Patent ID: 8802843

Claim:
A process for the production of high purity d-tagatose and high purity d-glucose from a lactose hydrolysate stream, said process comprising: a. passing the lactose hydrolysate stream comprising d-galactose, d-glucose, lactose, disaccharides, water and salts to an ion exclusion SMB zone containing a plurality of ion exclusion beds containing an ion exclusion stationary phase agent selective for the adsorption of d-galactose and d-glucose and operated in an ion exclusion cycle to provide a first extract stream comprising d-galactose, d-glucose and water, and removing a first raffinate stream comprising lactose, disaccharides, water and salts; b. passing the first extract stream to a second SMB zone containing a plurality of galactose separation beds containing a galactose stationary phase agent selective for the adsorption of d-galactose and d-glucose and operated in a galactose adsorption cycle at effective galactose/glucose separation conditions to provide a second extract stream comprising d-galactose, d-glucose, and water, and a second raffinate stream or high purity glucose product stream comprising d-glucose, d-galactose, and water; c. passing the second extract stream to a galactose isomerization zone and therein contacting the second extract stream with calcium oxide and calcium chloride at effective isomerization conditions to isomerize at least a portion of the d-galactose to d-tagatose and to provide a galactose isomerate stream comprising d-tagatose, d-galactose, d-glucose, calcium hydroxide, calcium oxide and water; d. neutralizing the galactose isomerate stream with an effective amount of dilute hydrochloric acid to stop the isomerization and to convert at least a portion of the calcium oxide to calcium chloride and to provide a neutralized galactose isomerate stream comprising d-tagatose, d-galactose, d-glucose, calcium chloride and water; e. passing the neutralized galactose isomerate stream to a third SMB zone containing a plurality of tagatose separation beds containing a tagatose stationary phase agent selective for the adsorption of d-tagatose and operated in a tagatose adsorption cycle at effective tagatose separation conditions to provide a high purity d-tagatose product stream and a third raffinate stream comprising glucose, calcium chloride and water; and, f. returning at least a portion of the third raffinate stream to the ion exclusion SMB zone to be combined with the lactose hydrolysate stream of step a.