Abstract

A method for processing the thin stillage stream resulting from a bioethanol production process comprises, firstly, partial hydrolysis of the thin stillage stream resulting from the bioethanol production process in order to convert non starch polysaccharides to soluble oligomers and monomers. Secondly, it comprises fermentation of the soluble oligomers and monomers in the partially hydrolysed thin stillage to produce ethanol. Thirdly, it comprises recycling of the product stream resulting from partial hydrolysis of the thin stillage stream and fermentation of the soluble oligomers and monomers to the front end of the bioethanol production process such that the ethanol produced during fermentation is recovered as part of a bioethanol recovery process in the bioethanol production process. A companion apparatus for processing the thin stillage stream resulting from a bioethanol production process and an animal feed product produced by the aforementioned method are also described.

IPC Classes  ?

• A23K 1/06 - from distillers' or brewers' waste
• C12M 1/00 - Apparatus for enzymology or microbiology
• C12P 7/10 - Ethanol, i.e. non-beverage produced as by-product or from waste or cellulosic material substrate substrate containing cellulosic material
• C12P 7/08 - Ethanol, i.e. non-beverage produced as by-product or from waste or cellulosic material substrate

Abstract

A method for production of an animal feed product comprises: a) partial hydrolysis of a fermentation feedstock or the non-ethanol by-product of a fermentation process performed on a fermentation feedstock, which partial hydrolysis converts non starch polysaccharides to soluble oligomers and monomers b) fermentation of the soluble oligomers and monomers in the partially hydrolysed feedstock or non-ethanol by-product to produce ethanol c) recovery of the non-ethanol by-product from the fermentation of step b) to produce an animal feed product more specifically an animal feed product with improved nutritional content. A method for production of an animal feed product comprises: a) partial hydrolysis of the non-ethanol by-product of a fermentation process performed on a fermentation feedstock, which partial hydrolysis converts non starch polysaccharides to soluble oligomers and monomers b) recovery of the partially hydrolysed product from step a), to exclude the soluble oligomers and monomers, to produce an animal feed product, more specifically an animal feed product with improved nutritional content. The methods produce an animal feed product with improved nutritional content by virtue of decreased levels of pentose sugars, increased relative protein concentration, decreased relative fibre concentration, decreased levels of soluble oligomers and monomers or decreased levels of reducing sugars.

IPC Classes  ?

• A23K 1/06 - from distillers' or brewers' waste
• A23K 1/16 - supplemented with accessory food factors; Salt blocks
• C12P 7/14 - Multiple stages of fermentationMultiple types of microorganisms or reuse for microorganisms
• C12P 7/08 - Ethanol, i.e. non-beverage produced as by-product or from waste or cellulosic material substrate