Color formation and removal - Options for the sugar and sugar refining industries: a review

摘要

This paper reviews the various aspects of color in sugar factory (cane and beet) and sugar refinery operations. The chemical nature of colorants, i.e. naturally present colorants, natural 'colorless' precursors becoming colored either through chemicalreactions or by changing conditions and various colorants formed during sugar manufacturing such as melanins, melanoidins, caramels, high molecular mass (HMM) and very high molecular mass (VHMM) together with their behavior are described. Various options exist for prevention/reducing of color formation. Measures are described step by step through the sugar factory and/or refining, i.e. optimizing process conditions and the addition of chemicals. Several processes exist for color removal. These measuresinclude chemical, physical, and mechanical procedures as well as ion exchange and flocculation and crystal washing during separation of crystals from mother liquor.