Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN
1201 W. UNIVERSITY DRIVE
EDINBURG,TX 78539-2999
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
This project tackles two pressing issues in the food industry: the challenge of disposing of acid whey and the growing demand for low-calorie sugar substitutes. By focusing on converting galactose, a component of acid whey, into tagatose, a sought-after low-calorie sugar, it addresses both concerns simultaneously. Tagatose serves as a valuable tool in combating obesity and related health issues by allowing individuals to cut down on calories without sacrificing sweetness. While enzymatic methods for tagatose production have limitations, such as enzyme instability and long processing times, this project explores non-enzymatic catalytic pathways as an alternative. Through three key objectives, the project aims to identify effective catalysts, understand the conversion mechanisms, and assess the economic viability of the proposed manufacturing processes. The anticipated outcomes extend beyond waste reduction and sugar substitution; they also promise to introduce new, healthier options to the dairy industry while aligning with consumer preferences for sustainable and health-conscious products.
Animal Health Component
40%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
30%
Applied
40%
Developmental
30%
Goals / Objectives
The long-term goal of our research is to develop sustainable manufacturing technologies for the production of low-calorie sugars and apply them as an alternative food ingredient to traditional sugars for the development of healthy food products. The overarching hypothesis of this project is to explore cost-effective catalytic pathways for producing low-calorie tagatose from galactose. We will accomplish it by achieving three supportive objectives: (1) Screening the effective catalysts and optimizing reaction conditions to maximize tagatose yield and minimize undesirable byproducts; (2) Elucidating catalytic kinetics and providing insights into the mechanism of galactose isomerization to tagatose; and (3) Conducting techno-economic analysisto reveal the economic feasibility of the innovative tagatose manufacturing technology.
Project Methods
Several heterogeneous (e.g., NaAlO2, MgO, and CaO) and homogeneous (e.g., AlCl3, triethylamine, and meglumine) catalysts that have been revealed to be effective in the conversion of glucose to fructose will be tested for the isomerization of galactose into tagatose. Factors such as catalyst activity, selectivity, and stability will be considered. The reaction parameters will be fine-tuned, including the catalyst-galactose ratio, temperature, solvent, pH, substrate concentration, and reaction time. The reactions will be conducted in glass batch reactors, and the concentrations of galactose, tagatose, and talose in the solution will be measured using an HPLC system. Computational modeling will be used to propose a modified mechanism to explain any incongruous results. NMR spectra will be recorded to analyze chemical alterations and reaction kinetics will be determined using MATLAB. An economic evaluation of tagatose production will be performed using Aspen or SuperPro Designer. It includes constructing techno-economic analysis models, determining capital investment and operating costs, calculating annual cash flow and breakeven selling price, and conducting sensitivity analysis. Monte Carlo simulation will be utilized for economic risk assessment, considering factors such as project capital cost estimation, supply cost for feedstocks, product selling price, purchasing energy price, and carbon tax or credit price.