Comparative Phytochemical Analysis and Characterization of Local Sugarcane Products

Abstract

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) is a widely cultivated crop known for its diverse applications in the food industry. Major products of sugarcane are table sugar, brown sugar, jaggery, and molasses. Sugarcane contains several significant nutrients which have medicinal properties. However, the current industrial process of producing table sugar from sugarcane juice involves the use of several chemicals that result in the loss of essential nutrients and medicinal properties of the juice. Additionally, this process is labor-intensive, expensive, and time-consuming, which makes it unsuitable for use by farmers and small-scale producers. The present study is aimed at the development of an innovative method of producing nutrient-rich sugar from sugarcane juice using low-temperature air drying. The process involves the extraction of sugarcane juice, pumping the juice into a drying chamber, air drying the juice into crystals or powder, collecting the sugar granules in a container, forming the sugar granules into tablets, and packaging the tablets in airtight plastic bags. The intention was to retain as many nutrients as possible in the final sugarcane juice powder. A comparative phytochemical analysis was carried out on dehydrated sugarcane powder which unveiled the presence of medicinally important compounds such as phenol, flavonoids, and alkaloids. Interestingly, these compounds were not identified in other sugarcane derivatives like table sugar, brown sugar, jaggery, and molasses. Advanced analytical techniques, including gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used in this study of sugarcane products. Through GC-MS analysis, compounds detected in dehydrated sugarcane juice powder such as ferulic acid, catechols, furanone, flavonoids, and Iso-benzo-furanone revealed that sugarcane juice powder contains maximum nutrients as fresh extracted sugarcane juice. These findings provided more detailed differentiation among local sugarcane products. Furthermore, the FTIR analysis exposed unique spectral patterns across these products, indicating the variability in their chemical composition. XRD analysis was conducted to evaluate the crystalline nature and crystal structure of the products. These techniques highlighted distinct variations in their chemical profiles and structural characteristics. The comparative analysis of sugarcane products revealed that these products contain lesser nutrient levels compared to fresh sugarcane juice. The development of innovative formulations and applications of the sugarcane juice powder and tablets as a natural sweetener alternative holds potential for expanding its market reach and promoting healthier sugar consumption habits among domestic consumers.