EP2937425A1 - Method and device for producing a vegetable sweetener - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for producing a vegetable sweetener, comprising the following process steps: washing the vegetable; Mincing the vegetables; Adding water to the minced vegetables to make a vegetable mash; Heating the vegetable mash to a temperature of up to 70 ° C; Juicing the vegetable mash to produce a vegetable juice; Adding CaO to the vegetable juice; Blowing CO 2 into the vegetable juice; Filtering the vegetable juice; Cleaning the vegetable juice thus obtained with the aid of an ion exchanger and with the aid of adsorber resins; and evaporating the filtered vegetable juice to produce the vegetable sweetener. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out this method.

Description

The present invention relates generally to a process for producing a vegetable sweetener, and more particularly to a process for producing a vegetable sweetener by means of a vegetable or fruit juice recovery plant. In addition, the invention relates to a device for carrying out the method according to the invention.

Usually, sugar beets are cleaned and crushed after harvesting. The resulting sugar beet pulp is added to extraction towers with hot water. The contained sugar is dissolved out, resulting in a raw juice. With lime and carbon dioxide non-sugar substances are bound in the juice and separated by filtration. The clarified thin juice contains about 16% sucrose and is light yellow. By evaporation apparatus water is withdrawn until the sugar content in the now golden brown viscous thick juice is about 75%. The further thickening is done with negative pressure, since the water is already evaporated at 65 to 80 ° C and the sugar is not caramelized. After addition of seed crystals, the crystallization begins, which runs to the desired crystal size. In centrifuges, the adhering syrup (molasses) is separated from the crystals. The white sugar is partially dissolved again in water and then crystallized. This gives a particularly pure and white sugar.

A disadvantage of this known method is that a special plant for the production of sugar from sugar beets is required, which includes, for example, an extraction plant (ie extraction towers) and other special components of a plant for sugar production. However, such a plant can only be used for the production of sugar.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for producing a vegetable sweetener and, in particular, a sugar beet sweetener, by means of which the disadvantages explained above can be overcome. It is a particular object of the present invention to provide a method for producing a vegetable sweetener and in particular a sugar beet sweetener using already existing production facilities for the production of vegetable and fruit juice available.

These and other objects are achieved by a method for producing a vegetable sweetener according to claim 1, characterized in that for the production of the vegetable sweetener, a conventional vegetable or fruit juice extraction plant is used. Preferred embodiments of the invention are given with respect to the method in the dependent claims 2 to 10 and with respect to the apparatus for performing the method in dependent claim 11.

The advantages of the invention are, in particular, that a conventional vegetable or fruit juice extraction plant is used to produce the vegetable sweetener, whereby the utilization of such a plant is increased, resulting in a reduction of costs.

In the method according to the invention, the vegetables (for example sugar beet) are first washed, freed from stones supplied and then comminuted, for example, in a fruit mill (hammer or Rätzmühle). The crushed (ground) vegetables are then added to water. This mixture (also referred to as mash) is heated to a temperature of preferably up to 70 ° C by means of a mash-heating plant. A higher temperature is not desirable, since essentially no pectin substances should dissolve out. This hot vegetable mash or sugar beet mash is then squeezed in a fruit juice squeezer. The intermediate product is an extract-containing Liquid with a relatively low sugar content. The separation and saturation of this liquid is done in a sugar factory (ie lime-carbonic acid purification), but preferably batchwise rather than continuous. In a tank equipped with a stirrer, the sugar-containing liquid is mixed with calcium oxide CaO (= burnt lime). After about 15 minutes CO ₂ (carbon dioxide) is then introduced into this liquid. The calcium oxide reacts with water to form calcium hydroxide (limestone, lime water). The injected carbon dioxide reacts with the calcium ions to calcium carbonate (lime), which precipitates and thereby entrains many foreign substances. Since this solution is strongly basic, many non-sugar substances, in particular proteins, precipitate out. The resulting liquid is then filtered through a filtration unit to remove impurities. This filtered liquid is then added to deodorization activated carbon. After a certain residence time, this suspension is filtered again. The liquid thus obtained is then cleaned with the aid of an ion exchanger and with the aid of adsorber resins. Finally, the purified liquid is evaporated with the aid of an evaporator system to preferably over 65% DM (DM = dry matter content) to a syrup. The syrup thus obtained can be used, for example, for sweetening beverages.

1. 1. Waschen und optionales Schälen der Zuckerrüben, wobei das Schälen mechanisch und/oder unter Einsatz von Heißdampf erfolgen kann, und wobei das Schälen der Zuckerrüben nach oder gleichzeitig mit dem Waschen der Zuckerrüben durchgeführt wird.
2. 2. Zerkleinern der Zuckerrüben in einer Obstmühle (mit oder ohne Vorzerkleinerung).
3. 3. Hinzufügen von Wasser zu den zerkleinerten Zuckerrüben, um eine Zuckerrübenmaische herzustellen.
4. 4. Erhitzen der Zuckerrübenmaische auf eine Temperatur von vorzugsweise bis zu 70° C, wobei die Zuckerrübenmaische mit Hilfe eines Rührwerks gerührt wird.
5. 5. Entsaften der Zuckerrübenmaische, wobei die Entsaftung in einer Saftpresse erfolgt. Hierbei kann jede geeignete Saftpresse verwendet werden, wie zum Beispiel eine Packpresse, eine Bandpresse oder eine hydraulische Filternpresse. Alternativ kann zum Entsaften auch ein Dekanter verwendet werden. Auf diese Weise wird ein zuckerhaltiger Zuckerrübensaft erhalten.
6. 6. Beimengen von CaO (Calciumoxid) in den Zuckerrübensaft, wobei sich der Saft in einem mit einem Rührwerk versehenen Tank befindet und gerührt wird.
7. 7. Einblasen von CO₂ etwa 15 Minuten nach dem Beimengen des CaO, so dass das CaO etwa 15 Minuten mit dem Zuckerrübensaft reagieren kann, um die Nichtzuckerstoffe zu binden, wobei das CO₂ mit den Calciumionen zu Calciumcarbonat reagiert, welches ausfällt und dabei viele Nichtzuckerstoffe mitreißt.
8. 8. Filtern des resultierenden Zuckerrübensafts, um den Saft von restlichen Verunreinigungen zu befreien. Das Filtern kann mit Hilfe einer herkömmlichen Fitrationsanlage (z.B. ein Vakuumdrehfilter) erfolgen.
9. 9. Zusetzen von Aktivkohle zwecks Deodorierung (optional).
10. 10. Erneutes Filtern dieser Suspension nach einer gewissen Verweilzeit (optional).
11. 11. Reinigen der so gewonnenen Flüssigkeit mit Hilfe eines Ionentauschers und mit Hilfe von Adsorberharzen.
12. 12. Eindampfen des gefilterten Zuckerrübensafts mit Hilfe einer Verdampferanlage. Verwendet werden können Röhren-, Dünnschicht- oder Umlaufverdampfer. Diese Verdampfer können ein- oder mehrstufig ausgebildet sein und im Gleichstrom, Gegenstrom oder Parallelstrom arbeiten. Das Eindampfen erfolgt in einer Weise, dass der fertige Sirup einen Trockenmassegehalt von über 65 % hat.
13. 13. Abfüllen des fertigen Zuckerrüben-Süßungsmittels.

In a preferred embodiment, the method according to the invention essentially comprises the following steps:

1. 1. Washing and optional peeling of the sugar beets, wherein peeling may be done mechanically and / or using superheated steam, and peeling the sugar beets after or concurrently with the washing of the sugar beets.
2. 2. Mincing the sugar beet in a fruit mill (with or without pre-shredding).
3. 3. Add water to the crushed sugar beets to make a sugar beet mash.
4. 4. heating the sugar beet mash to a temperature of preferably up to 70 ° C, wherein the sugar beet mash is stirred by means of a stirrer.
5. 5. Juicing the sugar beet mash, wherein the juicing is done in a juicer. Any suitable juicer may be used, such as a pack press, a belt press or a hydraulic filter press. Alternatively, a decanter can be used for juicing. In this way, a sugary sugar beet juice is obtained.
6. 6. Add CaO (calcium oxide) to the sugar beet juice with the juice in a stirred tank and stir.
7. 7. Blowing in CO ₂ about 15 minutes after admixing the CaO so that the CaO can react with the sugar beet juice for about 15 minutes to bind the non-sugars, the CO ₂ reacting with the calcium ions to calcium carbonate which precipitates and many Does not sweeten sweeteners.
8. 8. Filter the resulting sugar beet juice to rid the juice of residual contaminants. The filtering can be carried out with the aid of a conventional filtration system (eg a vacuum rotary filter).
9. 9. Addition of activated charcoal for deodorization (optional).
10. 10. Re-filter this suspension after a certain residence time (optional).
11. 11. Clean the liquid thus obtained with the aid of an ion exchanger and with the aid of adsorber resins.
12. 12. Evaporate the filtered sugar beet juice using an evaporator system. Can be used tube, thin film or circulation evaporator. These evaporators can be designed in one or more stages and operate in cocurrent, countercurrent or parallel current. The evaporation is carried out in such a way that the finished syrup has a dry matter content of over 65%.
13. 13. Bottling the finished sugar beet sweetener.

As explained above, sugar beet is the preferred raw material for the sweetness sweetener. Only healthy sugar beets are used, the beets are freshly cleared or come from a professional storage, which should not exceed 4 months storage time. The sugar beets are washed and freed from stones. Peeling is not essential. Subsequently, the beets are first crushed in a fruit mill (hammer or Rätzmühle). As power here about 3 kW per tonne of sugar beets are required. If the performance of the fruit mill is not sufficient, a pre-shredding is recommended. The pre-shredding can be carried out with a machine from the feed area. From the mill, a mash with porridge-like, hardly flowable structure is obtained. The mash is added to water, the amount of water added should not exceed 1/3 of the mash quantity. It is advantageous to use heated water. This mixture is heated to a temperature of 65 ° C by means of a mash heater.

Subsequently, this turnip mash, preferably hot, is squeezed in a fruit juice press. The fruit juicer can be a machine HPX 5005i made by Bucher (CH). TS yields of 80% are realized (TS = dry substance). The intermediate product is an extract-containing liquid (thin juice).

As residual solids sugar beet pulp are discharged. The sugar beet pulp can be used directly for livestock feeding. The advantage of this method is the high TS content directly from the press. The pomace has 28-30% TS. A separate pulp press is not required. Alternatively, the use of the pomace as a substrate in a biogas plant would be possible. The thermal drying is possible.

The Dünnsaftwird is first coarsely screened, for example, using a Eckrohrsiebs with about 1 mm hole. The liquid is collected in a tank which is provided with a stirrer. The agitator should have a capacity of at least 0.3 kW per m ³ tank content. Here is a free space for the foam schedule. When the tank is 75% full, divorce and saturation can begin. The agitator is switched on, and 7 kg of CaO per ton of sugar beet used are added by means of a powder dissolving station (eg Fristam powder mixer). The thin juice reaches an alkalinity of about 5-6 g CaO / l. After about 15 minutes, gaseous CO _{2 is} blown into the alkaline dilute juice with constant stirring.

The CO ₂ is introduced via a distributor installed in the tank. 0.8 kg CO ₂ per kg CaO are used. The alkalinity of the thin juice should be about 0.7-0.8 g CaO / l. This fall from non-sugar substances. This is followed by the first filtration (for example with a vacuum rotary filter). On the rotary filter drum of such a rotary vacuum filter, a layer of filter aid is first applied. During filtration, the filter layer is coated with the deposited non-sugar substances.

The filtered thin juice is collected in an agitated tank. About 125 g / hl of a special activated carbon (e.g., Donaucarbon MB4N) is added to the thin juice. The thin juice is stirred for about 30 minutes.

The second filtration is carried out for example via an ultrafiltration unit. The membrane can be a "Koch, HFM 1.80" with 100,000 daltons. The filtered thin juice is collected in an agitated tank.

With the help of a heat exchanger, the thin juice is cooled to about 20 ° C. Thereafter, the thin juice is purified via an ion exchanger and adsorber resins. The cooled juice is pumped through an ion exchanger and adsorber unit. The cation exchanger is, for example, a Lewatit S 1668, which is regenerated with HCL. The anion exchanger is, for example, a Lewatit S 4228, the is regenerated with NaOH. The adsorber is, for example, a Treversorb ADS 500, which is regenerated with NaOH.

The recovered liquid is collected in a tank provided with a stirrer. The concentration is preferably carried out in a plate or downdraft evaporator plant. For energy reasons, the system should be at least 4 stages and / or have a vapor compressor.

With the aid of the concentrate plant, the thin juice is evaporated to 66.6% DM to a syrup. The obtained syrup is collected in a tank with stirrer. The obtained syrup is the vegetable sweetener. The sweetness sweetener can be stored in storage tanks and used to make beverages.

The described preparation of a vegetable sweetener is possible with the help of a normal equipment of a today's fruit juice plant. The mill, the mash heating plant, the agitated tanks, the juice extractor, the filtration plant and the concentrate plant are normally part of a fruit juice factory. As a result of the method described, the value-adding production time of a fruit juice operation can be extended by a further 2-3 months per year.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of the inventive device for carrying out the method for producing a sugar beet sweetener, of course, other suitable vegetables can be used.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram with the individual process steps of the method for producing a sweetener from sugar beet. As explained above, a conventional plant for the production of fruit juices or vegetable juices can be used to carry out the process according to the invention be used. In this way, no additional equipment or plant components are needed for the production of the sweetener, so that an existing plant for the production of fruit and vegetable juices can be operated more efficiently and longer.

As shown in block 1, the sugar beets are first washed and preferably peeled. In block 2, the sugar beets are crushed in a fruit mill. In block 3, water is added to the crushed sugar beets to produce a sugar beet mash. In block 4, the sugar beet mash is heated to a temperature of up to 70 ° C and stirred with a stirrer.

In block 5 the sugar beet mash is squeezed with the help of a juicer, a centrifuge juicer or a decanter. In block 6, an admixture of CaO takes place while the sugar beet juice is stirred. In block 7, CO _{2 is} injected about 15 minutes later. In block 8, the resulting sugar beet juice is filtered to rid the juice of residual contaminants. In block 9 activated charcoal is added for deodorization. In block 10, the suspension obtained is filtered again after a certain residence time. In block 11, the filtered juice is purified using an ion exchanger and adsorber resins. In block 12, the purified sugar beet juice is evaporated by means of an evaporator unit until the finished syrup has a dry matter content of over 65%. In block 13, the finished sweetener is then filled.

It should be noted that in addition to sugar beets and other vegetables can be used. Furthermore, mixtures of different vegetables can be used. It is also possible that other ingredients may also be added, such as flavors, flavors, colors, preservatives, etc.

1. 1. eine Einrichtung zum Waschen und (optional) zum Schälen der Zuckerrüben,
2. 2. eine Einrichtung (z.B. Obstmühle) zum Zerkleinern der Zuckerrüben,
3. 3. eine Einrichtung zum Beimengen von Wasser zu den zerkleinerten Zuckerrüben, um die Zuckerrübenmaische herzustellen,
4. 4. eine Einrichtung zum Erhitzen der Zuckerrübenmaische auf eine Temperatur von bis zu 70° C, wobei diese Erhitzungseinrichtung vorzugsweise ein Rührwerk enthält,
5. 5. eine Einrichtung zum Entsaften der Zuckerrübenmaische, wie zum Beispiel eine Pack-, Band-, oder Hydraulikpresse oder ein Dekanter, um einen Zuckerrübensaft herzustellen;
6. 6. eine Einrichtung zum Beimengen von CaO,
7. 7. eine Einrichtung zum Einblasen von CO₂,
8. 8. eine Fitrationsanlage zum Filtern des Zuckerrübensafts,
9. 9. eine Einrichtung zum Zusetzen von Aktivkohle (optional),
10. 10. eine weitere Filtrationsanlage zum Filtern der Suspension (optional),
11. 11. einen Ionentauscher,
12. 12. eine Verdampferanlage zum Eindampfen des gefilterten Zuckerrübensafts, so dass das fertige Süßungsmittel einen Trockenmassegehalt von vorzugsweise über 65 % hat, und
13. 13. eine Lagermöglichkeit des fertigen Zuckerrüben-Süßungsmittels.

The device for carrying out the method according to the invention essentially has the following components:

1. 1. a device for washing and (optionally) for peeling the sugar beet,
2. 2. a device (eg fruit mill) for crushing sugar beet,
3. 3. a device for adding water to the crushed sugar beets to produce the sugar beet mash,
4. 4. a device for heating the sugar beet mash to a temperature of up to 70 ° C., this heating device preferably containing an agitator,
5. 5. a device for juicing the sugar beet mash, such as a packing, band, or hydraulic press or decanter, to produce a sugar beet juice;
6. 6. a device for adding CaO,
7. 7. a device for blowing in CO ₂ ,
8. 8. a filtration plant for filtering sugar beet juice,
9. 9. a device for adding activated carbon (optional),
10. 10. another filtration system for filtering the suspension (optional),
11. 11. an ion exchanger,
12. 12. an evaporator unit for evaporating the filtered sugar beet juice, so that the finished sweetener has a dry matter content of preferably over 65%, and
13. 13. a storage facility of the finished sugar beet sweetener.

It is obvious that the device according to the invention can also contain other components, such as, for example, pipelines, cooling devices, tank installations for intermediately spilling intermediates. It is also envisaged that the individual components need not be connected directly one behind the other. It is conceivable that the individual components are spatially separated, and that the implementation of the individual process steps takes place with a time offset. However, it is preferred that the individual process steps without significant interruptions in time which results in optimum product quality. Through a continuous processing of the vegetables and through a continuous sequence of process steps impurities of the finished product can be avoided and unwanted negative changes of the individual intermediates (such as oxidation) can be effectively reduced.

Claims (11)

Process for the preparation of a vegetable sweetener with the aid of a vegetable or fruit juice extraction plant, comprising the following process steps: a) washing the vegetables, b) crushing the vegetables, c) adding water to the minced vegetables to make a vegetable mash, d) heating the vegetable mash to a temperature of up to 70 ° C, e) juicing the vegetable mash with a juicer, a centrifuge juicer or a decanter to make a vegetable juice, f) adding CaO to the vegetable juice, g) blowing CO ₂ into the vegetable juice, h) filtering the vegetable juice, i) cleaning the vegetable juice thus obtained with the aid of an ion exchanger and with the aid of adsorber resins, and j) evaporating the filtered vegetable juice to produce the vegetable sweetener. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vegetables are sugar beet. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in step g), the injection of CO _{2 takes place} 15 minutes after the admixing of CaO. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in step f) the vegetable mash is stirred in an agitator. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filtering takes place in step h) with the aid of a Fitrationsanlage. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaporation in step j) takes place with the aid of an evaporator system. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that for evaporating a tube, thin-film or circulation evaporator is used. Method according to one of claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the evaporators are formed in one or more stages. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaporation takes place in such a way that the vegetable sweetener has a dry matter content of over 65%. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the finished vegetable sweetener from step j) is filled into suitable containers. Apparatus for carrying out the method for producing a vegetable sweetener with the aid of a vegetable or fruit juice extraction system according to one of the preceding claims, with - a device for washing the vegetables, a device for mincing the vegetables, a device for adding water to the shredded vegetables to produce a vegetable mixture, a device for heating the vegetable mash to a temperature of up to 70 ° C, - a juicer, a centrifuge juicer or a decanter to juice the vegetable mash to make a vegetable juice, a device for adding CaO to the vegetable juice, a device for blowing CO ₂ into the vegetable juice, a fitration plant for filtering the vegetable juice, - An ion exchanger for cleaning the vegetable juice thus obtained using adsorbent resins, and - An evaporator system for evaporating the filtered vegetable juice.

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