Zimmermann, AndreasAndreasZimmermannKaltschmitt, MartinMartinKaltschmitt2023-09-122023-09-122023-06-0731st European Biomass Conference and Exhibition (EUBCE 2023)https://hdl.handle.net/11420/43261One of the main challenges in existing biorefineries is the insufficient product diversification. The valorization of side streams, here exemplified by bioethanol stillage, may widen the product portfolio and thereby may improve economic efficiency of bioethanol production plants. Valuable carbohydrates, namely fructans and pentosans, can be found in bioethanol stillage. Fructans are long-chain carbohydrates consisting almost exclusively of fructose monomers (C6-sugars), while pentosans are a group of carbohydrates, mainly built from the C5-sugars arabinose and xylose. Both types of carbohydrates belong to the group of prebiotics making them especially interesting for food and feed applications. Therefore, prebiotics from stillage offer the potential for a provision of value food and feed components besides fuel production. Currently most literature deals with Dried Distiller’s Grains (with solubles) (DDG(S)) in order to obtain proteins or pentosans. However, this side stream has already competitive utilization paths such as animal feed. Against this background, thin stillage is especially interesting as competitive utilizations hardly exist. The main objective of this research project is to develop an integrated process for the production of prebiotic carbohydrates from bioethanol thin stillage. Within this work, a new process concept for the production of prebiotics, in particular pentosans and (partly fructans), is investigated and assessed. Against this background, this work contributes to a holistic utilization of biomass and to the idea of a bioeconomic approach. The results show only small mounts of fructans (about 0.5 %DM) but significant amounts of pentosans to present in thin stillage (about 15 to 20 %DM), mainly allocated in the liquid phase. By means of chemical, biochemical and hydrothermal treatments pentosans from the solid phase can be dissolved as well allowing for their subsequent purification. Based hereon, a promising process pathway for the production of especially pentosans has been identified. However, further research is required for the investigation of such purification step(s).enBiorefineryFructanPentosan recoveryStillageNatural Resources, Energy and EnvironmentConference PosterConference Poster