Co-products come from the process of extracting sugar and starch and, more generally, from the production process as a whole.
In order to derive full value from the whole of the cereal or beet crop, the factories extract other components, known collectively as co-products. These cover three types of use:
Animal feed
Dried and pressed pulps are the main co-products of beet sugar and are used primarily for cattle food.Brewer's grain, a co-product of ethanol production from cereals, are typified by their high protein content; gluten feeds, co-products rich in fibre, are produced from the processing of wheat and maize.
Fertilisers
Vinasse fertiliser is a co-product of alcohol production from sugar beet: potassium sulphate is separated from decrystallised vinasse by a process known as decrystallisation. With its high potassium content, vinasse is approved for use in organic farming.Another co-product of beet processing, are scums: produced in the purification phase, pressed then compacted, these provide a high-calcium enriching agent.
