FERMENTATION PROCESSES AND BY-PRODUCTS
Methods of improving the quality of by-products or residues derived from starch-containing material in a processes for producing fermentation products including adding an enzyme composition comprising an enzyme or a mixture of enzymes capable of degrading one or more fermented mash components to fermented mash; and separating fermentation product.
1 . A method to improve the quality of by-products or residues derived from starch-containing material in a processes for producing fermentation products comprising the steps of:
a) adding an enzyme composition comprising an enzyme or a mixture of enzymes capable of degrading one or more fermented mash components to fermented mash; and
b) separating fermentation product from degraded mash.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the enzyme composition comprises an enzyme selected from the group consisting of an amylase, alpha-amylase, glucoamylase, a cellulase, a beta-glucanase, a hemicellulase, a xylanase, a pectinase, a mannanase, and a protease, and a mixture thereof.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the enzyme composition comprises a member selected from the group consisting of:
a) a beta-1,3-glucanase;
b) a beta-1,3-glucanase and a 1,6-beta-glucanase;
c) a xylanase and optionally a beta-1,3-glucanase;
d) a beta-1,3-glucanase, a 1,6-beta-glucanase, and a xylanase,
e) a beta-1,3-glucanase, a xylanase and a pectinase;
f) a beta-1,3-glucanase, a xylanase and a protease;
g) a mannanase; and
h) a mannanase and a beta-1,3-glucanase.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fermentation product is selected from the group consisting of an acid, an alcohol and hydrogen.
5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the alcohol is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, butanol, propanol, methanol, propanediol and butanediol.
6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fermented mash is derived from a process of producing a fermentation product utilizing sugar-containing material as feedstock.
7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fermented mash is derived from a process of producing a fermentation product utilizing starch-containing material as feedstock.
8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fermented mash is derived from a process of producing a fermentation product utilizing a cereal feedstock.
9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the by-product or residue is a fibrous by-product selected from the group consisting of spent brewer's grains, dried distiller's grains, dried distiller's soluble, distiller's dried grains with soluble, wet grains, and mixtures thereof.
10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fermented mash is derived from a process of producing a fermentation product utilizing whole grain obtained from cereals as feedstock, the fermentation product is ethanol, the ethanol is separated by distillation and the improved by-product is Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles (DDGS).
11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein by-products or residues have an improved nutrition quality and are used in animal feed.
12 . A method of producing ethanol from starch containing material, the method comprising the steps of:
a) converting starch containing material to fermentable sugars;
b) fermenting fermentable sugars with a microorganism to fermented mash;
c) subjecting the fermented mash after fermentation to an enzyme composition comprising an enzyme or a mixture of enzymes;
d) separating ethanol from the fermented mash by distillation
13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the enzyme composition comprises an enzyme selected from the group consisting of amylase, an alpha-amylase, glucoamylase, cellulase, beta-glucanase, hemicellulase, xylanase, pectinase, mannanase, a protease, and a mixture thereof.
14 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the enzyme composition comprises a member selected from the group consisting of
a) beta-1,3-glucanase;
b) xylanase;
c) beta-1,3-glucanase and a xylanase;
d) beta-1,3-glucanase, xylanase and a pectinase;
e) beta-1,3-glucanase, a xylanase and a protease;
f) a mannanase;
g) mannanase and a beta-1,3-glucanase.
15 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the starch containing material is obtained from cereals and/or tubers.
16 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the by-product or residue is a fibrous by-product selected from the group consisting of spent brewer's grains, dried distiller's grains, dried distiller's soluble, distiller's dried grains with soluble, wet grains, and mixtures thereof.
17 . A method for manufacturing an enzyme composition used for treating fermented mash of in a fermentation production process to improve the nutritional quality of a by-product or residue and/or the processability of the production process, comprising:
a) inoculating the by-product or residue with at least one filamentous fungus;
b) fermenting the by-product or residue; and
c) separating at least one enzyme from the fermented by-product or residue.
18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the filamentous fungus is selected from the group consisting of Rhizopus, Aspergillus, Trichoderma , and a combination thereof.
19 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the by-product or residue is a fibrous by-product selected from the group consisting of spent brewer's grains, dried distillier's grains, dried distiller's soluble, distillers dried grains with soluble, wet grains, and mixtures thereof.