Patent ID: 7226511

Claim:
A process for purifying clarified sugar cane juice or clarified sugar beet juice, wherein the juice contains color compounds, said process comprising the sequential steps of: (a) first, mixing the juice with an oxidizing agent, wherein the oxidizing agent oxidizes some of the color compounds in the juice; (b) second, passing the juice through granular activated carbon, wherein the carbon adsorbs some of the color compounds in the juice; and (c) third, passing the juice through cationic and anionic ion exchange resins, wherein the resins remove at least some inorganic ions from the juice, and wherein the resins adsorb some of the color compounds in the juice; wherein, following said first, second, and third steps, the concentration of color compounds in the juice is reduced by at least 50%; and wherein, following said first, second, and third steps, the concentration of divalent cations in the juice is reduced by at least 75%.