In this article we will discuss about the products extracted from sugarcane juice. The products are: 1. Jaggery 2. Juice Concentrate 3. Powder Jaggery 4. Rab 5. Vinegar.
1. Jaggery:
Jaggery (gur) contains common cane sugar as well as glucose, fructose and minerals like calcium, iron and phosphorus coupled with micronutrients like copper, zinc and manganese. It is a good source of vitamin A.
Quality of jaggery is primarily dependent on the clarification efficiency of juice and clarificant used. The common chemical clarificants are Hydros (Sodium hydrophosphite), lime, sodium carbonate, superphosphate, diammonium phosphate and alum. Common phyto clarificants are the extracts of deola (Hibiscus ficulneus), bark of semal (Bombex malabaricum), extracts of suklai (Kydia calyna), groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) and castor (Recinus communis).
The major drawback with these clarificants is that the chemicals are injurious to heath and biological clarificants are either not available or quite insufficient in quantity throughout the season. In Hydros, jaggery manufactures use many times higher than the recommended quantity to achieve good colour leading to health risk.
2. Juice Concentrate:
Sugarcane juice concentrate resembles honey and contains all the sugars, minerals and vitamins as in jaggery. It can be used as sweetener in domestic preparations, sweetened water and as a substitute for jam. The added advantage is that it can last for an year after preparation without any deterioration even without preservatives, if sealed property.
The cane juice after extraction is filtered through a muslin cloth and collected in a storage tank. Juice is poured in an open pan and heated to facilitate coagulation of the suspended particles into a gummy colloidal substance.
When the temperature reaches 85°C, which takes around 11-12 minutes, the nitrogenous impurities present in the juice start coagulating and start floating on the surface, which can be removed with a long handled strainer. At this stage, biological clarificant is added.
A golden coloured substance (scum) appears on the surface, which is removed. After complete clarification, the boiled juice becomes clear, transparent and light brownish yellow and starts concentrating. At 99°-100°,C, the juice begin to froth. To avoid frothing and charring, continuous stirring is necessary.
At 108°C, the juice becomes thick at which point heating is stopped and allowed to cool. Citric acid (0.5%) and benzoic acid (0.05%) are added as preservatives. The concentrate can be stored in large settling tanks and in capped sterilised bottles.
3. Powder Jaggery:
Power jaggery is prepared by concentrating the hot mass of concentrated can juice at 120°-122°C and allowing it to cool through stirring for a few minutes. The mass is reduced to power form manually using a wooden scraper. The power is sun dried to 1.5 per cent moisture, sieved through 1-3 mm sieve and packed in polythene sachets or pet bottles.
4. Rab:
Rab is an intermediate product between sugarcane juice concentrate and solid jaggery. It is prepared by concentrating the hot mass of concentrated can juice at 110°-112°C and allowing it to cool by stirring for a few minutes.
The cooled semi-liquid mass is transferred to earthen pots for storage. Preservatives are not to be added. Crystallisation occurs after a few days of storage and as such can be stored for over a year without deterioration in quality.
5. Vinegar:
It is prepared by inoculating the cane juice with yeast for fermenting the juice. After fermentation, the liquid is filtered and stored under aerobic conditions. The pH of the juice after few weeks falls to 3.5 leading to formation of vinegar. It has high nutritive value and acts as digestive and food flavoring agent as against the commercially available vinegar.