raw sugar is extracted from sugar beet using traditional diffusion and crystallisation processes, then sucrose is obtained, but the raw sugar contains high amino acid content that imparts unpleasant organoleptic characteristics (odour and flavour)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by treating the thick juice with lactic acid bacteria before crystallisation to reduce amino acid content. This pre-treatment modifies the juice composition in advance, preventing unpleasant organoleptic characteristics from developing in the final raw sugar product while maintaining the crystallisation process integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical-chemical parameters by controlling pH through lactic acid addition and maintaining specific temperature ranges (15-25°C) during bacterial treatment. These parameter modifications create optimal conditions for amino acid degradation while preserving sucrose integrity throughout the extraction process.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If raw sugar from sugar beet is refined to improve organoleptic characteristics, then unpleasant odours and flavours are removed, but nutritional elements (mineral salts, organic acids, polyphenols, betaine) are also eliminated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent selectively extracts or removes only the harmful amino acids through targeted bacterial treatment and pH control, while preserving beneficial nutritional elements. This selective removal approach allows the raw sugar to maintain its natural nutritional profile without unpleasant organoleptic characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of amino acids (unpleasant odour and flavour) into a benefit by using lactic acid bacteria to transform amino acids into desirable compounds. The same bacterial treatment that removes harmful substances also contributes to the development of pleasant organoleptic properties while preserving nutritional value.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If raw sugar from sugar cane is used instead of sugar beet, then pleasant organoleptic characteristics are obtained, but availability and cost-effectiveness are reduced in regions where sugar beet is the primary source
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical parameters of sugar beet-derived raw sugar through controlled pH adjustment and bacterial treatment, transforming its organoleptic profile to match or exceed that of sugar cane raw sugar. This allows local production of high-quality raw sugar in beet-growing regions without relying on cane imports.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes sugar beet a universal alternative to sugar cane for raw sugar production by applying a treatment process that works regardless of the original plant source. The lactic acid bacterial treatment creates a universal solution that enables sugar beet to fulfill the same functional and organoleptic role as sugar cane in regions where it is grown.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process achieves a raw beet sugar with reduced amino nitrogen content, pleasant organoleptic properties, and retained nutritional elements, suitable for human consumption and use in the food industry, while being cost-effective and easy to implement without complex equipment.
Implementation Method 1
subjecting at least a liquid obtained from the process of extracting beet sugar to a heat treatment at a temperature comprised between 120°C and 150°C, for a time comprised between 30 minutes and 120 minutes, to obtain a boiled syrup
Implementation Method 2
centrifuging the mixture prepared in step (ii) to separate the coated sugar crystals from any excess boiled syrup
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a process for preparing raw sugar from sugar beet, comprising the steps of: (i) subjecting at least a liquid obtained from the process of extracting beet sugar to a heat treatment at a temperature comprised between 120°C and 150°C, for a time comprised between 30 minutes and 120 minutes, to obtain a boiled syrup; (ii) mixing the boiled syrup obtained in the step (i) with sugar crystals, thus obtaining a mixture comprising sugar crystals coated by a layer of boiled syrup; (iii) centrifuging the mixture prepared in step (ii) to separate the coated sugar crystals from any excess boiled syrup; (iv) recovering the sugar crystals coated with boiled syrup separated in step (iii). The invention also relates to a raw sugar from sugar beet, with an α-amino nitrogen content of less than 20 mg/kg. The use of said raw sugar for human consumption is also a part of the present invention.