National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) has a novel technology to produce liquid glucose from maize starch using dry milling process. The novel technology developed by individual innovator Manjunath, a technologist from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad is backed by safety and efficacy data and higher economies of scale. The corporation is now in the process of offering this technology to potential companies engaged in the production of liquid glucose for the pharma companies.

The process opens up new possibilities not only to utilize Maize Grits, a product of Dry Milling but also allows use of grains, spoiled grains and coarse cereals to produce liquid glucose. The method is time saving, cheaper to produce and is environment-friendly. It also offers the flexibility to produce a wide range of starch derivatives like Liquid Glucose, Dextrose Syrup and Maltose Syrup. In combination with a Loop Reactor concept for Hydrogenation, the process can produce a range of sugar alcohols like: Sorbitol, which is an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) used in tooth-paste and poultry and human drugs. Mannitol used as an osmotic diuretic agent and a weak renal vasodilator and Maltitol is used in sugar control.

Conventional Wet Milling of Maize involves huge capital costs and operating costs with large consumption of utilities apart from effluent disposal problems.

The new method combines the most advanced developments in reactor engineering, chemical engineering, equipment design, heat transfer, mass transfer, catalysts & enzymes apart from energy recovery/reuse to achieve drastic reduction in time of conversion, consumption of utilities as well as capital costs. It opens up new possibilities in terms of raw material flexibility, location options, size/capacity options, product flexibility, hygienic processing, superior product quality options & ability to meet wider market requirements. When coupled with Dry Milling, it offers an attractive low cost, alternative of 'Green Technology' the modern day demand for cost-efficient processing while preserving the environment, said HK Phani Kumar, consultant, business development, National Research Development Corporation.

The existing companies engaged in the production of liquid glucose can now replace the whole unit if there are opting for up gradation. Those units which are foraying into production for the first time can opt for the dry milling technology which will not only be cost-effective but will also yield better quality of Liquid Glucose, he added.

The new process helps to reduce the capital costs. It will minimize use of water, steam, electricity, space and labour. The use of low purity starch materials like spoiled grains, off-coloured grades of starch apart from other cereals/coarse grains/millets also save raw material cost.