Sugar Decolorization Composition Using Enzyme Inhibitors and Chelating Agents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional sugar production processes are inefficient in reducing sugar color, leading to high color levels in final products, particularly due to the limitations of existing chemical and physical methods, which result in significant chemical and energy costs, mass losses, and instability of color over time.
Innovation Solution
The method involves the use of at least one inhibitor of enzymes that catalyze color formation, sulfites or sulfur dioxide, and a chelating agent, such as sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate, sodium metabisulfite, and HEDP, which are added at various stages of the sugar production process to decolorize anthocyanins and inhibit polyphenol-oxidase and peroxidase enzymes, thereby reducing color and improving crystallization efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional heating and sulfitation stages are used for color reduction, then color removal is achieved, but chemical and energy costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical parameters by introducing a specific composition containing phosphoric acid (0.1-1.0 g/L), sulfur dioxide (0.1-1.0 g/L), and polyelectrolyte (0.1-1.0 g/L), which modifies the chemical environment to enhance color removal efficiency while reducing the need for excessive heating and chemical consumption compared to traditional methods
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite composition combining three different chemical agents (phosphoric acid, sulfur dioxide, and polyelectrolyte) that work synergistically to remove color more efficiently than any single agent or traditional separate processes, thereby reducing overall energy and chemical costs
2Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional sulfitation and liming stages are used for color reduction, then color removal is achieved, but mass losses occur
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the concentration parameters of chemical agents used, applying phosphoric acid, sulfur dioxide, and polyelectrolyte at controlled low doses (0.1-1.0 g/L each), which achieves effective color removal while minimizing chemical consumption and associated mass losses compared to traditional high-dose sulfitation and liming processes
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive and mass-loss-prone traditional chemicals with a more efficient composition that uses smaller amounts of readily available substances (phosphoric acid, sulfur dioxide, polyelectrolyte) that achieve the same color removal effect with minimal material loss
3Stability of the object's composition
If multiple processing stages are used for color reduction, then color stability is improved, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple color reduction functions into a single integrated composition containing phosphoric acid, sulfur dioxide, and polyelectrolyte that can be applied in one stage, achieving color removal and stabilization without requiring separate heating, sulfitation, and liming stages, thereby simplifying the overall process while maintaining color stability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a universal composition that performs multiple functions simultaneously: phosphoric acid provides pH adjustment and color reduction, sulfur dioxide acts as a reducing agent and preservative, and polyelectrolyte facilitates flocculation and clarification, replacing multiple specialized processing stages with one multi-functional treatment
4Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional chemical agents are used for color reduction, then color removal is achieved, but additional processing stages are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines color reduction, pH adjustment, and clarification functions into a single integrated composition application, eliminating the need for sequential conventional stages and improving processing efficiency by reducing the number of operational steps required to achieve the same color removal result
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
This approach effectively reduces sugar color, enhances thermal efficiency, and stabilizes the color over time, reducing the need for additional processing stages and lowering chemical and energy consumption, while maintaining high sugar output and quality.
Implementation Method 1
During the sulfitation stage, sulfur dioxide (SO2) acts on the juice by means of oxidation, reducing its color through a reaction that prevents darkening between the reduction sugars and amino acids
Implementation Method 2
Component 3: at least one chelating agent
Implementation Method 3
Component 1: at least one of an inhibitor of enzymes that catalyze the formation of color bodies or precursors to color bodies
Data Source
AI summary
This invention refers to a method for reducing the color of any intermediate of a process for obtaining sugar, and sugar and a process for the production of low color sugar. This invention also refers to the use of components and combinations thereof for reducing the color of sugar and/or any intermediate of a process for obtaining sugar.