Alcohol product processes

Abstract

The present invention relates to processes for production of an alcohol product from granular starch comprising a pre-treatment at an elevated temperature below the initial gelatinization temperature of said granular starch followed by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation, and optionally recovery of ethanol.

1 - 37  (Canceled)  
     
     
         38 . A process for production of an alcohol product comprising the sequential steps of: 
 (a) providing a slurry comprising water and granular starch,    (b) holding said slurry in the presence of an acid alpha-amylase and a glucoamylase at a temperature of 0° C. to 20° C. below the initial gelatinization temperature of said granular starch for a period of 5 minutes to 12 hours,    (c) holding said slurry in the presence of an acid alpha-amylase and a glucoamylase and a yeast at a temperature between 10° C. and 35° C. to produce ethanol and,    (d) optionally recovering the ethanol.    
     
     
         39 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the product is fuel ethanol, potable ethanol and/or industrial ethanol.  
     
     
         40 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the temperature under step (c) is between 28° C. and 36° C.  
     
     
         41 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the temperature under step (c) is between 29° C. and 35° C.  
     
     
         42 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the temperature under step (c) is between 30° C. and 34° C.  
     
     
         43 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the temperature under step (c) is between 11° C. and 17° C.  
     
     
         44 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the temperature under step (c) is between 12° C. and 16° C.  
     
     
         45 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the temperature under step (c) is between 13° C. and 15° C.  
     
     
         46 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the alcohol product is a beer.  
     
     
         47 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the acid alpha-amylase and the glucoamylase are added in step (b) in a ratio of between 0.30 and 5.00 AFAU/AGU.  
     
     
         48 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the acid alpha-amylase and the glucoamylase are added in step (c) in a ratio of between 0.30 and 5.00 AFAU/AGU.  
     
     
         49 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the acid alpha-amylase is an acid fungal alpha-amylase.  
     
     
         50 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the acid fungal alpha-amylase is obtained from a strain of  Aspergillus.    
     
     
         51 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the acid fungal alpha-amylase is obtained from a strain of  Aspergillus niger  or a strain of  Aspergillus oryzae.    
     
     
         52 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the acid alpha-amylase is an acid alpha-amylase having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         53 . The process according to claim  1 , wherein the glucoamylase is obtained from a strain of  Aspergillus, Talaromyces  or  Clostridium.    
     
     
         54 . The process according to claim  1 , wherein the glucoamylase is obtained from a strain of  Aspergillus niger.    
     
     
         55 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the acid alpha-amylase is an acid bacterial alpha-amylase.  
     
     
         56 . The process of  claim 55 , wherein the acid alpha-amylase is derived from a strain of  B. licheniformis, B. amyloliquefaciens  or  B. stearothermophilus  alpha-amylase.  
     
     
         57 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the acid alpha-amylase activity is present in an amount of 50-500 AFAU/kg of DS.  
     
     
         58 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the glucoamylase activity is present in an amount of 20-200 AGU/kg of DS.  
     
     
         59 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the ratio between acid alpha-amylase activity and glucoamylase activity is between 0.35 and 5.00 AFAU/AGU.  
     
     
         60 . The process of claim  1 , wherein step (b) is performed in the presence of an enzyme activity selected from the group consisting of xylanase, cellulase and phytase.  
     
     
         61 . The process of claim  1 , wherein step (c) is performed in the presence of an enzyme activity selected from the group consisting of xylanase, cellulase and phytase.  
     
     
         62 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the starch slurry has 5-60% DS granular starch.  
     
     
         63 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the starch slurry has 10-50% DS granular starch.  
     
     
         64 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the starch slurry has 20-40% DS granular starch.  
     
     
         65 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the pH during step (b) is in the range of 3.0 to 7.0.  
     
     
         66 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the pH during step (b) is in the range of 3.5 to 6.0.  
     
     
         67 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the pH during step (b) is in the range of 4.0-5.0.  
     
     
         68 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the pH during step (c) is in the range of 3.0 to 7.0.  
     
     
         69 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the pH during step (c) is in the range of 3.5 to 6.0.  
     
     
         70 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the pH during step (c) is in the range of 4.0-5.0.  
     
     
         71 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the granular starch is obtained from tubers, roots, stems, fruits, seeds or whole grain.  
     
     
         72 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the granular starch is obtained from corn, cobs, wheat, barley, rye, milo, sago, cassava, manioc, tapioca, sorghum, rice or potatoes.  
     
     
         73 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the granular starch is obtained from cereals.  
     
     
         74 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the granular starch is obtained from dry milling or wet milling of whole grain.  
     
     
         75 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the holding time under step (b) is from 10 minutes to 6 hours.  
     
     
         76 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the holding time under step (b) is from 15 minutes to 3 hours.  
     
     
         77 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the holding time under step (b) is from 20 minutes to 1½ hour.  
     
     
         78 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the holding time under step (b) is from 30 minutes to 1¼ hour.  
     
     
         79 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the holding time under step (b) is from 40 to 70 minutes.  
     
     
         80 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the holding time under step (b) is from 50 to 60 minutes.  
     
     
         81 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the holding time under step (c) for a period of 20 to 250 hours.  
     
     
         82 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the holding time under step (c) for a period of 5 to 190 hours.  
     
     
         83 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the holding time under step (c) for a period of 30 to 180 hours.  
     
     
         84 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the holding time under step (c) for a period of 40 to 170 hours.  
     
     
         85 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the holding time under step (c) for a period of 50 to 160 hours.  
     
     
         86 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the holding time under step (c) for a period of 60 to 150 hours.  
     
     
         87 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the holding time under step (c) for a period of 70 to 140 hours.  
     
     
         88 . The process of claim  1 , wherein the holding time under step (c) for a period of 80 to 130 hours.  
     
     
         89 . The process according to claim  1 , wherein the temperature under step (b) is from 45° C. to 75° C.  
     
     
         90 . An enzyme composition comprising acid alpha-amylase activity and glucoamylase activity in a ratio of between 0.30 and 5.00 AFAU/AGU and one or more additional enzymes selected from the group consisting of cellulase, xylanase and phytase.  
     
     
         91 . A mashing process comprising treating a mash with an acid alpha-amylase.  
     
     
         92 . The process of  claim 91 , wherein the acid alpha-amylase is derived from a fungus.  
     
     
         93 . The process of  claim 91 , wherein the acid alpha-amylase is derived from  Aspergillus.    
     
     
         94 . The process of  claim 91 , wherein the acid alpha-amylase is derived from  A. niger.    
     
     
         95 . The process of  claim 91 , wherein the acid alpha-amylase has the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1  
     
     
         96 . The process of  claim 91 , comprising; 
 (a) forming a mash comprising between 5% and 100% barley malt (w/w of the grist);    (b) prior to, during or after a) adding an acid alpha-amylase and at least one enzyme selected from the list comprising: a protease, cellulase and a maltose generating enzyme.    (c) attaining within 15 minutes of a) an initial incubation temperature of at least 70° C.;    (d) following c) incubating the mash at a temperature of at least 70° C. for a period of time sufficient to achieve an extract recovery of at least 80%.