* NEWS FROM
May
8, 2008
New Sponsor
** NELTEC DENMARK A/S **
IFT
EXPO,
Sugar
Processing Research Institute, Inc. (
NEW
DATES FOR THE
The Sugar Processing Research Conference on
“Diversifying Research in Processing of Raw and White Cane and Beet
Sugar,” to be held at the Delray Beach Marriott in Delray Beach, Florida
has moved its conference dates to September
28-October 1, 2008. We
appreciate your first response and interest in attending the conference.
ICUMSA
26TH Session will follow on October
1 – 3, 2008
SPRI CONFERENCE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
2008
The Sugar Processing Research Institute, Inc., (
26th Session of ICUMSA
The International Commission for
Uniform Methods of Sugar Analysis (ICUMSA) organization will hold its 26th
Session Meeting following the
For further information on conference
event dates and location contact: Sugar Processing Research Institute, Inc., at
spri@ars.usda.gov
American Chemical Society (ACS) Carbohydrate Division,
Symposium
“Recent Innovations in the Production of Sugar and
Fuel Alcohol from Sugarcane and Sugarbeet”
Symposium is part of the ACS Membership Registration
In Memory of Dr. Margaret A. Clarke
Organized
by: Dr. Gillian Eggleston, Chair, ACS Carbohydrate Division, ACS Carbohydrate
Chemistry Division, ACS Agricultural & Food Chemistry Division, ACS
Biotechnology Secretariat and the ACS Thematic Programming
Contact:
Tel: 504-286-4446, E-mail: Gillian@srrc.ars.usda.gov
15th
“Utilizing Carbohydrate Research
Advances”
“CARBODAZE”
Sugar
Processing Research Institute, Inc., (
Sugar Processing
Research Institute, Inc., (
New Sponsor
** HYDRITE CHEMICAL
CO. **
The
Rededication of the Southern Regional Research Center, August 10, 2007
Dr. Richard’s presentation at the 14th
Annual Ione E. Burden Symposium – Sweet
Success: A History of Louisiana Sugarcane, March 8, 2008, LSU Rural Life Museum, Baton Rouge, LA 70809,
“Overcoming Challenges in
the
Dr. Charley Richard, Managing Director of
Dr. Charley Richard,
Managing Director of
Dr. Charley Richard,
Managing Director of
**NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR
FOR
The Board of Directors of Sugar Processing Research Institute (
Biography
Dr. Richard was raised on a sugarcane farm near
Thibodaux, LA and received his Masters and Ph.D from Louisiana State University
in Baton Rouge, LA. He spent much of his
career working for the Louisiana sugar industry but in the last five years has
initiated a successful international research and consulting firm, C. Richard
& Associates. He has strong ties to
numerous research organizations and industry members in the international sugar
community which he plans to utilize in his position with
As managing director, Dr. Richard plans to
concentrate on the financial return that member companies should receive from
their research investment. A close
‘hands on’ working relationship with the member companies which
stresses collaboration and communication are initiatives that
**NEW CHAIRMAN FOR
2006-2008
Mr.
Jose Alvarez, Senior Vice President/Planning & Operations with Sugar Cane
Growers Coop. of Florida, Belle Glade, FL, USA, will represent Sugar Processing
Research Institute as newly elected chairman for the service years of
2006-2008. We wish to thank Mr. Robert
(Bob) Hatch, with American Charcoal Company LLC, for his service and
overwhelming support of
NEW
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS USA 2008
The next Executive Committee Meeting is scheduled for April 12, 2008, at the
Dauphine Orleans Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, following the 15th
NOCS. All Board of Directors and
Committee members are invited to attend.
This will be the meeting before the Annual Board Meeting in September 2008,
in conjunction with the
Some of the Database Topics
- Beet Color
- Cane Color
- Color Transfer
- Crystal Morphlogy
- Crystallization
- Dextran
- Crystal Morphlogy
- Evaporator Scale
- Floc
- Polysaccharides
- Oligosaccharides
The
- Analytical and Sponsor Support
- Color
- Color and Floc
- Color/Process Improvement
- Floc
- Product Quality
We will keep all
Meetings
F.O. Lichts Sugar and Ethanol Brazil
plus Ethanol Production Workshop, Renaissance Hotel, São Paulo, Brazil, March 4-6, 2008. E-mail: ethanol@ibcbrasil.com.br
for more information.
Andrew van Hook Symposium, Reims,
15th
Sugar Industry
Technologists - S.I.T., May 25-28, 2008,
Joint
81th Annual SASTA Congress, International Convention Centre,
2008 International Sweetener
Symposium,
26th Session
of ICUMSA,
The
Dr. Charley Richard, phone: 504-286-4343, Fax: 504-282-5387, E-mail:
Charley.Richard@ars.usda.gov
The schedule of events for all board and committee meetings will be posted on the calendar of events page on this Web Site. Hotel information and attendance form will also be posted. Click on at www.schedule0908.html for information.
Publications presented by
The International Sugar Journal published a
Our sponsor in Brazil, Fermentec S/C Ltda, under the direction of Dr. Henrique Amorim invited Mary An Godshall and Dr. Gillian Eggleston to attend and present oral presentations at the 26th Annual Fermentec Technical Meeting in Sao Pedro, Brazil, on March 14-18, 2005. Abstracts posted below.
Ms. Godshall attended and presented an oral presentation at the 64th Annual Technical Conference of the Sugar Industry Technologists, Inc., in Dubai, U.A.E., on April 3-6, 2005. Abstract posted below.
Abstract for poster
presentation to be presented at the Sugar Industry Technologists, Inc., 67th
Annual Technical Conference,
RICHARD, Charley, and Schwartz, Tom. Sugar Processing
Research Institute, Inc.
In 2007 the total
biotech crop area in the world reached 114.3 million hectares (30 million
acres). This occurred in 23 countries
comprised of 12 developing countries and 11 industrial countries. The top 12 countries are the
The North American
beet sugar industry entered the world of biotechnology in 2006 with a
commercial demonstration in
The
Abstract for poster
presentation to be presented at the Sugar Industry Technologists, Inc., 67th
Annual Technical Conference,
MCKEE, Marianne, Triche, R. D, Godshall, M.A. and Richard, C.,
Sugar Processing Research Institute, Inc.
At Sugar Processing Research Institute, Inc. (
Abstract for poster presentation to be presented at the
NOCS- 15th New Orleans Carbohydrate Symposium entitled:
Characterization of Filter Clogging Material in Raw and White Cane Sugar, New Orleans,
Louisiana, USA, April 10-12, 2008
GODSHALL, Mary An, McKee, M, Goynes2 , W.
Triche, R., and Richard, Charley. 1Sugar Processing Research
Institute, Inc.,
Raw and refined sugar solutions were
sequentially filtered on Millipore membranes with pore sizes ranging from
60μ to 0.45μm, and the material on the membrane surface was examined
by electron microscopy. Membranes with
pore sizes of 1.2μm or smaller were completely coated with an amorphous,
gel-like material. This material
contributes color, turbidity and filtration impedance during sugar processing,
and may arise from highly degraded bagacillo.
Filtration studies showed that most refined cane sugar solutions will clog a
0.45μm membrane well before a solution containing 100g of sugar can be
completely filtered. Treatment of raw
sugar solutions with various enzymes improved filtration. The filter-clogging material on the membranes
was a polysaccharide-rich material high in mannose and glucose, indication a
different composition from the soluble indigenous cell wall polysaccharide of
sugarcane. The material also coats ion
exchange resin beads used in a sugar refinery, causing loss of process
efficiency.
Abstract for oral presentation to be presented at the ACS-
Carbohydrate Division Symposium entitled: Recent Innovations in the Production
of Sugar Fuel Alcohol from Sugarcane and Sugarbeet,
GODSHALL, Mary An, McKee, M, Triche, R., and Richard, Charley. Sugar Processing Research Institute, Inc.,
Clarification is a critical unit operation in
sugar manufacture. This is true for the manufacture of raw sugar from cane
juice, refined sugar from raw sugar, and beet sugar from sugarbeets. Traditional lime clarification has been in
use from the earliest days, but today, with greater demands for quality, newer
processes are being examined. The
purpose of clarification is to remove fine particles, turbidity and colloidal
material. Very good clarification, with
the use of some adjuncts, such as flocculents, has
the added benefit of removing significant amounts of color. Aluminum-based compounds may provide
potential improvement for clarification.
These have a long history of use in purification in other industries and
are primary chemicals used to treat drinking water. We report a series of laboratory and mill
experiments using cationic aluminum polymer blends with polyamine. These compounds showed dramatic improvements
in removal of turbidity, color and polysaccharides during traditional lime
clarification.
Abstract for oral presentation to be presented at the ASSCT – 37th
Annual Joint Meeting,
RICHARD, Charley, McKee, M, Triche, R., and Godshall, M. A. Sugar Processing Research
Institute, Inc.,
There are numerous analytical
tests available for raw sugar processors and sugar refiners to use to measure
various quality and/or degradation aspects of sugarcane, juice, syrup,
molasses, sugar, bagasse, and water composition. Some raw sugar processors and refiners use
only procedures that are well established.
Other facilities use procedures that have been adapted for their own
use. Some procedures are methods
approved by ICUMSA, the International Commission for Uniform Methods of Sugar
Analysis. Problems can arise when
different procedures for the same test objective produce drastically different
values. An example is the “ICUMSA
method” for raw sugar color analysis used by some facilities and the
“Domino contract method” which is used by others. While sugar contracts may be handled on the
basis of one or the other method, the fact is that the color measured by one
may be twice as high as measured by the other method as determined from recent
analysis conducted by
Another example is the
Abstract
for oral presentation to be presented by first author Dr. Gillian Eggleston at
the ASSCT – 37th Annual Joint Meeting, New
Orleans, Louisiana, USA, June 13-15, 2007
EGGLESTON, Gillian 1, Grisham, M.2, Tew,
T.2, Antoine, A. 1 and Triche, R.D.3 1USDA-ARS-SRRC, 1100 Robert E.
Lee Blvd, New Orleans, LA, 70124, 2 USDS-ARS-SRRC Sugarcane Research
Unit, Houma, LA, 70360 3Sugar
Processing Research Institute, Inc., 1100 Robert E. Lee Blvd., New Orleans,
Louisiana, 70124. Delivery and Processing Quality of Trash by
Different Sugarcane Varieties.
Currently,
there is a shift world-wide from the harvesting of burnt to unburnt
(green) sugarcane. With increased
pressure from public and environmental agencies to further restrict or curtail
burning in the U.S. and many other countries, even more unburnt
sugarcane with extra impurities (trash, i.e., leaves and tops) are expected to
be delivered to factories, putting added burdens on processors to deal with
and/or remove them during processing.
The effect of changing to “green” harvesting on processing
has not been properly or fully characterized and, therefore, very few solutions
to minimize the detrimental processing effects of trash have been developed or
implemented. Sugarcane plants from the
first ratoon crop of five commercial sugarcane
varieties (LCP 85-384, HoCP 96-540, L 97-128, L
99-226, and L 99-233), with varying yield and harvest (including lodging and
leaf sheath adherence) characteristics, were harvested at the USDA Ardoyne Farm in Shriever, LA on
Nov 17, 2006. Four sample tissues from
four replicates were collected: brown, dry leaves (BL), green leaves (GL),
growing point region (GPR), and stalk (S).
Juice was extracted from each tissue type. There were significant
differences (P<.05) among the varieties for average stalk weight (range =
1.46-2.48 lb) but only L 99-233 had significantly less stalk TRS. Total trash (GPR + GL + BL) varied with
variety from 16.4 to 19.8% and, generally, reflected leaf sheath adherence
ability. A significant correlation (R2=0.63,
P<.05) only existed between starch and total polysaccharides in the GL
tissue, indicating other polysaccharides than starch are predominant in S, GPR,
and BL. Unlike for the other tissue,
there were no significant differences among the five varieties for ash in
BL. Clarification and other processing
properties of the different tissues are also discussed.
Abstract
for poster to be presented at the CITS – 23rd General Asssembly, Rostock/Warnemünde, Germany, May 13-16, 2007
– Joint Meeting with the German Sugar Technologists Association VDZ.
MCKEE, Marianne, Moore, Sara,
Triche, Ron, Richard, Charley and Godshall, Mary An Sugar Processing Research Institute, Inc.,
1100 Robert E. Lee Blvd., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70124 and Hatch, Robert American Charcoal Company LLC, 403 Stampede
Circle, Cheyenne, Wyoming, 82009 Analysis of Sugarbeet
Juice, Extract, and Molasses after Treatment with Polyaluminum
Coagulants as a Potenial Processing Aid.
Polyaluminum coagulants (PACs) currently used in water treatment
have generated some interest in the sugar industry as possible processing aids
for removal of color, polysaccharides, and turbidity. We have conducted several laboratory studies
using these PACs in the decolorization of sugarbeet juice, extract, and molasses. Five polyaluminum
coagulants were tested with two composed of only aluminum compounds while three
were composed of a blend of cation aluminum polymers
with polyquaternaryamine. In this presentation we will discuss color
removal, polysaccharide removal, and turbidity results after treatment of
various sugarbeet processing products with PACs.
Abstract for poster to be presented at the 66th Sugar Industry Technologists – S.I.T., Meeting on May 6-8, 2007, at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore on the Inner Harbor, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
MCKEE, Marianne1,
Godshall, M.A.1, Triche, R.1, Richard, C.1,
and Goynes, W.2 1Sugar
Processing Research Institute, Inc., New Orleans, LA; 2Southern
Regional Research Center, USDA, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Characterization
of Filter Clogging Material in Raw and White Cane Sugar
Solutions of raw and refined
sugar were sequentially filtered on Millipore membranes with pore sizes ranging
from 60μ to 0.45μ. The
material that coated on the membrane surfaces was examined by electron
microscopy. The microscopy images showed
that membranes with pore sizes of 1.2 μ or smaller were completely coated
with an amorphous, gel-like material. It
is speculated that this material contributes both color and turbidity during
sugar processing and may arise from highly degraded bagacillo. Filtration
studies showed that most refined cane sugar solutions will clog a 0.45μ
membrane before a solution containing 100 g of sugar can be completely
filtered. Enzyme studies showed that cellulase and hemicellulase treatment of
raw sugar solutions improved filtration. Hydrolysis and gas chromatographic
examination of the filter-clogging material showed a polysaccharide-rich
component that was high in mannose and glucose, indicating a different
composition from the soluble indigenous cell wall polysaccharide of cane. The
material was also shown to coat ion exchange resin beads used in a sugar
refinery.
Abstract
for paper to be presented at the 34th ASSBT Meeting on February 28
– March 3, 2007, at the Little America Hotel, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
MCKEE, Marianne, Moore, Sara,
Triche, Ron, Richard, Charley and Godshall, Mary An Sugar Processing Research Institute, Inc.,
1100 Robert E. Lee Blvd., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70124 Laboratory
Studies on the Effect of Enzymes on Color, Turbidity and Total Polysaccharides
in Sugarbeet and Sugarcane Juice.
Control of color, turbidity
and polysaccharides is important in sugarbeet and sugarcane processing. Controlling these parameters as early as
possible in the process will provide benefits to the manufacturer in terms of
lowered use of processing aids, improved filtration, better sugar recovery, and
higher quality products. Twenty-eight
commercial enzymes with targeted functionalities were examined for their
ability to reduce color, turbidity and/or polysaccharides in raw beet and raw
cane juice. Juices were treated with 500
ppm enzyme for 30 min at 50° C and monitored for reduction of color, turbidity and total
polysaccharide content. For beet juice,
enzymes with hemicellulase, pectinase, xylanase, and glucanase activity removed
significant color or polysaccharide. For
cane juice, enzymes with hemicellulase, cellulase, xylanase, and glucosidase
activity were the most effective.
Several enzymes also decreased turbidity.
Abstract
for paper to be presented at the 34th ASSBT Meeting on February 28
– March 3, 2007, at the Little America Hotel, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
MCKEE, Marianne, Moore, Sara,
Triche, Ron, Richard, Charley and Godshall, Mary An Sugar Processing Research Institute, Inc.,
1100 Robert E. Lee Blvd., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70124 and Hatch, Robert American Charcoal Company LLC, 403 Stampede
Circle, Cheyenne, Wyoming, 82009 Laboratory Studies on Polyaluminum
Coagulants in Sugarbeet Juice and Molasses.
There has been some interest
in polyaluminum coagulants (PACs) currently used in water treatment as
processing aids in sugar products. We
have conducted several laboratory studies using these PACs in the clarification
of sugarcane mixed juice, sugarbeet thick juice, and decolorization of beet
molasses. Five polyaluminum coagulants
were tested with two composed of only aluminum compounds while three were
composed of a blend of cation aluminum polymers with polyquaternaryamine. All showed significant removal of color,
polysaccharides, and turbidity when compared to control samples with no PAC
added.
Abstract
for a paper published by Sugar Journal, Vol. 69, Nr.8, January 2007, pp. 12-20
GODSHALL, Mary An, Sugar Processing Research Institute, Inc.,
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. The Expanding World of
Nutritive and Non-Nutritive Sweeteners
The market for sweeteners is estimated to
grow at about 8.3 percent per year up to 2008. This growth is fueled in large
part by rising health concerns about diet and obesity. The sweetener industry
is composed of a complex and sometimes confusing array of nutritive and
non-nutritive sweeteners, which includes lower intensity sweeteners and very
high intensity sweeteners. Besides the traditional carbohydrate sweeteners,
sucrose, glucose and fructose, there are numerous sugar alcohols, new sugars,
such as tagatose, isomaltulose, palatinose, and at least one new very high
intensity sweetener, Neotame, 8000 times sweeter than sucrose. To complicate matters more, some of the
sweeteners go by several names or have brand names. Some of the newer sweeteners also have
additional functions as pre-biotics or as food fiber. The latest trend in sweeteners is the
production of blends, combinations of nutritive and non-nutritive sweetener
ingredients designed to produce the desired sweet taste with fewer calories or
slower digestibility and other functionalities. This paper provides an overview
of the different types of approved sweeteners on the market, their relative
sweetness and functionality, and will discuss some of the new commercial
blends. Mention of trade names and commercial
products in this article is solely for the purpose of providing information and
does not imply recommendation or endorsement by Sugar Processing Research
Institute, Inc.
Abstract
for paper to be presented at the
GODSHALL1, Mary An,
Wilton Goynes2, Marianne McKee1 and Ron Triche1
1Sugar Processing Research Institute, Inc., New Orleans, LA; 2Southern
Regional Research Center, USDA, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Filter Clogging Material
in Raw and White Cane Sugar
Raw and refined sugar solutions were sequentially filtered on Millipore membranes with different pore sizes, ranging from 60μ to 0.45μ, and the material that was trapped on the membrane surfaces was examined by electron microscopy. The results showed that filter clogging material was caught on membranes with a 1.2μ pore size or smaller. In the case of raw sugar solutions, membranes visually appeared to be covered with a uniform coat of light brown color; white sugar solutions may or may not have a small amount of color. Microscopic examination revealed an amorphous, gel-like material coating the membrane and partially embedded in it, completely covering all the pores. It is speculated that this material contributes both color and turbidity during sugar processing and may arise from highly degraded bagacillo. Filtration studies showed that most refined cane sugar solutions will clog a 0.45μ pore-size membrane before a solution containing 100 g of sugar can be completely filtered. Enzyme studies showed that enzymes associated with cellulose and hemicellulose degradation improved filtration of raw sugar solutions. Hydrolysis and gas chromatographic examination of the filter-clogging material showed a polysaccharide-rich component that was high in mannose and glucose, indicating a different composition from the soluble indigenous cell wall polysaccharide of cane. The material was also shown to coat ion exchange resin beads.
Abstract
for paper to be presented at the
GODSHALL, Mary An. Sugar Processing Research Institute, Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. The Potential of Vinasse
The production of ethanol from cane molasses has provided many benefits to the sugar industry. However, disposal of the vinasse that remains after distillation constitutes a large environmental challenge. From 10 to 15 tons of vinasse is produced for every ton of alcohol. It is high in potassium, BOD and COD and lacks valuable constituents that other types of vinasse have, such as those from wine, beets and corn. This talk will discuss the various uses for vinasse and will highlight what is done in China, India and Brazil. The composition of vinasse will be outlined. Some newer ideas on disposal include anaerobic digestion, bio-composting, and on-site incineration as an additional fuel source. Some work done with Colombian vinasse will be highlighted.
Abstract
for paper to be presented at the
MCKEE, Marianne, Sara Moore, Ron Triche and Mary An Godshall, Sugar Processing Research Institute, Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Effect of Enzymes on Color, Turbidity and Total Polysaccharides in Sugarcane and Sugarbeet Juice,
In sugar processing, low color is an important quality requirement for sugar manufacturers and consumers. Sucrose produced from either sugarcane or sugarbeet begins the isolation process in a raw juice that has high color and polysaccharide content, and many processing steps are required to clarify and decolorize the solution to obtain the final white sugar product. In this research, we examined the effect of targeted enzymes on reducing the color and polysaccharide concentration in raw cane and beet juices. The juices were treated with 28 commercially available enzymes and monitored for color, turbidity, and total polysaccharide content. For sugarcane juice, enzymes with hemicellulase, cellulase, xylanase and glucosidase activity were the most effective against color and/or polysaccharides. Hemicellulase, pectinase, xylanase, and glucanase were active against color and/or polysaccharides in beet diffusion systems.
Abstract for paper to be presented at the Andrew van Hook Symposium on March 23, 2006, at the University of Reims, France
GODSHALL, MARY AN. Sugar Processing Research Institute, Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana 70124. The Quality of White Sugar Required in Beverage Industry.
In recent years, the
beverage industry, under the auspices of the Sucrose Subcommittee of the
International Society of Beverage Technologists (ISBT) has undertaken to harmonize
quality guidelines and testing procedures for white sugar used in
beverages. The working group consisted
of representatives from all the major beverage manufacturers in North America
and Europe, as well as from cane sugar refiners, beet sugar producers, and an
analytical consulting organization (
Whenever possible, ICUMSA methods were used, and when an ICUMSA method was not available, the best possible test in common use was chosen. Attempts were made to verify the validity of each method. In some cases, this work is still ongoing. Analytes to test were chosen for their effect one or more of three reasons: Process capability, regulatory requirements, and sensory impact
Concerns periodically arise about items not specifically included in the guidelines because harmonized methods are not yet available, or the problem is rare and restricted to a limited area. Among these concerns are the carry-over into white sugar of quaternary ammonium compounds, Vitamin A from fortification in some countries, filter aids which contribute to sediment, carbonates which may contribute to floc, heavy metals and pesticides.
Aside from beverage
manufacturers, there are also additional quality issues for confectionery and
condiment manufacturers. Dextran, for
example, is of concern to makers of hard candies, such as life savers, as a
high amount perturbs the crystal shape and deforms the candy.
Abstract for paper to be presented at the ACS Symposium on "Industrial Application of Enzymes on Carbohydrate Based Materials" on August 29-30, 2005, in Washington D.C., USA
MCKEE, MARIANNE, MOORE, SARA, TRICHE, RON AND GODSHALL, MARY AN. Sugar Processing Research Institute, Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana 70124. Effect of Enzymes on color, turbidity and total polysaccharide content in sugarcane and sugarbeet juice.
In sugar processing, low color is an important quality requirement for sugar manufacturers and consumers. Sucrose produced from either sugarcane or sugarbeet begins the isolation process in a raw juice that has high color and polysaccharide content, and many processing steps are required to clarify and decolorize the solution to obtain the final white sugar product. In this research, we examined the effect of targeted enzymes on reducing the color and polysaccharide concentration in raw cane and beet juices. The juices were treated with 28 commercially available enzymes and monitored for color, turbidity, and total polysaccharide content. For sugarcane juice, enzymes with hemicellulase, cellulase, xylanase and glucosidase activity were the most effective against color and/or polysaccharides. Hemicellulase, pectinase, xylanase, and glucanase were active against color and/or polysaccharides in the beet diffusion juice systems.
This paper goes in more detail on the effects enzymes have on color and polysaccharides in sugarcane and sugarbeet juice.
Abstract for paper to be presented at the American Society of Sugar Cane Technologists Meeting at the Bay Point Marriott in Panama City, FL, USA, on June 23-24, 2005
MCKEE, MARIANNE, and GODSHALL, MARY AN. Sugar Processing Research Institute, Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana 70124. Bagasse Fly Ash as a Potential Adsorbent for Waste Materials
Bagasse fly ash, the material remaining after bagasse has been burned in the boilers during sugarcane processing, is considered a waste product. Recent literature has shown that fly ash may have the potential for use as an adsorbent trap for many different organic and inorganic materials such as pesticides, dyes, and metals. This makes way for a new value-added product for the sugar industry. In this study, we have examined the usefulness of the bagasse fly ash as an adsorbent for textile waste dyes and heavy metals. We also examined the composition of the bagasse fly ash from a Louisiana mill over two seasons. Promising preliminary results have been observed with the bagasse fly ash removing 99.8 % of textile waste dyes upon treatment of the waste textile dye solution at 55° C and pH 3. The heavy metals tested include arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, and lead. The effectiveness of the bagasse fly ash at removing the metals varied from 7.5% removed for arsenic to 99.9% removed for chromium, mercury, and lead.
Abstract for paper to be presented at the 64th Annual Sugar Industry Technologists, Inc. Technical Conference, Dubai, U.A.E., April 3-6, 2005
GODSHALL, MARY AN*, Sugar Processing Research Institute, Inc., 1100 Robert E. Lee Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70124. Understanding and Controlling Color Developments in Mills and Refineries.
Control and removal of color is the predominant goal of sugar production. Refineries have mostly perfected the art/science of color removal, but the process is capital and equipment intensive, and, in order to simpligy the process, refiners have required that more of the color removal work be done by the mills producing the raw sugar they buy. Color can be controlled in a beriety of ways: (1) Don't make it in the firest place. This would involve using low color cane varieties and processes that present enzymatic color formation in cane juice and degradative color formation in processes. (2) Improve clarification by the use of flocculents and coagulants that remove existing color molecules, along with turbidity and polysaccharides. (3) Change the nature of the color molecules so that they are no longer colored or will no longer transfer into the crystal. This involves the use of agents such as sulfite, hydrogen peroxide and ozone. (4) Physically remove the color molecules. This involves adsorptive processes, such as ion exchange resin, activated or powdered carbon, and bone char. Today, there is a lot of interest is making high quality white sugar at the mill. In the end, creative combinations of several of the above processes will lead to better control of color.
This paper goes into detail on color.
Abstract for paper to be presented at the 26th Annual Fermentec Technical Meeting, Grand Hotel Sao Pedro, Sao Pedro, Brazil, March 14 - 18, 2005
WHAT CAN YOU MAKE FROM SUGAR? Industrial Applications of Sugar, Mary An Godshall, Sugar Processing Research Institute, Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
ABSTRACT
What can you make from sugar? More than 10,000 chemicals and chemical intermediates have been reported. Some of these compounds have been successfully commercialized and some have future potential. Sucrose can be transformed by chemical synthesis, by microbial fermentation and by enzymatic processes. Some successful commercial sucrose derivatives include Sucralose (a high intensity sweetener), Olestra (a fat substitute), sucralfate (a pharmaceutical), sucrose esters (many uses ranging from surfactants, detergents, food additives and even pesticid