Methods and systems for processing sugar mixtures and resultant compositions

Abstract

A method including: (a) selectively reacting a first sugar in a mixture which includes at least one second sugar to form a product mixture comprising a product of said first sugar; (b) separating said product of said first sugar from said product mixture; and (c) separating at least one of said at least one second sugar from said product mixture.

1 .- 143 . (canceled) 
     
     
         144 . A sugar composition comprising:
 a) at least 60% xylose by weight relative to total sugar concentration, and   b) at least 100 PPB, but not exceeding 0.5%, of a total concentration of a marker molecule, wherein the marker molecule is at least one molecule selected from the group consisting of furfural, hydroxy-methylfurfural, products of furfural or hydroxy-methylfurfural condensation, color compounds formed on heating a sugar, levulinic acid, acetic acid, methanol, galacturonic acid, an alcohol of more than four carbon atoms, betaine, amino acids, proteins, phosphate and glycerol, and optionally at least one fermentation residue; and   c) 0.001% to 10% oligosaccharides by weight relative to total sugar concentration.   
     
     
         145 . The sugar composition according to  claim 144 , further comprising at least two marker molecules. 
     
     
         146 . The sugar composition according to  claim 144 , further comprising at least three marker molecules. 
     
     
         147 . The sugar composition according to  claim 144 , wherein the marker molecule is furfural, hydroxy-methylfurfural, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         148 . The sugar composition according to  claim 144 , further comprising at least one fermentation residue. 
     
     
         149 . The sugar composition according to  claim 148 , wherein the at least one fermentation residue is a component of an ingredient selected from the group consisting of sugar molasses, yeast extract and corn steep liquor. 
     
     
         150 . The sugar composition according to  claim 148 , further comprising at least two fermentation residues. 
     
     
         151 . The sugar composition according to  claim 148 , further comprising at least three fermentation residues. 
     
     
         152 . The sugar composition according to  claim 144 , wherein glucose comprises between 0.001% and 5% of total sugars on a weight basis. 
     
     
         153 . The sugar composition according to  claim 144 , further comprising at least one sugar selected from the group consisting of mannose, galactose and arabinose. 
     
     
         154 . The sugar composition according to  claim 144 , further comprising at least 0.001% arabinose of total sugars on a weight basis. 
     
     
         155 . The sugar composition according to  claim 144 , further comprising at least 2% arabinose relative to total monosaccharides by weight. 
     
     
         156 . The sugar composition according to  claim 144 , wherein the oligosaccharides include at least one member selected from the group consisting of maltose, isomaltose and trehalose. 
     
     
         157 . The sugar composition according to  claim 144 , wherein the oligosaccharides include at least one member selected from the group consisting of gentiobiose, sophorose and cellobiose. 
     
     
         158 . The sugar composition according to  claim 144 , further comprising a second pentose. 
     
     
         159 . The sugar composition according to  claim 158 , wherein the second pentose is selected from the group consisting of xylulose, lyxose, ribulose, and arabinose. 
     
     
         160 . The sugar composition according to  claim 144 , further comprising a disaccharide. 
     
     
         161 . The sugar composition according to  claim 160 , wherein the disaccharide is selected from the group consisting of trehalose, gentiobiose, kojibiose, nigerose, sophorose and laminarobiose. 
     
     
         162 . The sugar composition according to  claim 144 , further comprising at least 100 PPB 2-ethylhexanol. 
     
     
         163 . The sugar composition according to  claim 144 , comprising less than 90% of the xylose by weight relative to total sugar concentration.