Beets beyond sugar: Potential and limitations of sugar beet pulp as a feedstock for biorefineries

Sugar beet (SB) is a major sugar crop in the European Union and the United States, primarily cultivated for the commercial production of table sugar. Post-extraction of sucrose, the fibrous fraction which remains is called sugar beet pulp (SBP). SBP is rich in structural carbohydrates such as cellulose, hemicellulose and pectin containing glucose, arabinose and galactouronic acid as their respective monomeric units. SBP is a renewable source of fermentable sugars that constitute about 85 % of total carbohydrates. Leveraging SBP as a substrate for a biorefinery supports circular bioeconomy principles by simultaneously reducing agricultural waste and enabling the sustainable production of value-added chemicals.…

• BA
  Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council