A Study on Physicochemical Attributes Sugar Cane Bagassea Produced From Four Sudanese Factories

Abstract

Chemical and physical analyses were carried out in this study on bagasse, a by-product of sugar cane. The basic species of bagasses from sugar cane investigated were prototype 6806 collected from four different Sudanese sugar cane factories namely: Kenana, Sennar, El Guneid and Halfa El Gadeida. The samples were collected in January for two consecutive seasons (2000/01-2001/02). The analysis encompassed contents of fibre, moisture, total sugars, reducing sugars, sucrose, crude protein, ash, total soluble solids and the pH. The results clearly indicated that the moisture content increased with decrease of mill’s efficiency and was a maximum in El Guneid and decreased progressively in Halfa, Kenana, Sennar varieties. The minor variations of ash content ratios in the bagasses were observed with a maximum recorded for Kenana variety. A minimum index in nitrogen (crude protein) was recorded for El Guneid, Kenana, Halfa and Sennar varieties respectively. The results revealed that, the total sugar ratio was very low which may be attributed to the fact that most of sugar went with the juice and a maximum ratio was detected in the descending order of El Guneid, Halfa, Sennar and Kenana varieties. While the sugar cane’s bagasse tends to acidify in all the bagasses. Incomplete the crude fibre content was found to be exceptionally high in all bagasses and also in fibre components (lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose and holocellulose). As for minerals such as Ferrous, Calcium, Magnesium, and Phosphorous investigations disclosed that they were found in very poor concentrations.