Corn Products International, Inc.

Corn Products Development, Inc.

Corn Productrs International, Inc.

Roman Skuratowicz

Joseph Squires

Jack R Wallace

Tammi Brandt-Janel

Je Todd Giesfeldt

Mathew Rice

Philip Strong

Aaren Stubberfield

This specification discloses suspensions and method for making the suspensions. The suspension comprises a suspension medium and is loaded with an insoluble solid. The suspension medium is an aqueous solution made at least one soluble polymer and at least one thixotropic gum. The suspension medium can be loaded with high levels of solids (more than 15% by weight of the medium). The resulting suspension is highly stable and has low viscosity. In embodiments the suspension exhibits no significant sedimentation for at least 3 months, and has a viscosity of less than about 20,000 cP. In an illustrative embodiment, the suspensions may be used to improve the properties of corrugating adhesives by adding to a corrugating adhesive a suspension that has suspension medium comprising polyvinyl alcohol and gellan and that suspends unmodified high amylose starch.

Starch suspension for adhesive coatings

Disclosed herein are methods of making high molecular weight, reduced viscosity starch pastes by enzymatic conversion. The methods provide a process for producing enzyme-thinned starch pastes that have improved molecular weight distributions, i.e., starch pastes having a more mid to high molecular weight content and less low molecular weight sugars than traditional enzyme converted pastes at similar solids and viscosity. In some embodiments, the methods utilize an enzyme capable of producing longer-chain oligosaccharides rather than low-molecular weight sugars. Other embodiments utilize a combination of enzymes to provide low viscosity pastes that are stabilized against setback and retrogradation. Furthermore, the methods may utilize a continuous starch enzyme cooker for the production of the high molecular weight, reduced viscosity starch pastes.

Method for producing high molecular weight reduced viscosity starch pastes

Disclosed herein are methods for modifying carbohydrates using hydroxyl radicals. The hydroxyl radicals may be formed by the photolysis of peroxide in aqueous solution using UV light. Also disclosed are compositions and products comprising carbohydrates modified by the process.

Modification of carbohydrates using continuous generation of hydroxyl radicals

A process for the oxidation of carbohydrate with UV light. The process comprises the steps of providing a carbohydrate, combining the carbohydrate with an oxidant and exposing the combined carbohydrate and oxidant to ultraviolet light. The process occurs at alkaline conditions.

Oxidation of carbohydrate with ultraviolet radiation

A process for obtaining purified hemicellulose, cellulose and cellulose-hemicellulose complexes comprising the steps of adding alcohol to caustic liquor from alkali extraction of fiber to precipitate the hemicellulose and the simultaneous, or about simultaneous, density separation of hemicellulose from the caustic liquor. The alcohol transforms the soluble high molecular weight hemicellulose into a light precipitate which floats on top of the caustic liquor solution. The caustic liquor can be subjected to a second separation step whereby the insoluble components (e.g. cellulose and cellulose-hemicellulose complexes) can be removed from the caustic liquor.

Process for preparing purified fractions of hemicellulose and cellulose-hemicellulose complexes from alkali treated fiber and products made by the process

The invention concerns a process for extracting hemicellulose from fiber, such as corn fiber. The process comprises agitating at least fiber, caustic and optional added water at a moisture content from about 10% to about 60% at high speeds in a highly fluidized state. The process substantially instantaneously extracts the hemicellulose from the fiber. Heat may be applied in the process to extract and dry the hemicellulose substantially simultaneously.

Low moisture process for extracting hemicellulose

Fiber-based products and adhesives comprising the fiber-based products. The fiber-based products comprise carboxymethyl cellulose, carboxymethylated hemicellulose and carboxymethylated starch. The fiber-based product is obtained by simultaneously performing alkali extraction of hydrocolloid from the fiber and carboxylation, with a carboxymethylating agent, thereby converting extracted cellulose to carboxymethyl cellulose and also carboxymethylating some extracted hemicellulose, starch, and hemicellulose-cellulose complexes.

Fiber-based product

A dry preblended carrier starch for corrugating adhesive compositions comprising modified starch and a dry alkali, the modified starch being preferably oxidized starch and the dry alkali being sodium metasilicate or trisodium phosphate. The dry preblended carrier starch for corrugating adhesives has improved viscosity stability over time and temperature fluctuations, eliminates the need for added caustic at end use or at the corrugator and does not require additional silicate compounds in the corrugating adhesive.

Preblended carrier starches for corrugating adhesives

A dry blend pre-mixture composition for use in making corrugating adhesives is comprised of starch and from about 5% to about 20% of ground plant germ. The starch and germ can be derived from various plant sources and in a preferred embodiment the starch is corn starch and the germ is ground corn germ, also known as spent flake. The corrugating adhesives can be prepared by using the pre-mixture as a replacement for starch in a process for making a carrier, no-carrier or carrier-no-carrier adhesive.

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Hickory Hills, IL, United States of America

Roman Skuratowicz