PROCESS FOR REDUCING CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS IN SUGAR PRODUCTION

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the use of calcium carbonate particles in a process for treating a solution, such as sugarbeet juice, comprising saccharose. The invention further relates to a process for purifying and/or producing sugar enabling such use in the purview of reducing the lime consumption and the concomitant carbon dioxide emissions.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0002] Industrial sugar production from sugar beets comprises several stages comprising the production of a diffusion juice, an aqueous extract of sliced beets in hot water, purification of raw extracted juice, concentration of purified juice, and crystallization.

[0003] The purification of the diffusion juice is an essential step in sugar manufacturing, since it aims at removing all impurities (non-sugars or non-sucrose) to obtain the highest purity of sucrose. This process is critical in sugar manufacture of both cane and beet sugars. Several physico-chemical methods to remove impurities have been developed, but only few are industrially feasible.

[0004] Calcium oxide and in particular its hydrated form, calcium hydroxide, also referred to as milk of lime, has been used since 1809 for beet juice purification. In later years, carbonatation (CO₂ gassing) was also introduced and developed. Ever since, the best beet purification practice remains the application of lime and carbon dioxide. This treatment has been optimized to suit the efficiency, economy, and applicability in sugar producing facilities of many different sugar industries (Van der Poel, Schiweck, & Schwartz, 1998).

[0005] The essential steps in such purification process comprise the addition of milk of lime and CO₂ gassing into the diffusion juice. Typically, this purification is divided into four steps, pre-liming, main liming, a first carbonatation step with mechanical separation of the insolubles, and a second carbonatation with a second mechanical separation of the insolubles.

[0006] Consequently, the milk of lime is an essential feature of the purification of the diffusion juice and thus the production of sugar.

[0007] Typically, the milk of lime is produced in a lime kiln by decomposition of a source of calcium carbonate, such as limestone, via calcination under temperatures exceeding 850°C, followed by addition of water.

[0008] It can be understood that the production of milk of lime is highly demanding in energy consumption. Indeed, the electric power consumption of an efficient plant is around 20 kWh per ton of lime. This additional input is the equivalent of around 20 kg CO₂ per ton if the electricity is coal-generated. If the supplied calcination heat (3.75 MJ/kg in an efficient kiln) is obtained by burning fossil fuel, it will release 295 kg/t CO₂ in the case of coal fuel; and 206 kg/t in the case of natural gas fuel.

[0009] Furthermore, the calcination reaction itself is a significant carbon dioxide emitter. Indeed, the manufacture of one ton of calcium oxide triggers the formation of up to 785 kg of CO₂.

[0010] Thus, the total CO₂ emission may be more than one ton of CO₂ for every ton of lime produced.

[0011] The US application US2020206716 discloses a process for producing functionally improved carbolime from the recycled calcium carbonate sludges of the sugar industry. In particular, US2020206716 alleges that the improved carbolime could be used as filtering or adsorption aid, but in that case, milk of lime should be needed for the carbolime regeneration. Thus, the US2020206716 application does not teach how to reduce the consumption of milk of lime and the concomitant CO₂ emissions.

[0012] Therefore, there is a substantial need to reduce the amount of lime used in the sugar production and the concomitant CO₂ emissions by the sugar industry without deteriorating the quality of the sugar to be obtained.

[0013] The US application US2011214669 describes a process in which the milk of lime consumption is reduced by 10-20% by removing the insolubles' mud after the pre-liming step with addition of polymeric flocculants. However, the addition of polymeric flocculants in the process line and their regeneration raises the production cost and may complicate the production process.

[0014] The Applicant has surprisingly found that the use of an inert material of mined calcium carbonate particles, in the diffusion juice purification can address the above shortcomings by reducing the amount of milk of lime as well as the concomitant CO₂ emissions while maintaining or even improving the clarification of the sugarbeet clear juice. Advantageously, the use according to the present invention can reduce lime consumption in the diffusion juice purification even without needing the addition of polymeric flocculants and without needing to adapt the existing industrial means for purifying sugarbeet juice.

SUMMARY

[0015] According to a first aspect, the invention relates to the use of a particulate adsorbent material composition comprising particles of at least 98% w/w of mined calcium carbonate relative to the particles' weight, for the treatment of an aqueous composition comprising saccharose, wherein the mined calcium carbonate comprises at least 1.5% of vaterite in weight to the total calcium carbonate in the mined calcium carbonate composition; wherein the particulate adsorbent material composition is added into the aqueous composition and wherein the adsorbent material particles present a median particle diameter ranging from 30 µm to 80 µm determined by laser diffraction method, preferably according to the ISO 13320:2020 standard method.

[0016] The aqueous composition to be treated may have previously been alkalinized with calcium oxide or its hydrated form (milk of lime) to a pH ranging from 8.0 to 13.0 and/or an alkalinity expressed in calcium oxide ranging from 0.1 to 2.5 grams of calcium oxide per liter.

[0017] The particulate adsorbent material composition may be added as a solid particulate composition or as a dispersion thereof in an aqueous medium.

[0018] The particulate adsorbent material composition may be added to the aqueous composition in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 5 grams of solid particulate adsorbent material composition per liter of the aqueous composition.

[0019] In one embodiment, the aqueous composition to be treated comprises saccharose and non-sacharose compounds, typically said non-saccharose compounds being selected from the group consisting of colloidal compounds such as pectins, cellulose and hemicellulose; nitrogen-free organic compounds such as monosaccharides, raffinose, organic acids and lipids; nitrogenous compounds such as proteins, betaine, amino acids; and inorganic salts.

[0020] In one embodiment, the aqueous composition to be treated is an aqueous sugarbeet extract and wherein the treatment is for purifying saccharose from non-saccharose compounds.

[0021] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a process for treating an aqueous composition comprising saccharose and non-saccharose compounds, comprising

i) a pre-liming step consisting in alkalising the aqueous composition by adding milk of lime, to an alkalinity expressed in calcium oxide ranging from 0.1 to 3.0 grams of calcium oxide per liter of the alkalized composition and/or a pH ranging from 8.5 to 11.0, leading to a pre-limed juice;

ii) a liming step comprising further alkalising the pre-limed juice by further adding milk of lime to an alkalinity expressed in calcium oxide ranging from 4.0 to 20.0 grams of calcium oxide per liter of the alkalized composition and/or a pH ranging from 11.0 to 13.0, leading to a limed juice; and

iii) at least one carbonatation step consisting of introducing carbon dioxide into the limed juice, leading to a carbonated limed juice,
said process comprising adding to the pre-limed juice and/or the limed juice and/or the carbonated limed juice a particulate adsorbent material composition comprising particles comprising at least 98% w/w of mined calcium carbonate relative to the particles' weight, for the treatment of an aqueous composition comprising saccharose, wherein the mined calcium carbonate comprises at least 1.5% of vaterite in weight to the total calcium carbonate in the mined calcium carbonate composition; wherein the particulate adsorbent material composition is added into the aqueous composition and wherein the adsorbent material particles present a median particle diameter ranging from 30 µm to 80 µm, the median particle diameter being determined by laser diffraction, preferably with the laser diffraction according to the ISO 13320:2020 standard method.

[0022] In one embodiment, the liming step further comprises the maturation of the limed juice by setting the limed juice in a recipient for at least 5 minutes, leading to a matured limed juice.

[0023] In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition is added to the limed juice and/or the matured limed juice.

[0024] In one embodiment, the at least one carbonatation step iii) further comprises at least one mechanical separation of calcium carbonate, yielding a saccharose clear juice.

[0025] Typically, at least one mechanical separation is at least one first and/or the at least one second mechanical separation selected from the group consisting of decantation, filtration and centrifugal separation.

[0026] According to a specific embodiment, the process according to the invention does not comprise adding a polymeric flocculant, such as a polymeric flocculant selected from the group consisting of acrylamide polymers.

[0027] Advantageously the treatment process of the invention may lead to at least 5% reduction of the total amount of milk of lime added in the overall process, i.e. in steps i) and ii), compared to a treatment that does not comprise adding to the pre-limed juice and/or the limed juice and/or the carbonated limed juice the particulate adsorbent material composition.

[0028] In one embodiment, the aqueous composition comprising saccharose and non-saccharose compounds is an aqueous sugarbeet extract and wherein the treatment is for purifying saccharose from non-saccharose compounds.

[0029] Lastly, the invention further relates to a process for producing saccharose from sugarbeets, said method comprising the steps of:

a) Extracting sliced sugarbeets with water at a temperature ranging from 70°C to 75°C, leading to the obtention of an aqueous sugarbeet extract, then

b) Purifying saccharose from non-saccharose compounds with a process according to the invention wherein the aqueous composition comprising saccharose and non-saccharose compounds is an aqueous sugarbeet extract, leading to a purified saccharose composition; then

c) Concentrating and/or crystallizing the purified saccharose composition obtained in step b).

DEFINITIONS

[0030] In the present invention, the following terms have the following meanings:

[0031] "Calcium carbonate" refers to the inorganic compound of formula CaCO₃ (CAS N° 471-34-1). The vast majority of calcium carbonate used in industry is extracted by mining or quarrying rocks which are predominantly calcium carbonate such as for example limestone, chalk, marble and travertine, preferably limestone. Typically, mined calcium carbonate is characterized by the presence; i.e. at least 1.5 %, at least 2%, preferably at least 5% or at least 30%, or at least 60%, of the calcium carbonate vaterite polymorph in weight to the total calcium carbonate in the mined calcium carbonate composition. Contrary to the mined calcium carbonate, precipitated calcium carbonate, also known as carbolime, essentially consists, i.e. comprises at least 99% of the calcite polymorph in total weight of the precipitated calcium carbonate composition.

[0032] "Carbonatation": refers to a step wherein CO₂ gas is added to a composition in the presence of milk of lime resulting in the formation of precipitated calcium carbonate (carbolime) to be distinguished from mined calcium carbonate in the present application.

[0033] "Adsorbent material": refers to an inert material that is added to a saccharose composition in order to improve its properties. By "inert" is meant that the adsorbent material does not chemically (covalently) react with the constituents of the composition and that it is not dissolved in said composition. Typically, in the context of the present invention, the adsorbent material is an inorganic material, such as for example mined calcium carbonate, that does not dissolve into the aqueous extract of saccharose, does not react with saccharose or non-saccharose compounds but adsorbs and/or absorbs non-saccharose materials on its surface. In the current invention, the adsorbent material would not be precipitated calcium carbonate.

[0034] "Milk of lime" is the common name for a dilute aqueous solution of calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)₂. Typically, the milk of lime is produced in a lime kiln by decomposition of a source of calcium carbonate, such as limestone, via calcination in the presence of a fuel, such as coal or anthracite or natural gas, under temperatures exceeding 850°C, leading to the obtention of quick lime (calcium oxide, CaO) followed by addition of water converting calcium oxide into its hydrated form, calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)₂. Milk of lime is commonly used in industrial processes as a source of calcium cations and/or as an alkalising agent. Typically, the amount of added milk of lime is reported as an alkalinity expressed as the relative weight of calcium oxide to the total volume of the alkalized composition.

[0035] "Non-saccharose compounds": refers to at least one compound that is present in a saccharose-comprising composition that are is not saccharose, water, calcium hydroxide, nor calcium carbonate. Typically, the non-saccharose compounds in a sugarbeet extract are selected from the group consisting of colloidal compounds such as pectins, cellulose and hemicellulose; nitrogen-free organic compounds such as monosaccharides, raffinose, organic acids and lipids; nitrogenous compounds such as proteins, betaine, amino acids; and inorganic salts.

[0036] "Particulate" refers to a composition that is in the form of solid particles, typically in the form of microparticles as herein after described. It should be understood that in the context of the present invention, the particulate adsorbent material composition once in contact with water or an aqueous composition shall form a dispersion, considering the particles' inert nature.

[0037] "Saccharose", also referred to as "sucrose", refers to a disaccharide composed of two monosaccharides: glucose and fructose. Saccharose has the common chemical name β-D-Fructofuranosyl α-D-glucopyranoside and presents the molecular formula C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ (CAS N° 471-34-1). Saccharose is commonly known for the everyday culinary uses as "sugar" or "table sugar". Typically, saccharose comes from two predominant sugar crops sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) and preferably sugar beets (Beta vulgaris). Unless otherwise specified, in the context of the present application, by sugar is meant saccharose.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The invention relates to a process for treating a saccharose-comprising composition, typically an aqueous composition comprising saccharose and non-saccharose compounds. In one embodiment, treating designates purifying saccharose from the non-saccharose materials. In one embodiment, treating designates raising the amount of saccharose in the composition to at least 90%, preferably to at least 94%, even more preferably to at least 95%, or to at least 97% of saccharose in weight relative to the weight of the dry matter (DM) of the treated composition.

[0039] In one particular embodiment, the aqueous composition comprising saccharose and non-saccharose compounds is a sugarbeet raw juice or a sugarcane raw juice, preferably a sugarbeet raw juice. A sugarbeet raw juice is an aqueous extract of sugarbeet obtainable by any means known in the art.

[0040] A typical, according to the art, process for treating an aqueous composition comprising saccharose and non-saccharose compounds comprises the steps of

i) a pre-liming step consisting in alkalising the aqueous composition by adding milk of lime, leading to a pre-limed juice;

ii) a liming step consisting of further alkalising the pre-limed juice by further adding milk of lime, leading to a limed juice; and

iii) at least one carbonatation step consisting of introducing carbon dioxide into the limed juice, leading to a carbonated limed juice.

[0041] The inventors surprisingly found that adding to the pre-limed juice and/or the limed juice and/or the carbonated limed juice a particulate adsorbent material with composition as herein after detailed may significantly reduce the amount of milk of lime consumed in the overall process as well as the concomitant fuel energy consumption and pollutant CO₂ emissions from the lime kiln. Advantageously, this can be achieved without modifying the industrial equipment. Alternatively, or additionally, the addition of the particulate adsorbent material composition may enhance the purification yield of the process. In one embodiment, the purification yield of the process is increased at least 1%, at least 2%, at least 3%, at least 5%, at least 6%, at least 8%, at least 10%, at least 12%, at least 15%, compared to the purification yield of a treatment process that does not comprise the method steps or the use according to the present invention. In one embodiment, the inert inorganic material is selected from the group consisting of silicate salts such as aluminum silicate, bentonite, diatomaceous earth, zeolite and calcium carbonate as defined above. In one preferred embodiment, the inert inorganic material is mined calcium carbonate as hereinafter described.

[0042] Thus, the process according to the invention for treating an aqueous composition comprising saccharose and non-saccharose compounds comprises the steps of:

i) a pre-liming step consisting in alkalising the aqueous composition by adding milk of lime, leading to a pre-limed juice;

ii) a liming step consisting of further alkalising the pre-limed juice by further adding milk of lime, leading to a limed juice; and

iii) at least one carbonatation step consisting of introducing carbon dioxide into the limed juice, leading to a carbonated limed juice;

the process further comprising adding in the pre-limed juice and/or the limed juice and/or the carbonated limed juice a particulate adsorbent material composition according to the invention.

[0043] In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition is added in the pre-limed juice. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition is added in the limed juice.

[0044] In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition is added in the carbonated limed juice.

[0045] In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition is added in the limed juice and optionally in the pre-limed juice and/or the carbonated limed juice. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition is added in the pre-limed juice and the limed juice. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition is added in the limed juice and optionally in the pre-limed juice. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition is added in the limed juice and optionally in the carbonated limed juice.

[0046] Advantageously, adding in the pre-limed juice and/or the limed juice and/or the carbonated limed juice a particulate adsorbent material composition according to the invention leads to at least 6%, at least 12%, at least 18% reduction of the amount of milk of lime added in step ii), compared to a conventional treatment that does not comprise adding to the pre-limed juice and/or the limed juice and/or the carbonated limed juice the particulate adsorbent material composition, without impacting the treatment efficacy, such as the purification efficacy. It can be understood that adding a particulate adsorbent material composition according to the invention leads to an overall milk of lime consumption in the treatment process by at least 4.9%, preferably at least 5%, more preferably at least 10%, even more preferably at least 25% compared to a conventional treatment process that does not comprise adding a particulate adsorbent material composition according to the invention in any step of the process, without impacting the treatment efficacy, such as the purification efficacy.

[0047] According to a conventional beet raw juice (saccharose comprising composition) treatment process, about 1.4 % to about 1.8%, typically about 1.6%, limestone per weight of sugarbeets is used. This amount corresponds to a consumption of about 0.9% milk of lime (per weight of sugarbeet), typically expressed as CaO per volume of sugarbeets' raw juice (10 g CaO/L juice). Thanks to the present invention, the milk of lime consumption can be reduced at least by 5% (0.1% per weight of sugarbeet or 0.5 g CaO/L juice) and at least up to 25% (0.5% per weight of sugarbeet or 2.5 g CaO/L juice).

[0048] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to the use of a particulate adsorbent material composition, as hereinafter described, for the treatment of an aqueous composition comprising saccharose according to any one of the following embodiments. In such use the particulate adsorbent material composition is added to the aqueous composition. It should be noted that this use implies the exogenous adding of the particulate adsorbent material composition that should not be confused with possible particles that may be formed in situ during the conventional process, such as precipitated calcium carbonate.

[0049] The particulate adsorbent material composition comprises particles comprising at least 96% w/w, preferably at least 98% w/w, of an inert inorganic material relative to the particles' weight, wherein the adsorbent material particles present a median particle diameter ranging from 30 µm to 100 µm, preferably 30 µm to 80 µm, such as from 30 µm to 50 µm.

[0050] The inert inorganic material can be selected from the group consisting of silicate salts such as aluminum silicate, bentonite, diatomaceous earth, zeolite and calcium carbonate as defined above. According to the invention, the inert inorganic material is mined calcium carbonate as hereinafter described.

[0051] As defined herein above, calcium carbonate according to the invention refers to mined calcium carbonate. In one embodiment, mined calcium carbonate comprises less than 20%, preferably less than 15%, more preferably less than 10%, less than 5%, less than 2% of calcite in weight relative to the calcium carbonate composition. In one embodiment, the calcium carbonate composition according to the invention does not comprise calcite.

[0052] In a preferred embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition comprises particles comprising at least 98% w/w of mined calcium carbonate relative to the particles' weight. In one embodiment, such adsorbent material particles present a median particle diameter ranging from 30 µm to 80 µm, such as for a typical example a median particle diameter ranging from 30 µm to 50 µm. Median particle diameter (also denoted as D_50,3) corresponds to the 50^th percentile of the cumulative undersize distribution by volume. Typically, the median particle diameter, can be determined by a sieve method (size exclusion) or by laser diffraction method, preferably by laser diffraction method, such as for example according to the ISO 13320:2020 standard method.

[0053] In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition comprises, preferably consists of particles comprising at least 98% w/w of mined calcium carbonate, as defined above, relative to the particles' weight, wherein said particles present a median particle diameter ranging from 30 µm to 80 µm, preferably from 30 µm to 70 µm such as from 30 µm to 50 µm determined by laser diffraction method, preferably the ISO 13320:2020 standard method, and wherein said mined calcium carbonate comprises at least 1.5 %, preferably at least 5% of vaterite polymorph in weight to the total calcium carbonate in the mined calcium carbonate composition.

[0054] In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents a bulk density ranging from 800 to 1500 kg/m³. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents a bulk density ranging from 900 to 1300 kg/m³. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents a bulk density ranging from 1000 to 1100 kg/m³. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents a bulk density of about 850 kg/m³, about 900 kg/m³, about 950 kg/m³, about 1000 kg/m³, about 1050 kg/m³, or about 1100 kg/m³. Bulk density can be determined by filling a container with the adsorbent material composition until it overflows from the container, leveling the top surface of container by rolling a rod on it weighting the materials weight that is inside the container and dividing it by the volume of the container.

[0055] In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents a specific surface ranging from 300 to 1600 m²/kg.

[0056] In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents an air-permeability specific surface ranging from 300 to 800 m²/kg. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents an air-permeability specific surface ranging from 350 to 700 m²/kg. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents an air-permeability specific surface ranging from 350 to 600 m²/kg. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents an air-permeability specific surface ranging from 350 to 550 m²/kg. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents an air-permeability specific surface ranging from 350 to 500 m²/kg. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents an air-permeability specific surface ranging from 400 to 500 m²/kg. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents an air-permeability specific surface of about 300 m²/kg, about 350 m²/kg, about 400 m²/kg, about 450 m²/kg, about 500 m²/kg, about 550 m²/kg, about 600 m²/kg, about 650 m²/kg, about 700 m²/kg, about 750 m²/kg, or about 800 m²/kg. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents an air-permeability specific surface of about 400 m²/kg, about 450 m²/kg, about 500 m²/kg, about 550 m²/kg, or about 600 m²/kg. Typically, air-permeability specific surface can be calculated by any method known in the art. In one embodiment, the air-permeability specific surface is calculated with the Blaine method consisting in packing the material into a cylindrical "bed" having a known porosity (i.e. volume of air-space between particles divided by total bed volume), applying a pressure drop along the length of the bed cylinder using a small glass kerosene manometer to apply suction to the powder bed. The resulting flow-rate of air through the bed yields the specific surface by the Kozeny-Carman equation.

[0057] In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents a specific surface ranging from 700 to 1600 m²/kg according to the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) approach. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents a BET specific surface ranging from 750 to 1550 m²/kg. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents a BET specific surface ranging from 800 to 1500 m²/kg. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents a BET specific surface ranging from 900 to 1550 m²/kg. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents a BET specific surface ranging from 1000 to 1500 m²/kg. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents a BET specific surface ranging from 1100 to 1400 m²/kg.

[0058] In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents a BET specific surface ranging from 1150 to 1400 m²/kg. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents a BET specific surface ranging from 1200 to 1400 m²/kg. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents a BET specific surface of about 1100 m²/kg, about 1200 m²/kg, about 1250 m²/kg, about 1300 m²/kg, about 1350 m²/kg, about 1400 m²/kg, about 1450 m²/kg, about 1500 m²/kg, about 1550 m²/kg, about 1600 m²/kg, or about 1700 m²/kg. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition presents a BET specific surface of about 1300 m²/kg, about 1350 m²/kg, about 1400 m²/kg, about 1450 m²/kg, about 1500 m²/kg, or about 1550 m²/kg. Typically, BET specific surface can be calculated by any methods in the art such as for example the ISO 9277 standard method.

[0059] In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition is added to the pre-limed juice and/or the limed juice and/or the carbonated limed juice in the form of a solid particulate composition. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition is added to the pre-limed juice and/or the limed juice and/or the carbonated limed juice in the form of a dispersion of the solid particulate adsorbent material composition in an aqueous medium. Such dispersion is typically an aqueous dispersion such as a slurry with water, a slurry with sugarbeet clear juice and/or a slurry with pressed sugarbeet pulp filtrate water. Thus, the dispersion may be in a dispersion medium that is pure water or that is recycled process water with or without small amounts (up to 2%) of sucrose. According to a preferred embodiment, the dispersion medium is recycled process water from the pressing of the residual beet pulp material after sucrose extraction.

[0060] In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition is added to the pre-limed juice and/or the limed juice and/or the carbonated limed juice in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 5 grams of solid particulate adsorbent material composition per liter of aqueous composition.

[0061] In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition is added to the pre-limed juice and/or the limed juice and/or the carbonated limed juice in an amount ranging from 0.5 to 4 grams of solid particulate adsorbent material composition per liter of the pre-limed juice, the limed juice or the carbonated limed juice. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition is added to the pre-limed juice and/or the limed juice and/or the carbonated limed juice in an amount ranging from 0.6 to 3.7 grams of solid particulate adsorbent material composition per liter of the pre-limed juice, the limed juice or the carbonated limed juice. It is of note that it is in the purview of one skilled in the art to calculate the corresponding amounts of particulate adsorbent material composition in case it is used as an aqueous dispersion based on the above amounts.

[0062] In the pre-liming step i), the aqueous composition is alkalised by adding milk of lime. Typically, the milk of lime is added in an incremented manner in order to ensure conditions conducive to lime reactions with non-saccharose that do not impact the quality of the final sugar product. In one embodiment, the milk of lime is added in progressively increasing amounts until the final amount to be added in the pre-liming step. The pre-liming is carried out with the addition of the herein after defined amounts of milk of lime.

[0063] In one embodiment, the pre-liming step leads to the alkalisation of the aqueous composition to a pH ranging from 8.5 to 11.0.

[0064] In one embodiment, the amount of added milk of lime in the pre-liming step ranges from 0.1 to 7.0, preferably from 0.1 to 4.0, more preferably from 0.1 to 3.0 grams of calcium oxide per liter of the alkalized composition and/or leads to a pH ranging from 8.5 to 11.0. As a result of the alkalization of the saccharose comprising composition such as sugar beet raw juice, the organic and inorganic acids present in the extract are neutralized, forming insoluble or sparingly soluble salts with calcium, and precipitate. In that manner, for example, phosphate, oxalate, citrate and sulfate anions are separated from the composition's aqueous medium. In addition, colloidally dissolved non-sucrose substances coagulate and are precipitated. The precipitation of individual ingredients, for example of anions such as oxalate, phosphate, citrate, sulfate or of colloids such as pectin and proteins, takes place within certain pH ranges. The addition of milk of lime during the pre-liming step also results in coagulation of proteins and the hydrolysis of fats into fatty acids and triglycerides. Thus, the pre-liming step leads to the precipitation and/or coagulation of a first fraction of the non-saccharose compounds. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition is added in the pre-limed juice obtained in the pre-liming step.

[0065] In one embodiment, the pre-liming step is carried out at a temperature ranging from 30° to 85°C, such as from 30°C to 75°C, preferably from 60°C to 85°C. In one first embodiment, the pre-liming step is carried out at a temperature ranging from 35°C to 82°C, preferably from 65°C to 82°C.

[0066] In the liming step also referred to as main liming step, the pre-limed aqueous composition is further alkalised by adding additional milk of lime. In one embodiment, the liming step leads to the alkalisation of the aqueous composition to a pH ranging from 11.0 to 13.0. Typically, the milk of lime in the liming step is added all at once.

[0067] In one embodiment, the amount of added milk of lime in the liming step ranges from 4.0 to 20.0, preferably 4.0 to 15.0, more preferably from 6.0 to 12.0, grams of calcium oxide per liter of the alkalized composition and/or leads to a pH ranging from 11.0 to 13.0.

[0068] The liming step by further adding milk of lime leads, in particular, to the chemical degradation of invert sugar and acid amides. In particular, during this step a reaction between the milk of lime and impurities results in soluble products (non-precipitated reaction). Mainly, the reactions are destructive reactions of invert sugars and saponification of amides, such as glutamine and asparagine into ammonium salts. Thus, the liming step leads to the denaturation, precipitation and/or coagulation of the second fraction of the non-saccharose compounds. However, the denaturated non-saccharose compounds may remain dissolved in the limed juice. As herein after detailed, the milk of lime added during the liming step also plays an important role in the subsequent carbonatation step(s) in order to purify saccharose from the soluble fraction of non-saccharose compounds.

[0069] The liming step can be carried-out at a temperature ranging from 35°C to 95°C, preferably from 80°C to 95°C. In one specific embodiment, the liming step is carried-out at a temperature ranging from 80°C to 90°C, preferably from 82°C to 87°C.

[0070] In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition is added to the limed juice obtained in the liming step. Advantageously, adding to the limed juice a particulate adsorbent material composition according to the invention leads to at least 5%, at least 10%, at least 25% reduction of the total amount of milk of lime added in the overall process, compared to a conventional liming step that does not comprise adding such particulate adsorbent material composition. In one embodiment, by adding in the limed juice a particulate adsorbent material composition according to the invention, at least 6%, preferably at least 12%, more preferably at least 18% reduction of the amount of milk of lime added in the main liming step, compared to a conventional pre-liming step that does not comprise adding such particulate adsorbent material composition.

[0071] It is understood that this advantageous reduction of milk of lime consumption in the pre-liming and in the main liming step can also be referred to as the reduction of the total amount of milk of lime added in the overall process.

[0072] Optionally, the liming step is followed by a maturation step consisting in setting the limed juice in a recipient such as a tank for at least 5 minutes, preferably at least 10 minutes, thus obtaining a matured limed juice. The maturation receptacle may optionally be stirred during the maturation step. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition is added in the matured limed juice.

[0073] In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition is added to the limed and optionally matured juice in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 6 grams, such as from 0.1 to 5 grams, of solid particulate adsorbent material composition per liter of said juice. In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition is added in the limed and optionally matured juice in an amount ranging from 0.5 to 5 grams, such as from 0.5 to 4 grams of solid particulate adsorbent material composition per liter of said juice.

[0074] In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition is added in the limed and optionally matured juice in an amount ranging from 0.6 to 4.6, preferably, such as from 0.6 to 3.7, preferably from 1.0 to 4.6 grams of solid particulate adsorbent material composition per liter of said juice.

[0075] According to a specific embodiment, when the particulate adsorbent material composition is added to the limed and optionally matured juice, the amount of added milk of lime in the liming step may range from 5.0 to 9.7, from 7.0 to 9.7, 5.0 to 8.0, from 5.0 to 7.9 preferably from 7.5 to 8.09, ever more preferably from 7.6 to 7.8 grams of calcium oxide per liter of the alkalised composition.

[0076] The optionally matured limed juice is then subjected to at least one carbonatation step, leading to a carbonated limed juice.

[0077] Typically, carbonatation refers to adding CO₂ to the limed composition. Carbonatation may take place by introducing CO₂ in the composition, typically the limed juice or the matured limed juice, such as for example by bubbling CO₂ into said composition.

[0078] During the carbonatation step(s), the milk of lime that was not consumed during the main liming process is converted in situ into calcium carbonate once in contact with the CO₂ carbonatation gas. Typically, the is situ generated calcium carbonate is in the form of the calcite polymorph

[0079] In one embodiment, the particulate adsorbent material composition is added in the carbonated limed juice.

[0080] In one first variant, the process comprises one carbonatation step.

[0081] According to a second variant, the process comprises a first carbonatation step leading to a first carbonated raw juice and a second carbonatation step applied to the first carbonated raw juice, leading to a second carbonated raw juice. According to the second variant, adding the particulate adsorbent material composition in the carbonated limed juice means adding the particulate adsorbent material composition to the first carbonated raw juice and/or the second raw carbonated juice, preferably the first carbonatation raw juice.

[0082] The in situ generated calcium carbonate may act as an absorbent for the denatured, precipitated and/or coagulated non-saccharose compounds and facilitate their subsequent removal by mechanical means.

[0083] During the initial phase of carbonatation, the precipitated and coagulated first fraction of non-saccharose substances and the second fraction of the (denaturated) non-saccharose compounds are adsorptively and/or absorptively bound to the in situ generated calcium carbonate. This initial phenomenon can take place during the first moments of the unique carbonatation step (first variant) or during the first carbonation, if at least a second carbonatation is to follow (second variant). Advantageously, the above non-saccharose substances are also adsorptively and/or absorptively bound to the particulate adsorbent material according to the invention.

[0084] During the second and last phase of carbonatation, the precipitation of the remaining milk of lime as calcium carbonate takes place. Furthermore, the pH is decreased to around 9.0-9.2 and alkalinity is reduced to 0.02-0.03% CaO in weight to the volume of the carbonated juice. In one embodiment, this second and last phase of carbonatation is performed at a temperature of at least 90°C in order to prevent the formation of calcium bicarbonate in the carbonated juice. The second and last phase of carbonatation can take place during the first moments of the unique carbonatation step (first variant) or during the second carbonation, if at least a second carbonatation is to follow (second variant).

[0085] In one embodiment, the process comprises the following steps:

i) a pre-liming step consisting of alkalising the aqueous composition by adding milk of lime, to an alkalinity expressed in calcium oxide ranging from 0.1 to 3.0 grams of calcium oxide per liter of the alkalised composition and/or leading to a pH ranging from 8.5 to 11.0, leading to a pre-limed juice; and optionally adding a particulate adsorbent material composition according to the invention;

ii) a liming step comprising further alkalising the pre-limed juice by further adding milk of lime to an alkalinity expressed in calcium oxide ranging from 4.0 to 12.0 grams of calcium oxide per liter of the alkalized composition and/or leading to a pH ranging from 11.0 to 13.0, leading to a limed juice; and adding a particulate adsorbent material composition according to the invention, typically a particulate adsorbent material composition comprising particles comprising at least 98% w/w of mined calcium carbonate, as defined above, relative to the particles' weight, wherein the adsorbent material particles present a median particle diameter ranging from 30 µm to 80 µm, preferably from 30 µm to 70µm, typically determined by laser diffraction, preferably determined with the laser diffraction according to the ISO 13320:2020 standard method; and

iii) at least one carbonatation step consisting of introducing carbon dioxide into the limed juice, leading to a carbonated limed juice.

[0086] In one embodiment, the process comprises the following steps:

i) a pre-liming step consisting in alkalising the aqueous composition by adding milk of lime, to an alkalinity expressed in calcium oxide ranging from 0.1 to 3.0 grams of calcium oxide per liter of the alkalized composition and/or leading to a pH ranging from 8.5 to 11.0, leading to a pre-limed juice; and optionally adding a particulate adsorbent material composition according to the invention;

ii) a liming step comprising further alkalising the pre-limed juice leading to a limed juice, by further adding milk of lime to an alkalinity expressed in calcium oxide ranging from 5.0 to 7.9, preferably from 6.0 to 7.9, ever more preferably from 6.0 to 7.7 grams of calcium oxide per liter of the limed juice; and adding a particulate adsorbent material composition according to the invention, typically a particulate adsorbent material composition comprising particles comprising at least 98% w/w of mined calcium carbonate, as defined above, relative to the particles' weight, wherein the adsorbent material particles present a median particle diameter ranging from 30 µm to 80 µm preferably from 30 µm to 70 µm, typically determined by laser diffraction, preferably determined with the laser diffraction according to the ISO 13320:2020 standard method; and

iii) at least one carbonatation step consisting of introducing carbon dioxide into the limed juice, leading to a carbonated limed juice.

[0087] According to the second variant, the first carbonatation juice may be filtered or passed through a decanting device(s) and optionally filtered to give a first carbonation clear juice. Thus, in the subsequent second carbonatation stage, a second carbonation raw juice is formed, which is likewise filtered in order to yield a second carbonated clear juice.

[0088] Thus, in one embodiment, the at least one carbonatation step iii) of the process further comprises at least one mechanical separation of calcium carbonate, yielding saccharose clear juice.

[0089] It should be understood that the mechanically separated calcium carbonate comprises the in situ generated calcium carbonate and the particulate adsorbent material composition according to the invention. When the particulate adsorbent material composition according to the invention is calcium carbonate particles, the mechanically separated calcium carbonate comprises the in situ generated calcium carbonate as well as the particulate calcium carbonate composition that was added in at least one of steps i), ii) and/or ii) of the process.

[0090] In one embodiment, the mechanically separated calcium carbonate comprises the in situ generated calcium carbonate, the calcium carbonate particulate composition that was added in at least one of steps i), ii) and/or iii) of the process, the non-saccharose compounds that are coagulated and/or precipitated, denaturated and adsorbed and/or absorbed on the in situ generated calcium carbonate and/or the added particulate calcium carbonate composition.

[0091] In one embodiment, the at least one mechanical separation after the at least one carbonatation step is performed according to any mechanical separation methods known in the art. In one embodiment, the at least one mechanical separation is selected from the group consisting of decantation, filtration and centrifugal separation. In one embodiment, the at least one mechanical separation is operated in continuous or discontinuous manner.

[0092] The second and last phase of the unique carbonatation according to the first variant and the at least one second carbonatation according to the second variant, lead to the carbonated clear juice that may also be referred to as clear juice.

[0093] In one embodiment, the process comprises the following steps:

i) a pre-liming step consisting of alkalising the aqueous composition by adding milk of lime, to an alkalinity expressed in calcium oxide ranging from 0.1 to 3.0 grams of calcium oxide per liter of the alkalized composition and/or a pH ranging from 8.5 to 11.0, leading to a pre-limed juice; and optionally adding a particulate adsorbent material composition according to the invention;

ii) a liming step comprising further alkalising the pre-limed juice by further adding milk of lime to an alkalinity expressed in calcium oxide ranging from 4.0 to 12.0, from 5.0 to 7.9, preferably from 6.0 to 7.9, ever more preferably from 6.0 to 7.7 grams of calcium oxide per liter of the alkalized composition and/or a pH ranging from 11.0 to 13.0, leading to a limed juice; and adding a particulate adsorbent material composition according to the invention, typically a particulate adsorbent material composition comprising particles comprising at least 98% w/w of mined calcium carbonate, as defined above, relative to the particles' weight, wherein the adsorbent material particles present a median particle diameter ranging from 30 µm to 80 µm preferably from 30 µm to 70µm typically determined by laser diffraction, preferably with the laser diffraction according to the ISO 13320:2020 standard method; and

iii) a first carbonatation step consisting of introducing carbon dioxide into the limed juice, leading to a first carbonated raw juice;

iv) a mechanical separation step of the calcium carbonate from the first carbonated limed juice leading to the first clear carbonated juice,

v) a second carbonatation step consisting of introducing carbon dioxide into the first clear carbonated juice, leading to the second carbonated juice, that may be further mechanically separated to yield clear juice.

[0094] According to one embodiment, the process according to the invention further comprises adding at least one synthetic flocculant in any one of the process steps, typically the at least one synthetic flocculant is selected from acrylamide polymers and acrylate copolymers thereof such as anionic acrylamide polymers. According to one embodiment, the process according to the invention does not comprise adding a synthetic flocculant in any one of the process steps. In one typical embodiment, the process does not comprise adding in any one of the process steps a polymeric flocculant selected from the group consisting of acrylamide polymers and acrylate copolymers thereof such as anionic acrylamide polymers and/or cationic acrylamide polymers or acrylate copolymers thereof or non-ionic polyacrylamides and derivatives.

[0095] Subsequently, the clear juice may be concentrated, and optionally crystallized to form saccharose crystals.

[0096] According to a third aspect, the invention further relates to a process for producing saccharose, from sugarbeets, said method comprising the steps of:

a) Providing a sugarbeet raw juice, typically by extracting sugarbeets, preferably sliced sugarbeets, with water at a temperature ranging from 70°C to 75°C, leading to the obtention of an aqueous sugarbeet extract that is also referred to as sugarbeet raw juice, then

b) Purifying saccharose from non-saccharose compounds of the sugarbeet extract obtained in step a) with a process according to any one of the above embodiments, leading to a clear juice that is a purified saccharose composition; then

c) Concentrating and optionally crystallizing the purified saccharose composition obtained in step b).

[0097] Step a) may be carried out by any conventional means known in the art concerning sugarbeet aqueous extraction. Conventional sugar extraction from sugarbeets comprises thinly slicing beets into beet cossettes (beet slices) and subjecting them to a solid-water extraction at a temperature ranging from 71°C to 75°C in order to produce the sugarbeet raw juice. During this step, the saccharose diffuses from the cossettes to the subarbeet raw juice. However, non-saccharose compounds also diffuse to the sugarbeet raw juice. The saccharose is then purified from the non-saccharose compounds by applying the treatment process according to the invention (step b)), as detailed in any one of the above embodiments, leading to a clear juice that is a purified saccharose composition.

[0098] Typically, the purified saccharose composition is then concentrated, resulting in a thick clear juice (step c)). Evaporation according to step c) may be carried out by any conventional means known in the art such as for example by boiling the clear juice under vacuum.

[0099] In one embodiment, the thick clear juice is optionally crystallized (step c)) to produce, saccharose crystals. Crystallizing according to step c) may be carried out by any conventional means known in the art in order to yield crystallized saccharose crystals such as for example table sugar.

EXAMPLES

[0100] The present invention is further illustrated in a non-limitative manner by the following examples.

Comparative example 1: Conventional beet raw juice treatment process

[0101] Juice from primary extraction in a beet sugar factory, was heated to 72°C. To simulate pre-liming at laboratory scale, milk of lime was added in 10 aliquots with 2 minutes of stirring between additions to obtain a final alkalinity of 2.2 g CaO per juice liter.

[0102] The pre-limed juice was heated to 83°C and milk of lime added to a final alkalinity of 10.2 g CaO per juice liter. The limed juice was matured while stirring for 10 minutes.

[0103] The matured limed juice was maintained at 83°C and carbon dioxide was bubbled through at 60 L/h until a target pH of 11.2 was obtained (as measured at 20°C)

[0104] The solids that formed were filtered through ashless filterpaper. The clear juice obtained was heated to 90°C and carbon dioxide was bubbled through at 20 L/h until a target pH of 9.2 was obtained (as measured at 20°C).

[0105] The solids that formed were filtered through ashless filterpaper to obtain clear juice. The color of the obtained clear juice was analyzed using the ICUMSA (International Commission for Uniform Methods of Sugar Analysis) method GS2/3-10 (2011) at the Brix concentration of the clear juice in the range 15-18%.

[0106] The clear juice obtained with the conventional process presented an ICUMSA unit color of 1000 IU.

Example 2: Process with 5 % reduced milk of lime

[0107] The standard process was performed until after the pre-liming step.

[0108] Instead of targeting a 8 g CaO/L limesalts in the main liming step, the target was reduced to 7.7 g CaO/L. Also, at the end of the limed juice maturation stage, 0.9 g/L of a particulate CaCO₃ composition according to the invention (Albacal 0-80 FER, 98.1% CaCO₃, with a median particle diameter of 35 µm according to Laser diffraction, and a bulk density of 1100 g/L) was added representing 5% replacement of milk of lime with CaCO₃ particles.

[0109] The first and second carbonatation steps were completed as per in the conventional process.

Example 2: Process with 15 % reduced milk of lime

[0110] The standard process was performed until after pre-liming step.

[0111] Instead of targeting 8 gCaO/L limesalts in the main liming step, the target was reduced to 6.8 g CaO/L. Also, at the end of the limed juice maturation stage, 2.7 g /L of a particulate CaCO₃ composition according to the invention (Albacal 0-80 FER) was added representing 15% replacement of milk of lime with CaCO₃ particles.

[0112] The first and second carbonatation steps were completed as per in the conventional process.

Example 3: Process with 25 % reduced milk of lime

[0113] The standard process was performed until after pre-liming step.

[0114] Instead of targeting 8 g CaO/L limesalts in the main liming step, the target was reduced to 6.0 g CaO/L. Also, at the end of the limed juice maturation stage, 4.6 g /L particulate CaCO₃ composition according to the invention (Albacal 0-80 FER) was added representing 25% replacement of milk of lime with CaCO₃ particles.

[0115] The first and second carbonatation steps were completed as per in the conventional process.

[0116] The color of the obtained clear juice was analyzed using the ICUMSA (International Commission for Uniform Methods of Sugar Analysis) method GS2/3-10 (2011) at the Brix concentration of the clear juice in the range 15-18%.

[0117] The clear juice obtained with the process according to the invention (25% reduced milk of lime) presented an ICUMSA unit color of 800 IU.

[0118] It was surprisingly found that a process enabling up to 25% reduced milk of lime leads to a clear juice presenting similar and often better qualitative properties compared to the one obtained with the conventional purification process. Indeed, it was surprisingly found that the process according to the invention, leads to a 20% better sugar color removal, compared to the conventional beet raw juice treatment process.

Example 4: Industrial scale examples

[0119] After extraction of juice from sugarbeet at approximately 16% Brix, the juice was heated to 72°C and the equivalent of 2.2 g CaO/L milk of lime (26% Ca(OH)₂) was progressively added over 20 minutes. The resulting pre-limed juice was heated to 83°C and milk of lime was added in the amounts presented in Table 1. Then for the test conditions A-E according to the invention, the mined limestone (Albacal 0-80 FER) with mean particle diameter of 35 µm was added in the amounts presented in Table 1, and the limed juice allowed to mature for 10 minutes. The juice was then subjected to carbonatation using CO₂ to a pH of 11.0. The resulting precipitate was filtered off and the juice subjected to carbonatation using CO₂ to a pH of 9.2. The precipitate was again filtered. Next the juice was concentrated by evaporation under vacuum and the sucrose was crystallised in batch pans under vacuum. After centrifugal separation and drying, the resulting sugar quality was the same as per in the control beet raw juice treatment process wherein no milk of lime substitution took place.

Milk of lime replacement	Control 0%	A 5%	B 10%	c 15%	D 20%	E 25%	units
preliming	2.2	2.2	2.2	2.2	2.2	2.2	g CaO/L
Main liming	8.0	7.5	7.0	6.5	6.0	5.1	g CaO/L
Total	10.2	9.7	9.2	8.7	8.2	7.3	g CaO/L
Adsorbent - Mined CaCO3	0.0	0.9	1.8	2.7	3.6	4.6	g/L

Claims

1. Use of a particulate adsorbent material composition comprising particles comprising at least 98% w/w of mined calcium carbonate composition relative to the particles' weight, for the treatment of an aqueous composition comprising saccharose, wherein the mined calcium carbonate comprises at least 1.5% of vaterite in weight to the total calcium carbonate in the mined calcium carbonate composition; wherein the particulate adsorbent material composition is added into the aqueous composition and wherein the adsorbent material particles present a median particle diameter ranging from 30 µm to 80 µm, the median particle diameter being determined by laser diffraction, preferably with the laser diffraction according to the ISO 13320:2020 standard method.

2. The use according to claim 1, wherein the particulate adsorbent material composition is a solid particulate composition or a dispersion thereof in an aqueous medium.

3. The use according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the aqueous composition presents a pH ranging from 8.0 to 13.0 and/or an alkalinity expressed in calcium oxide ranging from 0.1 to 2.5 grams of calcium oxide per liter.

4. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the particulate adsorbent material composition is added in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 5 grams of solid particulate adsorbent material composition per liter of the aqueous composition.

5. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the aqueous composition comprises saccharose and non-saccharose compounds, typically said non-saccharose compounds being selected from the group consisting of colloidal compounds such as pectins, cellulose and hemicellulose; nitrogen-free organic compounds such as monosaccharides, raffinose, organic acids and lipids; nitrogenous compounds such as proteins, betaine, amino acids; and inorganic salts.

6. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the aqueous composition is an aqueous sugarbeet extract and wherein the treatment is for purifying saccharose from non-saccharose compounds.

7. A process for treating an aqueous composition comprising saccharose and non-saccharose compounds, comprising

i) a pre-liming step consisting in alkalising the aqueous composition by adding milk of lime, to an alkalinity expressed in calcium oxide ranging from 0.1 to 3.0 grams of calcium oxide per liter of the alkalized composition and/or a pH ranging from 8.5 to 11.0, leading to a pre-limed juice;

ii) a liming step comprising further alkalising the pre-limed juice by further adding milk of lime to an alkalinity expressed in calcium oxide ranging from 4.0 to 20.0 grams of calcium oxide per liter of the alkalized composition and/or a pH ranging from 11.0 to 13.0, leading to a limed juice; and

iii) at least one carbonatation step consisting of introducing carbon dioxide into the limed juice, leading to a carbonated limed juice,

said process comprising adding to the pre-limed juice and/or the limed juice and/or the carbonated limed juice a particulate adsorbent material composition comprising particles comprising at least 98% w/w of mined calcium carbonate composition relative to the particles' weight; wherein the mined calcium carbonate comprises at least 1.5% of vaterite in weight to the total calcium carbonate in the mined calcium carbonate composition; and wherein the adsorbent material particles present a median particle diameter ranging from 30 µm to 80 µm, the median particle diameter being determined by laser diffraction, preferably with the laser diffraction according to the ISO 13320:2020 standard method.

8. The process according to claim 7, wherein the liming step further comprises the maturation of the limed juice by setting the limed juice in a recipient for at least 5 minutes, leading to a matured limed juice.

9. The process according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the particulate adsorbent material composition is added to the limed juice and/or the matured limed juice.

10. The process according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the at least one carbonatation step iii) further comprises at least one mechanical separation of calcium carbonate, yielding a saccharose clear juice.

11. The process according to claim 10, wherein at least one mechanical separation is at least one first and/or the at least one second mechanical separation selected from the group consisting of decantation, filtration and centrifugal separation.

12. The process according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein said process does not comprise adding a polymeric flocculant selected from the group consisting of acrylamide polymers.

13. The process according to any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein the treatment leads to at least 5% reduction of the total amount of milk of lime added in steps i) and ii), compared to a treatment that does not comprise adding to the pre-limed juice and/or the limed juice and/or the carbonated limed juice the particulate adsorbent material composition.

14. The process according to any one of claims 7 to 13, wherein the aqueous composition comprising saccharose and non-saccharose compounds is an aqueous sugarbeet extract and wherein the treatment is for purifying saccharose from non-saccharose compounds.

15. A process for producing saccharose from sugarbeets, said method comprising the steps of:

a) Extracting sliced sugarbeets with water at a temperature ranging from 70°C to 75°C, leading to the obtention of an aqueous sugarbeet extract, then

b) Purifying saccharose from non-saccharose compounds with a process according to claim 14, leading to a purified saccharose composition; then

c) Concentrating and/or crystallizing the purified saccharose composition obtained in step b).