The impact of exopolysaccharides on the purification process – filtration, sedimentation and particle size distribution

Abstract

Processing of frost-damaged beet remains a significant topical issue for the sugar industry. The growth of microbiological infections in frost-damaged beet leads to several changes in the chemical composition of beet. Microorganisms play a major role in the hydrolysis of sucrose and the production of various metabolites, especially exopolysaccharides. Exopolysaccharides in the raw juice disrupt in normal processing operations, especially purification. The paper shows how exopolysaccharides influence calcium-sludge particles’ size distribution, filtration, and sedimentation during juice purification. The research was conducted under laboratory conditions using standard dextran and exopolysaccharides extracted from degraded beet of different origins. Findings indicate that the natural exopolysaccharides extracted from the deteriorated sugar beet adversely impacted the purification process more strongly than dextran.