The biorefinery process for second generation hemicellulose sugars at Sappi involves recovering them from the prehydolysate liquor, and then separating them from the associated lignin and organic acids. There are various levels of processing and purification depending on end uses. The products we are targeting include sugar alcohols such as xylitol (a low energy sugar substitute), lactic acid (used in the production of polylactic acid (PLA), a renewable plastic), glycols (the main applications being for the production of PET for plastic bottles and unsaturated polyester resins and other products.