Distillation dates back nearly 10,000 years and as a process can be defined as the separating of components or substances from a liquid mixture by using selective boiling and condensation. This process may result in complete separation (pure components) or partial separation that increases the concentration of selected components in the mixture.
The earliest evidence of distillation was found on Akkadian tablets that date back to 1200 BC describing perfumery operations. However clear evidence of distillation of alcohol comes from the Arab chemist Al-Kindi in 9th century Iraq. Modern distillation was improved and perfected at the beginning of the 19th century.
The process of distillation leads to the production of the by-product Extra Neutral Alcohol that forms the basis of the article and the main ingredient in products that are used daily.
What is Extra Neutral Alcohol?
Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA) is a highly concentrated and purified Ethanol of agricultural origin. ENA has a purity of 96% or higher. It is classified as a rectified spirit or rectified alcohol that has been purified by means of rectification (repeated distillation). ENA can be obtained by various plant material such as sugar cane and potato. It can also be obtained from grapes and is called Vinous Alcohol.
When using grains such as maize, sorghum or bajra, the rectified spirit is known as
Grain Based Neutral Alcohol (GENA). GENA has various uses, most notably to produce alcoholic beverages. It is also used for medicinal purposes (most commonly for sanitizers, antiseptics and medicated sprays), manufacturing of cosmetics & perfumes and as a household solvent. As ENA is a great solvent it is also used in the manufacture of lacquers, paints and ink for the printing industry. ENA is also widely used in the petroleum sector.
How is GENA obtained?
The process of manufacturing GENA starts by milling the grain. The milled grain is taken for the liquefication process where water, steam and auxiliaries are added to make it ready for fermentation. Yeast is then added to the mix that will lead to the break-down of sugars to produce alcohol. This in turn is rectified (repeated distillation), and the final product is what is known as GENA.
Advantages of GENA
Molasses, a by-product from the cane sugar manufacturing industry is brownish black in colour with a strong odour. It is used for its high sugar content in the production of alcohol. Although highly suitable it produces high effluent and is difficult to treat. Thus, ENA from grains is better suited as it gives a higher quality alcohol and is easier to treat with low effluence.
The process of making alcohol from grain is more cost effective as it uses less water for treatment and grains have a growth cycle of just 4 months compared to sugar cane that is seasonal and only available 160 days a year. There are other distinct advantages of using GENA, most notably in context to a by-product known as Distillers Dry Grain with Soluble’s (DDGS). DDGS can be sold as high protein containing cattle feed. Further, the CO2 produced during the fermentation process is of food grade quality.
The Advent of Hand Sanitizers
Hand
sanitizers are a liquid, gel or foam used to decrease infectious agents on the hand and were first introduced in 1966 in medical settings such as hospitals and healthcare facilities. Extra Neutral Alcohol based sanitizers are more convenient than using soap and water. These ENA Sanitizers usually contain a 70% or higher alcoholic content they are effective in killing nearly 99.99% of germs.
Today ENA Sanitizers have become a household product which are recommended by doctors and health care workers. This widespread use has had a direct impact on both the sugar and alcohol industry as the main ingredient ENA is readily available. Both these industries have increasingly become a part of the personal hygiene product range.
Conclusion
Extra Neutral Grain Based Alcohol has today become an ingredient in many daily use products and personal hygiene is incomplete without it. We have come a long way from its industrial usage and in current times it has become somewhat of a saviour for us against various germs, bacteria and viruses. Usage of sugar and alcohol apart it is no denying that Extra Neutral Grain Based Alcohol has become a mainstay in households across the world.
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