Abstract: Low sugar, fiber-containing carbohydrate compositions are provided which are suitable for use as substitutes for traditional corn syrups, high fructose corn syrups, and other sweeteners in food products.

Abstract: Poppable granules each including a heat-expandable core encapsulated by a solid coating layer including a polymer. For at least 90 wt% of the granules: a) the core includes at least 50 wt% starch, exclusive of moisture, and has a spherical or oval shape having an aspect ratio not exceeding 3.0:1; b) all components of the granules are food-safe; c) the core includes moisture in a range from 1 wt% to 15 wt%; d) the weight of the coating layer is in a range from 2% to 50% of the weight of the core; and e) the smallest dimension of the core is in a range from 1 mm to 10 mm. A foodstuff may be prepared by popping a multiplicity of the poppable granules.

Abstract: Processes are disclosed for the purification and recovery of polysaccharide gums from an aqueous solution, particularly xanthan gum from a fermentation broth. An aqueous solution of at least one polysaccharide gum is mixed with a non-solvent stream comprising water and a subprecipitant level of a non-solvent of the polysaccharide gum. The mixture is concentrated to increase the polysaccharide gum concentration, and optionally undergoes a heat treatment. Additional non-solvent is added to the concentrated mixture to precipitate the polysaccharide gum. The precipitated gum is dried after being separated from the liquid component of the mixture. The removed liquid component can be recycled to the earlier step in the process in which the polysaccharide gum solution is mixed with the non-solvent stream.

Abstract: We report herein a composition comprising tricalcium citrate, wherein the tricalcium citrate has an X-ray powder diffraction pattern comprising peaks at 2-theta (2?) values of about 8.236, about 16.02, about 17.97, about 19.75, about 21.42, about 25.74, and about 28.65. This tricalcium citrate is produced at high temperatures in a low-water environment. This composition is highly soluble (more than about 200 mg per 8 fluid ounces) in potable aqueous solutions (beverages), and can be used to fortify beverages (such as fruit juices) or foods with calcium at higher doses than seen when using previously-known compositions of tricalcium citrate.

Abstract: A process for producing an enzyme-resistant starch uses an aqueous feed composition that comprises (i) starch that contains at least about 50% by weight amylose, (ii) water, and (iii) alcohol. The concentration of starch in the feed composition is between about 5% and about 50% by weight, and the pH of the feed composition is between about 3.5 and about 6.5. In a first heating step, the feed composition is heated to a temperature between about 130-170° C. for about 0.1-3.0 hours. The feed composition is cooled to a temperature between about 4-70° C. for about 0.1-6.0 hours. In a second heating step, the feed composition is heated to a temperature between about 110-150° C. for about 0.1-10.0 hours. The starch is separated from the majority of the water and alcohol and is dried.

Abstract: A process for producing a starch comprises treating a feed starch that comprises amylopectin with glucanotransferase to produce a chain-extended starch, and treating the chain-extended starch with a debranching enzyme to produce a starch product that comprises amylose fragments. At least about 38% by weight of the amylose fragments have a degree of polymerization (DP) of at least about 35.

Abstract: A process for producing a starch comprises treating a feed starch that comprises amylopectin with glucanotransferase to produce a chain-extended starch, and treating the chain-extended starch with a debranching enzyme to produce a starch product that comprises amylose fragments. At least about 38% by weight of the amylose fragments have a degree of polymerization (DP) of at least about 35.

Abstract: A process for preparing saccharide oligomers uses an aqueous feed composition that comprises at least one monosaccharide or linear saccharide oligomer, and has a solids concentration of at least about 70% by weight. The feed composition is heated to a temperature of at least about 40° C., and is contacted with at least one catalyst that accelerates the rate of cleavage or formation of glucosyl bonds, such as enzyme or acid, for a time sufficient to cause formation of non-linear saccharide oligomers. A product composition is produced that contains a higher concentration of non-linear saccharide oligomers than linear saccharide oligomers.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are processes for the recovery of 1,3-propanediol from an aqueous feed stream. The present invention involves contacting an aqueous feed stream that comprises water, 1,3-propanediol, and at least one contaminant with at least one solvent extractant to form a mixture. The mixture is separated into a first phase and a second phase. The second phase comprises a majority of the water from the aqueous feed stream. The first phase comprises solvent extractant and at least some of the 1,3-propanediol that was present in the aqueous feed stream. The weight ratio in the first phase of 1,3-propanediol to any one contaminant present is greater than the weight ratio of 1,3-propanediol to the same contaminant in the aqueous feed stream prior to the aqueous feed stream being contacted with the solvent extractant. The first phase can be removed from the separated second phase in order to recover the 1,3-propanediol.

Abstract: A method of producing an organic acid by staining a yeast population with a stain capable of internal pH (pHi)-dependent fluorescence, to yield a stained yeast population; determining a gate pH and a corresponding fluorescence parameter of the stained yeast population; and sorting the cells of the stained yeast population such that the cells having a pHi above the gate pH are retained and the cells having a pHi below the gate pH are discarded, to yield a yeast population for the production of the organic acid. Also, a method of producing an organic acid by performing the above steps, followed by isolating individual cells of the yeast population, to yield individual yeast cells for the production of an organic acid; culturing an individual yeast cell, to yield a cloned yeast population for the production of an organic acid; and incubating the cloned yeast population for the production of an organic acid in a medium containing an organic acid precursor, to produce the organic acid.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are glucose tolerant C2 carbon source-independent (GCSI) yeast strains having no detectable amount of pyruvate decarboxylase activity, wherein wild type yeast strains for the glucose tolerant C2 carbon source-independent yeast strains are Crabtree positive. Also disclosed are methods of selecting glucose tolerant C2 carbon source-dependent yeast strains, and methods of producing pyruvic acid or salts thereof using glucose tolerant C2 carbon source-independent yeast strain. Further disclosed herein are GCSI yeast strains having a genome that comprises an exogenous lactate dehydrogenase gene.

Abstract: Yeast strains transformed with at least one copy of a gene coding for lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and further modified for the production of lactic acid with high yield and productivities, are described.

Abstract: We report herein a composition comprising tricalcium citrate, wherein the tricalcium citrate has an X-ray powder diffraction pattern comprising peaks at 2-theta (2?) values of about 8.236, about 16.02, about 17.97, about 19.75, about 21.42, about 25.74, and about 28.65. This tricalcium citrate is produced at high temperatures in a low-water environment. This composition is highly soluble (more than about 200 mg per 8 fluid ounces) in potable aqueous solutions (beverages), and can be used to fortify beverages (such as fruit juices) or foods with calcium at higher doses than seen when using previously-known compositions of tricalcium citrate.

Abstract: A process for producing alpha-amylase resistant starch comprises extruding a feed starch at a temperature in the range of about 60-220° C., thereby producing a product alpha-amylase resistant starch. The feed starch can be in the form of an aqueous slurry or paste that has a dry solids concentration of at least about 50% by weight. The process optionally can include the additional step of heating the product starch to a temperature of at least about 90° C. in the presence of moisture, to increase further the alpha-amylase resistance of the product.

Abstract: A process for producing an enzyme-resistant starch uses an aqueous feed composition that comprises (i) starch that contains at least about 50% by weight amylose, (ii) water, and (iii) alcohol. The concentration of starch in the feed composition is between about 5% and about 50% by weight, and the pH of the feed composition is between about 3.5 and about 6.5. In a first heating step, the feed composition is heated to a temperature between about 130–170° C. for about 0.1–3.0 hours. The feed composition is cooled to a temperature between about 4–70° C. for about 0.1–6.0 hours. In a second heating step, the feed composition is heated to a temperature between about 110–150° C. for about 0.1–10.0 hours. The starch is separated from the majority of the water and alcohol and is dried.

Abstract: Yeast strains transformed with at least one copy of a gene coding for lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and further modified for the production of lactic acid with high yield and productivities, are described.

Abstract: The invention refers to the production of recombinant gene products from cultures of the yeast Zygosaccharomyces bailii strains transformed with expression vectors bearing the gene coding for said proteins.

Abstract: Processes are disclosed for the purification and recovery of polysaccharide gums from an aqueous solution, particularly xanthan gum from a fermentation broth. An aqueous solution of at least one polysaccharide gum is mixed with a non-solvent stream comprising water and a subprecipitant level of a non-solvent of the polysaccharide gum. The mixture is concentrated to increase the polysaccharide gum concentration, and optionally undergoes a heat treatment. Additional non-solvent is added to the concentrated mixture to precipitate the polysaccharide gum. The precipitated gum is dried after being separated from the liquid component of the mixture. The removed liquid component can be recycled to the earlier step in the process in which the polysaccharide gum solution is mixed with the non-solvent stream.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for the recovery of at least one of an organic acid or an organic acid amide, such as a heat stable lactic acid or lactamide, from a feed stream which contains the organic acid and/or organic acid amide. The feed stream is mixed with at least one azeotroping agent. The azeotroping agent is a hydrocarbon capable of forming at least one heteroazeotrope with the organic acid or the organic acid amide in the feed stream. The mixture of the feed stream and the azeotroping agent is heated to produce a vapor stream. The heteroazeotrope is a component of that vapor stream. The vapor stream can be heated further to separate components or it can be condensed into a liquid stream. The liquid stream is capable of being separated into a first phase and a second phase. The first phase contains the highest concentration of the organic acid and/or the organic acid amide and the azeotroping agent is part of the second phase.