EP0136805A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Industrial-scale process for the production of polyols by fermentation of sugars
Assignee: Unilever Bestfoods North America
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Filing: 1984-08-22
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-08-22
Abstract
Abstract An industrial process for producing polyols comprises subjecting a sugar to aerobic fermentation using Moniliella tomentosa var. pollins having a spore-forming ability. The process is especially useful for the industrial production of erythritol and/or ribitol. Low spore-forming Moniliella tomentosa gives rise to the production of a viscous polysaccharide in the fermentation medium which tends to decrease degree of aeration and thereby decreases yield of polyol. In addition, recovery of polyols and removal of microbial cells from viscous medium are difficult. Substains of Moniliella tomentosa var. pollinis having a high spore-forming ability produce only small amounts of the polysaccharide and, therefore, allow higher polyol yields.
Inventors
- 👤 Jean-Claude De Troostenbergh
- 👤 Bernard Léon Henri Marie Avalosse
- 👤 René Louis Mignolet
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 21:13
CPC Classifications
C; C12; C12P; C12P7/00; C12P7/02; C12P7/04; C12P7/18; C12P7/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
44 words
An industrial process for producing polyols, especially erythritol and/or ribitol, by the aerobic fermentation of a suitable sugar by Moniliella tomentosa var. pollinis characterised in that a substrain of the Moniliella organism is used which has as high a spore-forming ability as is possible.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
44 words
An industrial process for producing polyols, especially erythritol and/or ribitol, by the aerobic fermentation of a suitable sugar by Moniliella tomentosa var. pollinis characterised in that a substrain of the Moniliella organism is used which has as high a spore-forming ability as is possible.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
A process according to Claim 1 characterised in that the substrain is chosen by cultivating spores of Moniliella tomentosa var. pollinis on a stationary medium and selecting from the colonies which develop those that are black as having the high spore-forming ability.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A process according to Claim 2 characterised in that the black colony selected is used to inoculate a new medium and from the colonies which grow, a further selection of a black colony is made.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process according to Claim 3 in which the selection and growth process is repeated at least four times.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of any one of the preceding claims characterised in that air is fed to the fermentation at a flow rate between O.t and 1.5 litre/litre fermentation medium/minute.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the sugar is dextrose.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process of any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the sugar is present in the fermentation broth at the beginning of the fermentation in an amount of between 20% and 45%.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the pH at the beginning of the fermentation is adjusted to between 3 and 6, preferably between 4 and 5.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of any one of the preceding claims characterised in that Xanthan gum is present in an amount between 100 ppm and 500 ppm of the fermentation medium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of any one of the preceding claims characterised in that a conventional antifoam agent is also added to the fermentation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
57 words
A cell-free, polyol-containing culture broth obtained by fermenting a sugar with Moniliella tomentosa var. pollinis, removing the cells from the broth and optionally refining the broth, characterised in that the polyols contained therein consist solely of ribitol, glycerol and erythritol in the following proportions based on total polyols : ribitol, 1%-20%; glycerol, 5%-40%; the balance being erythritol.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
57 words
A cell-free, polyol-containing culture broth obtained by fermenting a sugar with Moniliella tomentosa var. pollinis, removing the cells from the broth and optionally refining the broth, characterised in that the polyols contained therein consist solely of ribitol, glycerol and erythritol in the following proportions based on total polyols : ribitol, 1%-20%; glycerol, 5%-40%; the balance being erythritol.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
73 words
A cell-free, polyol-containing culture broth obtained by fermenting a sugar with Moniliella tomentosa var. pollinis to form a polyol mixture rich in erythritol, removing the cells, refining and concentrating the broth, crystallising erythritol and removing the erythritol crystals therefrom, characterised in that the polyols contained in the liquor after the crystallisation comprise ribitol, glycerol and erythritol in the following proportions based on total polyols : ribitol, 5%-30%; glycerol, 30%-60%; the balance being erythritol.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
73 words
A cell-free, polyol-containing culture broth obtained by fermenting a sugar with Moniliella tomentosa var. pollinis to form a polyol mixture rich in erythritol, removing the cells, refining and concentrating the broth, crystallising erythritol and removing the erythritol crystals therefrom, characterised in that the polyols contained in the liquor after the crystallisation comprise ribitol, glycerol and erythritol in the following proportions based on total polyols : ribitol, 5%-30%; glycerol, 30%-60%; the balance being erythritol.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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