Sugarcane Constituents:
Clean matured sugarcane contains about 70-75 % water, 13-
17 % sugar and other dissolved solids and the remaining dry insoluble fibre.
The constituents of cane depend on maturity and variety of the cane.
The type of
soil, climatic condition, agricultural practices, fertilisers used and water
availability also effects the composition of cane.
The cane top
contains less than 1 percent sucrose and is rich in starch, soluble
polysaccharides, and reducing sugars.
The cane juice
is an opaque and turbid because of presence of colloidal substances such as
starch, proteins, gums, waxes, silica etc. The colloids exist in solution in
fine dispersion state.
The colour of
the juice is generally dark green but varies considerably depending on
colouring matters present in it. Cane juice is acidic having pH 5.0 –5.4.
The constituents
of matured cane fall generally within following limits.
Sugarcane
Constituents
|
Sr. No.
|
Constituent
|
percentage
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
water
|
70--75 %
|
|
2
|
sucrose
|
11 -- 16 %
|
|
3
|
reducing sugars
|
0.5 -- 2 %
|
|
4
|
Organic compounds
|
0.7 -- 2.5 %
|
|
5
|
Inorganic compounds
|
0.4 -- 0.8 %
|
|
6
|
dry fibre
|
10 -- 17 %
|
The fibre
constituents of the Sugarcane
|
Sr. No.
|
Constituent
|
Percentage
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
Cellulose
|
30 -- 38 %
|
|
2
|
Pentosan
|
24 -- 30 %
|
|
3
|
Lignin
|
18 -- 22 %
|
|
4
|
Ash
|
1 -- 4 %
|
The immature
cane contains more water and reducing sugars percentage and less fibre. When
cane is overmatured organic acids are increased at the expense of sucrose and
therefore sucrose percentage and the pH of the juice is decreased. More lime is
required for clarification of juice for
such cane. The lime reacts with the excess acids to form soluble salts that
pass in clarified juice and form scale in evaporator. Also molasses percentage
and consequently molasses loss is increased.
