Obtaining Cellulose and Hemicelluloses from Depectinized and Delignified Sugar Beet Pulp

Advanced food production relies heavily on functional additives. Polysaccharides are functional food additives that combine the technological properties of thickeners, stabilizers, and emulsifiers. The absence of domestic cellulose and hemicellulose production remains a significant barrier to import substitution in Russia. This article introduces new processing technologies for producing commercial cellulose and hemicellulose from depectinized and delignified sugar beet pulp. The experiment featured the effect of such variables as sodium hydroxide concentration and processing time on the efficiency of hemicellulose extraction. The obtained cellulose and hemicellulose were tested for the effect of washing on purity, as well as the effect of hydrochloric acid treatment on cellulose yield. The sensory and physicochemical tests involved standard research methods. The most effective production conditions were as follows. Hemicellulose was extracted with a 2% sodium hydroxide solution at 25°C for 3 h and washed with 70% ethanol. Cellulose was treated with a 15% hydrochloric acid solution for at 60°C 5 h. The resulting cellulose and hemicellulose met the sensory and physicochemical standards in all aspects but raw material. Beet pulp proved to be a promising source of cellulose and hemicellulose with good import substitution and recycling prospects. However, the use of beet cellulose and hemicellulose in the food industry requires updating the existing regulatory documentation.