Patent ID: 7528248
Filing Date: 2009-05-05
Classification: C08B

Abstract:
1. A process for manufacturing of at least one gelling carrageenan, comprising subjecting incoming dry seaweed containing at least one gelling carrageenan precursor to: i) a heterogeneous reaction in an aqueous alkaline medium having an alkali concentration and a temperature which enable modification to a desired extent of the at least one gelling carrageenan precursor to the at least one gelling carrageenan; and ii) a recovery process comprising at least one lye recovery section for recovery of used aqueous alkaline medium employed in the heterogeneous reaction in i) by contacting the seaweed in each at least one lye recovery section with a lye recovery solution; reusing in the heterogeneous reaction of i) used aqueous alkaline medium obtained after processing the incoming seaweed in i) when processing subsequently incoming seaweed; and for each recovery section of the at least one recovery section in the recovery process of ii), reusing at least part of used lye recovery solution obtained in one section in a preceding section when processing subsequently incoming seaweed to compensate for deficiency of alkaline medium created in the heterogeneous reaction of i), and wherein a remainder of used lye recovery solution obtained in the one recovery section is reused in the same section when processing the subsequently incoming seaweed, thus forming an upstream movement of the aqueous alkaline medium employed in the process and thereby enabling recovery of said aqueous alkaline medium.