Sorbitol Demineralization by Ion Exchange

Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol commonly known as D-glucitol. It is synthesized from glucose by a reduction reaction altering the aldehyde group to a hydroxyl group. The body slowly metabolizes sorbitol, minimizing the possibility of increasing the insulin level, and this makes it a good sweetener for diabetic patients. Sorbitol finds diverse applications in the food industry, and its purity is a significant factor to be considered before it is used as an additive to food. Various types of ion-exchange and membrane technologies have been applied for purifying this compound. This chapter is aimed to illustrate the different ion-exchange chromatographic techniques for demineralization/deashing of sorbitol with future perspectives

Chapter 7 - Biological pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass—Current trends and future perspectives

For the production of bioethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass, pretreatment is an important step for breaking the chemical bond present in lignocelluloses. Among the different pretreatment strategies, biological pretreatment is found to be a promising approach and is eco-friendly and produces less inhibitors. In this process, lignolytic microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, are used to reduce the recalcitrance of feedstock and finally enhance the digestibility with biomass hydrolyzing enzymes. Microbial-based pretreatment is usually carried out by growing microbes directly into the biomass or using enzyme cocktails. Challenges of biological pretreatment in pilot-scale studies include a longer incubation time when compared to conventional pretreatment strategies. This challenge can be overcome by utilization of potent microbial consortium. This chapter presents an overview of the merits and limitations of biological pretreatment, factors affecting biological pretreatment, as well as future perspectives