Purification of Fructose Syrups Produced from Cane Molasses Media Using Ultrafiltration Membranes and Activated Carbon

The purification of fructose syrups produced from sugar cane molasses media using ultrafiltration membranes, activated carbon, and ion‐exchange resins was studied. Polyethersulfone (PES) membrane (10 kDa MWCO) and a thin film composite (TFC) membrane (1 kDa MWCO) were used for decolorization of fructose syrups. When activated carbon (Darco G‐60) was used to remove colorants from the broth containing fructose, a color removal efficiency of 98.4% was attained, with 33% (w/v) activated carbon in the fructose syrup. However, the color removal efficiencies were 94.2 and 98.7% with the PES and TFC membranes, respectively. Further treatments of the permeate of the PES membrane with 7.5% (w/v) activated carbon resulted in an increase in color removal efficiency up to 99.7%. The color removal efficiency was up to 99.9% when the permeate of the TFC membrane was treated with 3% (w/v) activated carbon. The demineralization of the decolorized product was carried out using ion‐exchange resin (Rexyn I‐300). Clear and colorless fructose syrup that visibly looked like industrial high fructose corn syrup was produced. These findings are useful for those working on the removal of color and minerals from fructose syrups produced from molasses media.