Method of producing sugar liquid

• US 9,976,160 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2014
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toray Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Toray Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Kurihara, Hiroyuki, Ishizuka, Hiroko, Yamada, Katsushige
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOWDHURY, IQBAL HOSSAIN
• Application Number:
  US14/903,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20160145651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/22 Processes using, or culture media containing, cellulose or hydrolysates thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/02 Monosaccharides 2-ketogulonic acid C12P7/60
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/14 produced by the action of a carbohydrase (EC 3.2.x), e.g. by alpha-amylase , e.g. by cellulase, hemicellulase
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 2203/00 Fermentation products obtained from optionally pretreated or hydrolyzed cellulosic or lignocellulosic material as the carbon source ethanol C12P7/10
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/14 Multiple stages of fermentation; Multiple types of microorganisms or re-use of microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: C13B 20/002 using microorganisms or enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: C13B 30/002 Evaporating or boiling sugar juice
• CPC Class Codes: C13B 50/00 Sugar products, e.g. powdered, lump or liquid sugar; Working-up of sugar C13B40/00, C13B45/00 take precedence; confectionery A23G3/00
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 1/04 Purifying
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 13/00 Sugars not otherwise provided for in this class
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 13/002 Xylose
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 5/00 Lactose
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel

Abstract

A method of producing a sugar liquid from biomass includes decomposing a fermentation inhibitor contained in a sugar aqueous solution obtained from biomass with a microorganism incapable of utilizing glucose and/or xylose or a crude enzyme derived from the microorganism, wherein the fermentation inhibitor includes one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of courmaric acid, coumaramide, ferulic acid, ferulamide, vanillin, vanillic acid, acetovanillone, furfural, and 3-hydroxymethylfurfural.

Claims

1. A method of producing a sugar liquid from biomass, comprising:

(a) decomposing one or more fermentation inhibitor(s) contained in a sugar aqueous solution obtained from biomass with a microorganism incapable of utilizing glucose and/or xylose or a crude enzyme extract obtained from the microorganism, to obtain a sugar liquid having a reduced fermentation inhibitory activity compared to the sugar aqueous solution; and

(b) subjecting the sugar liquid obtained in step (a) to membrane concentration and/or evaporation concentration to increase sugar concentration,

wherein the one or more fermentation inhibitor(s) are selected from the group consisting of coumaric acid, coumaramide, ferulic acid, ferulamide, vanillin, vanillic acid, acetovanillone, furfural, and 3-hydroxymethylfurfural, and

the microorganism incapable of utilizing glucose and/or xylose is a Delftia microorganism (Delftia sp.).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the microorganism incapable of utilizing glucose and/or xylose is selected from the group consisting of Delftia acidovorans, Delftia lacustris, Delftia tsuruhatensis, and Delftia litopenaei.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sugar aqueous solution is a sugar aqueous solution obtained by hydrolyzing cellulose-containing biomass.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising preparing the sugar aqueous solution by subjecting the cellulose-containing biomass to one or more treatments selected from the group consisting of an acid treatment, an alkali treatment, a hydrothermal treatment, and an enzyme treatment.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sugar aqueous solution comprises blackstrap molasses.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fermentation inhibitor decomposition treatment is at a monosaccharide concentration of 0.1 g/L to 100 g/L.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fermentation inhibitor decomposition treatment is at a pH of 6 to 11.