Fermentation processes and by-products

Abstract

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         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.