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Abstracts of Beet Quality Papers

List of papers

Pollach, G.; Hein, W.; Rösner, G.: Beet quality studies using dried beet samples. Zuckerindustrie 123 (1998) pp. 808-815.

Abstract: Dried beet samples from 29 European and 2 Canadian sugar factories were analyzed for cations after wet ashing, and for chloride and nitrate after water extraction. The ionic spectra were compared. These anions show a proportionality with sodium and are inversly proportional to calcium. Sorting by potassium or magnesium give contrary ranking of countries. High potassium within the cation spectrum indicates low ash content on dry substance, in contrast to sodium. In comparison with the other countries, Austrian beet have the lowest portion of alkalies in the cation sum and therefore the highest demand for alkali addition in processing due to the cation spectrum.

Pollach, G.; Hein, W.; Rösner, G.: Definition of the "internal quality" of sugar beet (59th IIRB congress 1996). Zuckerindustrie 121 (1996) pp. 332-344.

Abstract: The relationship between sugar and unprecipitable nonsugars is of utmost importance for the "internal quality" of sugar beet. The unprecipitable nonsugars affect the yield of white sugar based on the sugar introduced, as well as the expenditure on crystallisation to obtain a constant sugar quality. Under today's technological conditions, with demand-related addition of soda, the unprecipitable nonsugars give proportional amounts of molasses sugar. Today, moreover the alkali elements K and Na are assigned lower values in quality formulae. Not only is the amount of unprecipitable nonsugars important, but its ionic composition is of decisive importance. This is characterized by the term "beet alkalinity". On controlling this alkalinity by correct choice of beet cultivar and correct fertilizer application, the requirements of the beet for optimum sugar accumulation are to be considered without fail.

Hein, W.; Pollach, G.; Haluschan, M.: Considerations on the determination of sugar losses on beet storage (German). Zuckerindustrie 120 (1995) pp. 289-293.

Abstract: In an especially designed beet storage trial sucrose losses were calculated on the basis of cleaned beet as well as on basis of potassium content. The subdivision of beet in storage material and reference material was achieved directly on harvest with a dedicated sample division system. One part of the beet was machine washed prior to work up for analysis, whereas the other part was dry cleaned by hand. In both cases the analyses were performed on brei samples, as well as on samples obtained by mashing of the remainders from the brei saw. When related to beet mass similar and plausible results were obtained, regardless of method of cleaning and sample preparation. On the other hand, when potassium was chosen as reference this was only true for mashed samples. In this case calculations can be carried out without weight data, but one has to consider the greater amount of brei waste.

Hein, W.; Pollach, G.; Rösner, R.: Assessment of sugar beet alkalinity reserves (German). Zuckerindustrie 119 (1994) pp. 15-21.

Abstract: The extent to which it is possible to predict sugar beet alkalinity reserves from the results of beet analyses was tested with 58 beet samples. The effective alkalinity in the filtrate following first carbonatation served as the measure of the alkalinity reserves. The beet samples were prepared on a laboratory scale, and an appropriate procedure for preparation is described. Multiple linear regression equations are used to show the relationships between effective alkalinity and potassium, sodium, alpha-amino acid nitrogen, glucose, fructose, chloride and nitrate contents. Satisfactory results were obtained only after taking glucose ande fructose into account. Inclusion of the chloride and nitrate content brought no substantial improvement. In the beet material tested, a clear correlation existed between the alkali content, on the one hand, and chloride and nitrate, on the other. An equation is presented to calculate the alkalinity reserves from the potassium, sodium and alpha-amino acid nitrogen contents as well as total glucose and fructose. The paper discusses its sphere and possibilities of application in comparison with other equations and the role of alkali ions in connection with beet anions not precipitable by calcium ions.

Pollach, G.; Hein, W.; Rösner, G.; Berninger, H.; Kernchen, W.: Assessment of beet quality using a refractometric method. Zuckerindustrie 117 (1992) pp. 242-247.

Abstract: We tested on 40 beet samples how far it might be possible to assess beet quality using refractometric and densimetric methods. Regarding the parameter molasses non-sugar on beet, a combination of Aluminium defecation and refractometry proved to be almost equivalent to methods based on non-sugar components. As well as for thick juice purity and molasses non-sugar on beet, formulae are given, assuming low Ca molasses, for molasses sugar and corrected sugar, respectively, on beet. By assuming a relative loss between beet and thick juice, very simple relationships were found. Practical tests in beet laboratories have not yet been carried out.

Molasses-sugar on beet = + 8.2 * (refractometric d.s. of Aluminiumsulphate-Filtrate) - 1.145 * (sugar-content of the beet)

Pollach, G.; Hein, W.; Rösner, G.; Berninger, H.: Assessment of beet quality including Rhizomania-infected beet. Zuckerindustrie 116 (1991) pp. 689-700.

Abstract: There was a need to ascertain whether the formula used in Austria to predict molasses sugar from beet analysis would also prove suitable for rhizomania beet. With this aim, such beet were processed to laboratory thick juice. Calculated according to the valid formula for Austrian beet, molasses purities of 65 to 70 % were obtained from the purity of the thick juice and from molasses nonsugars, but these were not even partly reached by the saturation of molasses with KCl and NaCl. The existing formula thus seemed to result in molasses sugar values being too high and therefore we considered the possibility of calculating molasses sugar via the total nonsugars (NZ/Z). With the aid of multiple regression, using K, Na, Alpha-N and glucose+fructose (GF), the ratio of NZ/Z in thick juice was calculated. Compared with the alkalies, the component Alpha-amino- acid-nitrogen enters this equation with a factor which is approximately twice as high. An evaluation of other author's primary data results in similar factors. Calculation of the beet-related molasses non-sugar can be undertaken by multiplication of the calculated ratio NZ/Z in the thick juice by the difference between the beet sugar content and a loss component of 0.6 %. With the help of colleagues from the sugar industry it was possible to collect 17 molasses from Europe and overseas and to exhaust them under standard conditions. A Z/NZ ration of 1.4 was found for about half of the molasses samples having a relatively low Ca-content. Where the decalcification of juices and a continuous operation of the evaporating station is defined as standard technology, it is possible to recommend this value as a factor for the calculation of molasses sugar from molasses nonsugar. With higher Ca-contents it would be necessary to include additional information regarding Ca/NZ in the formula, but this is largely dependent on technology and not on raw material. We propose to try to obtain a beet quality assessment on the basis of the molasses nonsugar, which must be designated as "harmful nonsugar". The sugar yield reduction due to molasses sugar which has been hitherto assessed is only one of the negative consequences of the molasses nonsugar.

Pollach, G.: Tests on improvement of Rizomania diagnosis based on conventional beet analyses (German). Zuckerindustrie 109 (1984) pp. 849-853.

Abstract: The beet disease, Rizomania, causes changes in the concentrations of some beet constituents, which can be determined routinely using automatic analysers. An attempt was made to calculate a Rizomania-indicating characteristic from a number of these quantifiable symptoms. It is shown in graph form for Austrian beet material from the years 1978-1983.

Rizomania-Signal from beet data, based on beet: RiS = Na * K * 100 / °Z / Alpha-N Rizomania-Signal from beet data, based on sugar in beet: RiS = Na * K / Alpha-N