CONTROL OF POLYSACCHARIDES AND NON SUGAR COMPOUND FORMATION IN HARVESTED SUGARCANE AT LOW AND HIGH TEMPERATURE

摘要

Sugarcane harvesting in India takes place during temperature extremes which ranges from 4 to 44°C. Sugar losses due to time lag between harvesting to milling are often high leading to low sugar recovery. These losses are caused by inversion, acid, ethanol and mannitol formation in the harvested cane and milled juice. The major contributor to deterioration is infection by Leuconostoc mesenteroides lactic acid bacteria. Studies were directed to assess the magnitude of losses in two different milling seasons in Sub-tropical India in harvested cane with reference to the formation of polysaccharide and non sugar compounds and effect of two environment friendly compounds (Electrolyzed water and pine oil) to check the post harvest cane deterioration. During low temperature conditions ie; December, CCS% decline was 2.85, 0.58 and 0.86 units respectively, whereas at high temperature it was 5.23, 3.13 and 2.87 units in untreated, electrolyzed water and pine oil treated cane after 240 hours of storage. Mannitol formation in the month of December in harvested cane was low, i.e.; 1896.17 ppm/Brix, increased by 4.04 folds after 240 hours of storage. In treated canes it increased by 2.5 and 2.3 folds. During late milling season i.e.; in the month of April initial mannitol concentration was 10521.61 ppm/Brix, it increased by 4.83 folds and was 50894.15 ppm/Brix, after 240 hours of harvest. In treated canes it increased by 2.65 and 2.15 folds only. The difference between reducing sugars formed in treated and control cane after 240 hours of harvest was around thirty folds during high temperature whereas, during low temperature this difference was reduced to five folds. The study indicates necessity to process cane within 24-48 h after harvest in sub-tropical climate. The treated canes showed appreciable reduction in the invertase activities and mannitol formation. Deterioration of harvested cane could be minimized to a considerable extent by spraying of electrolyzed water or pine oil followed by covering it with trash.