Method for separating betaine

1. A method for chromatographic separation of betaine from a sugar beet based solution comprising betaine, polyols, and carboxylic acids, said method comprising adjusting the pH of the sugar beet based solution to below 5.1 and subjecting the resulting solution to chromatographic separation on a weakly acid cation exchange resin in H + -form, eluting betaine after polyols and carboxylic acids, and collecting a fraction enriched in betaine.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sugar beet based solution is a fermentation process solution.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the fermentation process solution is citric acid, yeast or ethanol fermentation solution.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the sugar beet based solution is a sugar beet derived process solution.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the sugar beet derived process solution is vinasse, molasses or betaine molasses.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one column or a part of a column containing a weakly acid cation exchange resin in H + -form is used in the chromatographic separation.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the weakly acid cation exchange resin is an acrylic resin.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the acrylic resin is derived from the group consisting of methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate and acrylonitrile or acrylic acids or mixtures thereof.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the resin is crosslinked with divinyl benzene (DVB).

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the crosslinking degree of the resin is 3 to 8% by weight.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the eluent used in the chromatographic separation is water.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the eluent used in the chromatographic separation is between 10° C. and 95° C.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the temperature of the eluent is between 65° C. and 95° C.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the particle size of the weakly acid cation exchange resin is 10 to 2000 μm.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the particle size of the weakly acid cation exchange resin is 100 to 400 μm.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the chromatographic separation is a batch process.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the chromatographic separation is a simulated moving bed process.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the simulated moving bed process is a sequential process.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the simulated moving bed process is a continuous process.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises separating a polyol and/or a carboxylic acid as an additional compound.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the polyol is inositol and/or glycerol.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the carboxylic acids are selected from citric acid, lactic acid, acetic acid and pyrrolidone carboxylic acid.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein a fraction enriched in citric acid is separated from the solution.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the citric acid purity of the citric acid fraction is over 20% on DS.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises recovering betaine from the separated fraction.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the recovery is made by crystallization.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein adjustment of the pH of the chromatographic separation is used to regulate or control the retention factor of betaine.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the pH of the chromatographic separation is adjusted by the pH of the feed solution.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein betaine is separated from other carboxylic compounds and/or polyols.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the carboxylic compound is citric acid, lactic acid and/or pyrrolidone carboxylic acid.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein betaine fraction and citric acid fraction are separated from the solution.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein betaine is separated from polyol compounds.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the polyol is inositol and/or glycerol.

34. The method according to claim 32 wherein the amount of the undissociated COOH-form of the weakly acid cation exchange resin is greater than 90%.

35. The use of claim 1 wherein betaine is separated from other carboxylic compounds and/or polyols.

36. The method according to claim 1 wherein the weakly acid cation Exchange resin in H + -form contains greater than 50% of undissociated COOH-form.

37. The method according to claim 36 wherein the amount of the undissociated COOH-form of the weakly acid cation exchange resin is at least 67%.

38. The method of claim 1 wherein the pH of the sugar beet based solution is adjusted to a value between 1.4-5.1.

39. The method of claim 1 wherein the pH of the sugar beet based solution is adjusted to a value between 3-4.5.

40. The method of claim 1 wherein the betaine purity of the fraction enriched in betaine is more than 50% on DS.

41. The method of claim 1 wherein the betaine purity of the fraction enriched in betaine is more than 70% on DS.