Sustainable production of cellulose nanofiber gels and paper from sugar beet waste using enzymatic pre-treatment.

•Sugar beet nanofibers were produced with lower water consumption using enzymatic pre-treatments.•More nanofibers were obtained by pre-incubating pulp at pH 9 prior to enzymatic treatment.•Trace polysaccharides remaining on nanofibers had a strong impact on their rheological behavior.