Abstract: An aqueous composition is provided, suitable for direct use in waterflood oil recovery processes, which comprises the clarified fermentation fluid obtained by(a) culturing a polysaccharide-producing microorganism in an aqueous culture medium to produce an aqueous culture containing dissolved polysaccharide therein; and(b) clarifying the resultant aqueous culture from (a) by at least one of centrifugation and filtration, introducing therein at least one bactericidal agent, and recovering the resultant clarified fermentation fluid;said aqueous composition being obtained without precipitation and recovery of a solid polysaccharide and dissolution thereof in an aqueous medium.The above composition can be pumped into oil formations without substantial clogging thereof.

Abstract: Sweetened liquors are obtained from a cellulose-containing vegetable substrate by a process comprising two essential steps:(a) treating the vegetable substrate with an aqueous solution of phosphoric acid alone or in admixture with sulfuric acid, and(b) thereafter effecting enzymatic hydrolysis of the resultant treated substrate to recover additional reducing sugars.