Risvan Kuswurj

by :

M. OKUNO AND H. TAMAKI

E-mail: tamaki@kobe-u.ac.jp

Produce in processing sugar, sugar cane juice contains a variety of polyphenols, such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, phenolic glucosides, and phenylpropanoids. These compounds are the main source of colorants, essentially considered impurities. Removal of these polyphenols is generally done by using bone char.

Octadecylsilyl-silicagel (ODS) is widely used in reverse phase chromatography as a strong adsorbent of polyphenols. ODS can be regenerated by using alcohol, which can easily be recovered by evaporation. Hence, if ODS is used as the decolorizer of sugarcane juice, no liquid wastes will be produced from the clarification system. The objective of this study was to decolorize sugarcane juice by removing polyphenols with ODS adsorption, then recover these important polyphenol compounds from all fractions of the sugarcane juices.

Conclusions
THE ODS TREATMENT PROPOSED IN THIS PAPER WAS VERY EFfective for clarification of sugarcane juice. A-sugar obtained from the juice had a pale color with 48 IU of color value. It may be possible to omit the refining step in the production of sugar. Even the color value of C-molasses produced by this method was smaller than that of conventional raw sugar. Therefore, C-molasses could be used as a raw material for fermentation without colored waste. The polyphenols recovered from the ODS could conceivably be used as an antioxidant in food. However, there are many technical improvements needed before commercial practice. Methods proposed in this study may realize a non-generated waste, or “green process,” in the production of sugar.

JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE—Vol. 67, Nr. 1, 2002

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