RECOVERY OF BETAINE AND AMINO ACID

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently recover betaine and an amino acid without disposing of the subject substances by obtaining and recovering the betaine and amino acid adsorbed on a resin bed when treating a sugar-beet liquid in the initial refining with an H type strong acidic ion exchange resin at the time of producing beet sugar. SOLUTION: A sugar-beet liquid in the initial refining is treated with an H type strong acidic ion exchange resin at the time of producing beet sugar. In the process, betaine or an amino acid or both adsorbed on the resin bed are obtained and recovered. A caustic alkali solution is preferably used as a recovering agent for the H type strong acidic ion exchange resin adsorbing the betaine and amino acid. A method for treating the sugar-beet liquid in the initial refining with a column filled with the H type strong acidic ion exchange resin and eluting the betaine and amino acid adsorbed on the resin bed with the caustic alkali solution is especially preferred.