Softening of beet sugar juices using the weak cation exchange resin Lewatit (R) S 8528, both in hydrogen and sodium form has been studied. After analyzing the influence of the main operating parameters on decalcification efficiencies through a Taguchi approach, experimental runs were carried out at 40 BV/h and 80 degrees C to determine operation time, breakthrough point and resin capacity. The performance of the Lewatit S 8528 resin was compared with that of the industrially used Amberlite SR1L Na, a strong cation exchange resin. The experimental results showed that the use of Lewatit S 8528 in the acidic form is a feasible alternative to the classical strong cation exchange resins, providing calcium removal efficiencies higher than 80%. The mean calcium concentration in the softened thin juice was lower than 18 mg CaO/L. The breakthrough point corresponding to weak resin Lewatit S 8528 in H(+) form, 700 bed volume, was considerable higher than that obtained for the strong resin Amberlite (300 BV). No considerably increase in the concentration of reducing sugars in the softened juice was observed. The consumption of chemical 3 reagents in the regeneration stage was 3.2 +/- 0.5 kg H(2)SO(4)/m(3), considerably lower than the consumption of sodium chloride, 44 +/- 1 kg NaCl/m(3) when the strong Amberlite resin was used. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.