Removing sugar from dates can be achieved through a specific extraction process involving freezing, particle subdivision, and contact with heated water.
According to a described method, the process involves several distinct steps to separate the naturally occurring sugars from the date's fibrous material.
The Sugar Extraction Process
The technique focuses on physically altering the date structure and then using a solvent (heated water) to isolate the sugars. Here are the key stages:
- Freezing Pitted Dates: The initial step involves preparing the dates by pitting them. The pitted dates are then frozen. Freezing helps in making the dates brittle and easier to break down for the next step.
- Subdividing into Particles: After freezing, the dates are subdivided into particles. This increases the surface area, making the sugar extraction more efficient.
- Extracting with Heated Water: The date particles are contacted with a heated water solution to extract the sugars from the date fibers. This heated water acts as a solvent, dissolving the sugars while leaving the fibers behind.
- Separating Sugar Solution from Fibers: The final step is to separate the liquid containing the dissolved sugars from the solid date fibers. The sugar enriched water solution is separated from the date fibers by passing the water solution through one or more milli-screens. Using milli-screens allows the liquid to pass through while retaining the larger fiber particles.
This process effectively yields a sugar-enriched water solution, separate from the date fibers.
