Fructose prodn. from chicory roots - by extraction and hydrolysis of inulin

摘要

Prodn. of fructose (I) is carried out by (a) extracting inulin (II) from the dried roots of chicory (Chicorium intybus var. foliosum) and (b) hydrolysing (II) to (I) in an aq. medium. Chicory roots are an inexpensive by-prod. which is available for 7-8 months of the year on a commercial scale; they generally contain 6-10 wt.% (II). The roots remaining after cutting the 2nd-year growth (chicons) are washed, comminuted, and extracted with water. The aq. extract is then hydrolysed with an acid or esp. with an inulinase enzyme (e.g. derived from Saccharomyces fragilis or Fusarium roseum). (I) can be recovered in solid form by evapn. and/or crystallisation, or it can be used as a conc. aq. soln. Fl.