Abstract: The present invention relates to novel methods for stabilizing aqueous deacylation, via use of buffers in the production of sucralose. The present invention provides a process for producing sucralose from an acyl-sucralose compound whereby the acyl-sucralose compound is deacylated in the presence of a buffering agent, which stabilizes the pH of the feed mixture and decreases the accumulation of undesired anhydro compounds. Further, the present invention provides a process whereby the acyl-sucralose compound is deacylated directly either prior to or after removal of the tertiary amide reaction vehicle from the neutralized chlorination feed mixture. An aqueous solution of sucralose including salts and other compounds is produced, from which sucralose is recovered by extraction and purified by crystallization.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved form of sucralose and a process for making it.

Abstract: A process for producing sugar from beets includes the step of filtering a sucrose-containing feed juice, which has been obtained from macerated sugar beets, through a first ultrafiltration membrane that has a first molecular weight cutoff. This ultrafiltration step produces a first ultrafiltration permeate and a first ultrafiltration retentate. The first ultrafiltration permeate is filtered through a second ultrafiltration membrane that has a second molecular weight cutoff that is lower than the first molecular weight cutoff. This second ultrafiltration step produces a second ultrafiltration permeate and a second ultrafiltration retentate. The second ultrafiltration permeate is nanofiltered through a nanofiltration membrane, thereby producing a nanofiltration permeate and a nanofiltration retentate.

Abstract: A nanofiltration process for obtaining sucrose uses a feed syrup, such as molasses, that comprises sucrose and no less than about 2% by weight invert sugars (on a dry solids basis). The nanofiltration produces a permeate and retentate. The nanofiltration permeate will comprise invert sugars that have passed from the feed through the nanofiltration membrane, and preferably will also comprise ash from the feed. The nanofiltration retentate has a higher concentration of sucrose and a lower concentration of invert sugars than the feed syrup. Sucrose can then be crystallized from the nanofiltration retentate. The reduction of the invert content in the syrup facilitates crystallization and thus enhances sucrose recovery.

Abstract: A process for producing sugar from beets includes the step of filtering a sucrose-containing feed juice, which has been obtained by diffusion from sliced sugar beets, through a first ultrafiltration membrane that has a first molecular weight cutoff. This ultrafiltration step produces a first ultrafiltration permeate and a first ultrafiltration retentate. The first ultrafiltration permeate is filtered through a second ultrafiltration membrane that has a second molecular weight cutoff that is lower than the first molecular weight cutoff. This second ultrafiltration step produces a second ultrafiltration permeate and a second ultrafiltration retentate. The second ultrafiltration permeate is nanofiltered through a nanofiltration membrane, thereby producing a nanofiltration permeate and a nanofiltration retentate.

Abstract: A process for producing sugar from cane includes the step of filtering a sucrose-containing feed juice, which has been obtained from macerated sugar cane, through a first ultrafiltration membrane that has a first molecular weight cutoff. This ultrafiltration step produces a first ultrafiltration permeate and a first ultrafiltration retentate. The first ultrafiltration permeate is filtered through a second ultrafiltration membrane that has a second molecular weight cutoff that is lower than the first molecular weight cutoff. This second ultrafiltration step produces a second ultrafiltration permeate and a second ultrafiltration retentate. The second ultrafiltration permeate is nanofiltered through a nanofiltration membrane, thereby producing a nanofiltration permeate and a nanofiltration retentate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing sugar from beets, comprising the steps of: (a) macerating beets or pieces thereof; (b) mechanically separating juice from the macerated beets; and (c) membrane filtering the separated juice, producing a retentate and a permeate. The mechanical extraction of juice can be done on a moving porous vacuum filtration belt with countercurrent flow of macerated beets and water. The pH of the vacuum extracted juice can be adjusted to at least about 7 by addition of sodium hydroxide. This process does not use conventional beet diffusion. No lime and no carbon dioxide are required to be contacted with the juice or the permeate in this process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing sugar from cane that includes the steps of: (a) grinding sugar cane or pieces thereof into pulp; (b) mechanically separating juice from the pulp; and (c) membrane filtering the separated juice, for example through a ultrafiltration membrane, producing a retentate and a permeate. Preferably in step (a), the cane is cut into pieces having an average fiber length of less than 10 millimeters, more preferably into pieces having an average fiber length of less than 5 mm with a fiber diameter of about 200 microns or less. The mechanical separation of juice from cane pieces can be done suitably by filtration or centrifugation. It is preferred to adjust the pH of the separated juice to at least about 7 prior to membrane filtration, more preferably to at least about 7.5, for example by adding lime or sodium hydroxide. The permeate can be evaporated and crystallized by conventional means to produce white sugar.

Abstract: A nanofiltration process for obtaining sucrose uses a feed syrup, such as molasses, that comprises sucrose and no less than about 3% by weight invert sugars (on a dry solids basis). The nanofiltration produces a permeate and retentate. The nanofiltration permeate will comprise invert sugars that have passed from the feed through the nanofiltration membrane, and preferably will also comprise ash from the feed. The nanofiltration retentate has a higher concentration of sucrose and a lower concentration of invert sugars than the feed syrup. Sucrose can then be crystallized from the nanofiltration retentate. The reduction of the invert content in the syrup facilitates crystallization and thus enhances sucrose recovery.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing sugar from beets, comprising the steps of: (a) macerating beets or pieces thereof; (b) mechanically separating juice from the macerated beets; and (c) membrane filtering the separated juice, producing a retentate and a permeate. The mechanical extraction of juice can be done on a moving porous vacuum filtration belt with countercurrent flow of macerated beets and water. The pH of the vacuum extracted juice can be adjusted to at least about 7 by addition of sodium hydroxide. This process does not use conventional beet diffusion. No lime and no carbon dioxide are required to be contacted with the juice or the permeate in this process.

Abstract: A process for purifying cane sugar from an aqueous composition thereof comprises the steps of (a) contacting an aqueous cane sugar feed composition with sufficient lime to increase the pH of the composition to at least about 9.5; (b) filtering the composition through a membrane having a pore size no greater than about 0.5 microns and having a molecular weight cutoff no less than about 5 kD, thereby producing a retentate and a permeate; and (c) contacting the permeate with sufficient carbon dioxide, or other materials designed to precipitate calcium and lower the pH, to adjust the pH to about 6.5-9.0. The feed composition preferably is cane juice, cane syrup, an aqueous composition of raw sugar, a cane sugar refinery stream, or a mixture of one or more such materials.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fractionation process for treating an aqueous sucrose syrup having, on a dry basis, an initial sucrose content of at least 30 w/w % comprising combining the syrup with a solvent selected from the group consisting of alkanols, ketones, and esters having 3 to 8 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof to form a system having at least two liquid phases in contact with a sucrose-containing solid phase and separating the phases, whereby there are obtained at least two products from the liquid phases, a first of which is characterized by a sucrose content, on a dry basis, greater than the initial content and a second of which is characterized by a sucrose content, on a dry basis, less than the initial content, in addition to a product obtained from the sucrose-containing solid phase.

Abstract: A process for purifying cane sugar from an aqueous composition thereof comprises the steps of (a) contacting an aqueous cane sugar feed composition with sufficient lime to increase the pH of the composition to at least about 9.5; (b) filtering the composition through a membrane having a pore size no greater than about 0.5 microns and having a molecular weight cutoff no less than about 5 kD, thereby producing a retentate and a permeate; and (c) contacting the permeate with sufficient carbon dioxide, or other materials designed to precipitate calcium and lower the pH, to adjust the pH to about 6.5-9.0. The feed composition preferably is cane juice, cane syrup, an aqueous composition of raw sugar, a cane sugar refinery stream, or a mixture of one or more such materials.

Abstract: The flowability of crystalline sucralose can be increased by treating the crystalline material in a fluidised bed at ambient temperature with additions of water, followed by a fluidised drying phase. Fluidisation by means of an upward current of air at 25-35.degree. C. and added water at 20-50% by weight, e.g., 25-40%, is preferred.

Abstract: A sweetened extruded food product based on a vegetable material containing a sweetener incorporated before extrusion is formulated so that the sweetener contains a significant proportion of sucralose. In particular, the sucralose provides at least 50%, preferably at least about 75%, of the sweetness.

Abstract: An anti-tipping device for the saddles of weight lifting benches for preventing accidental tipping of barbells with respect to the saddles, wherein an abutment is provided at the rear stem of each saddle of a weight lifting bench. The anti-tipping device has a guide surface having increasing inclination toward the base of the saddle and terminates in a concave surface spaced from the base on the order of at least the diameter of the bar, and having a radius of curvature at least that of the bar. The anti-tipping device is dimensioned to occlude less than half the distance between the front and rear stems of each saddle, so that the saddles will operate in a completely conventional manner in terms of selectively receiving the bar of barbells when the bar is kept adjacent the front stem, but interferingly abuts the bar when the bar is adjacent the rear stem, so that the barbell is prevented from tipping no matter what the weight disparity may be with respect to the two ends of the bar.

Abstract: A method is provided for the preparation of a sucrose 6-ester by: (i) reacting a solution of sucrose in an inert organic solvent with a reagent selected from the group consisting of a trialkyl orthoester and a ketene acetal, in the presence of an acid catalyst to provide a sucrose alkyl 4,6-orthoester, (ii) treating the sucrose alkyl 4,6-orthoester under mild aqueous acidic conditions to provide a mixture of sucrose 4- and 6-monoesters, (iii) treating the mixture of esters with a base to convert the sucrose 4-ester into sucrose 6-ester, and (iv) neutralizing the solution and isolating the sucrose 6-ester, in which stage (i) is effected in a continuous manner by passing the solution of sucrose and reagent through a strong acid macroreticular ion exchange resin at ambient temperature. Sucralose is prepared by chlorinating the sucrose 6-esters obtained.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of a sucrose 6-ester comprises:(i) reacting sucrose with a ketene acetal in the presence of an acid catalyst in an inert organic solvent to form a sucrose alkyl 4, 6-orthoester;(ii) subjecting the sucrose alkyl 4, 6-orthoester to mild acidic hydrolysis to provide a mixture of 4- and 6-monoesters of sucrose; and(iii) treating the mixture of sucrose monoesters with a base to convert the sucrose 4-ester into sucrose 6-ester. Sucralose may be prepared by chlorination of sucrose 6-esters prepared according to the invention.

Abstract: Synergy is is obtained by combining sucralose and a sweet saccharide selected from fructose; glucose; maltose and other glucooligosaccharides; fructose mixed with glucose and/or gluco-oligosaccharides; lactose; isomaltulose; and sugar alcohols.