0038-9056/99/0707-0235$17.50+.50/0
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3 Technology
3.1 General description
In history, wheat has been described as the primary substrate for starch extraction; but potatoes became a valuable
source for starch production soon after introduction into
European agriculture. Production of potato starch was allowed in England in 1739 to preserve cereals for nutritional
purposes. In Germany, private homes were places of early
potato starch production. In general, this production did not
exceed ordinary family requirements. The first process
reported in 1758 was a wet procedure looking rather simple,
useful and generally applicable in small units [7]. The proposed procedure consisted of rasping, sedimentation, decanting of diluted fruit water, scraping off of sludge and fibres,
re-suspending of the sediment and a second sedimentation
stage. After a second decanting and final removal of coarse
particles, the sediment was de-watered over filter cloth and
dried; this resulted in a cake of purified potato starch re236
Potatoes are weighed when entering the factory and samples of suitable size are taken by automatic sampling systems
for quality evaluation, which means determination of the
starch content by means of underwater weighing, an estimation of dirt load and identification of further impurities, such
as stones, pieces of bricks, coal, slag, wood etc. To determine
internal quality, the amount of rotting, hollow heart and
greening is measured. Starch factories try to collect potato
lots from farmers in a manner that minimises outdoor storing
and eventual losses of potatoes prior to processing via special logistics. Storing capacities normally do not surpass 2 to
3 days production.
3.3 Unloading, conveying and washing
After quality evaluation, potatoes are unloaded and transported in different ways, mostly by flume movement, which
allows to remove stones via two-step traps, and removal of
floating impurities such as coke, lava, pumice, rotted and
hollow hearted potatoes, straw etc., each in specific devices.
In such conveying systems, a first washing effect is
achieved. Used water streams remain highly loaded with
dirt, even though re-circulated water for transportation has
been treated in sedimentation ponds.
Each factory installs different units to wash potatoes according to local needs, depending on soil quality of the proStarch/Strke 51 (1999) Nr. 7, S. 235242
An early and quick separation of potato fruit water became a prerequisite of high quality starch production soon
after invention of protein separation from undiluted potato
fruit water or from fruit water diluted with process water
coming from starch refining. A further prerequisite was the
introduction of so-called two-phase decanters as horizontally oriented centrifuges, that allow continuous clarification of
liquids with a high load of solids. The amount of separated
fruit water and its dry matter content are important for the
reduction of fresh water consumption in starch refining and
for a satisfying process water regime. Protein concentration
in the fruit water effluent used for protein recovery is an important factor in the process design [9].
237
238
Criteria
Colour
Odour
Taste
Moisture content
Crude protein content
Lipid content
Mineral content
Sulphur dioxide content
white
neutral
neutral
max. 21 %
max. 0.1 % (0.13 % d.b.)
traces
max. 0.5 % (0.63 d.b.)
max. 50 mg/kg
239
Although the Westfalia process for protein recovery resulted in a drastic reduction in the organic load of waste
water, a considerable amount of low molecular compounds
(in particular, nitrogen compounds such as amino acids and
betain, organic acids and sugars) and minerals remained in
the run-offs [18]. As a result of recent legislative regulations,
which restrict irrigation of de-proteinised fruit water on
arable land during periods of reduced plant growth, these ef-
4 Conclusions
Production of potatoes for starch manufacture will undergo drastic changes in future, as a result of decisions set into
Fig. 11. Section of the Environmental Concept 2000, EMSLANDSTRKE GmbH for potato fruit
water and liquid waste treatment (by
courtesy of Emsland-Strke GmbH,
Emlichheim, Germany) [28].
Starch/Strke 51 (1999) Nr. 7, S. 235242
241
action with AGENDA 2000. Reduction of the described subsidisation is expected to lead to further decreases in contracts
for starch potato delivery and acreage used for their production, as well. However, both aspects of the development will
finally contribute to a reduced production of starch and in a
concerted action to relaxation in potato starch markets and
starch prices; which might be considered to be the positive
side of the story.
Potato starch technology seems to have reached now a
well established state with the introduction of maximum protein recovery and protein precipitation from fruit water and
extended use of re-circulated process water streams. Significant further saving of fresh water supply beyond the attained
level of 0.4 m3/t of processed potatoes is unlikely. Production of potato protein, although increasingly accepted as necessary, is currently carried out mainly for ecological reasons.
Because of its load of glycoalkaloids this valuable protein
source can be admixed to feed just in minor portions. Still
problematic remains the formation of deproteinised potato
fruit water, in particular the more or less concentrated potato
protein liquid. High energy costs induced by concentration
procedures (evaporation of reverse osmosis discharge)
charge economy of potato starch production. An interesting
solution could be seen in a system of integrated treatment of
liquid wastes including fruit water, developed on the basis of
reverse osmosis, protein separation, evaporation and central
biological treatment. Introduction of such systems, however,
is still regarded as risky because of high costs and obstacles
in application of reverse osmosis.
In mill starch refinement the introduction of three-phase
nozzle separators in combination with a sophisticated
process design might give reductions in process steps, energy consumption and, especially, in use of processed fresh
water.
Bibliography
[1] Zahlen und Fakten zur Strkeindustrie. Fachverband der StrkeIndustrie e. V., Bonn 1998 (Issue 1997).
[2] LMC Analysis Starch & Fermentation. LMC International Ltd.
Oxford 1998 (April Issue).
[3] W. Sohn: Die deutsche Strkekartoffelwirtschaft Marktsituation
und Perspektiven. Kartoffelbau 48 (1997), 5456.
[4] W. Sohn: Personal communication, 1999.
[5] Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1949/95 der Kommission vom 7. August
1995. Abl. Europische Gemeinschaften Nr. L 16 vom 24.1.1995,
p. 315.
[6] G. Tegge: Strke und Strkederivate. Behrs Verlag, Hamburg
1988.
[7] G. Tegge: Strke und Strkegewinnung vor 200 Jahren. Strke 16
(1964), 122124.
[8] C. A. Brautlecht: Starch: Its Sources, Production and Uses. Reinhold Publishing Corporation, New York 1953.
[9] F. Meuser and F. Khler: Einsatz der Membranfiltrationstechnik
zur Prozewasseraufbereitung in der Kartoffel- und Weizenstrkeindustrie. Chem. Mikrobiol. Technol. Lebensm. 7 (1981),
5161.
242
Addresses of authors: Dr. Wolfgang Bergthaller*, Institut fr Getreide-, Kartoffel- und Strketechnologie, Bundesanstalt fr Getreide-,
Kartoffel- und Fettforschung, Schtzenberg 12, 32756 Detmold, Germany; Dr. Willi Witt and Hans-Peter Goldau, GEA Westfalia Separator
Industry GmbH, Werner-Habig-Strae 1, 59302 Oelde, Germany.
*
Corresponding author: Phone: +49 (0) 5231-741 320, Fax: +49 (0)
5231-741 100, E-mail: staerke.bagkf@-online.de.