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Postharvest deterioration of sugarcane and chemical methods to minimize

sucrose losses

Article  in  Sugar Tech · March 2006

DOI: 10.1007/BF02943746

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P o s t - h a r v e s t D e t e r i o r a t i o n of S u g a r c a n e a n d C h e m i c a l
M e t h o d s to M i n i m i z e S u c r o s e L o s s e s
S. SOLOMON*, RAMAN BANERJI, ASHOK K. SHRIVASTAVA, PUSHPA SINGH, ISHWAR SINGH,
MANJUSHA VERMA, C. P. PRAJAPATI and ANITA SAWNANI

Division of Plant Physiology & Biochemistry,

Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow-226 002, India

ABSTRACT

Sucrose losses after the harvest of sugarcane and during subsequent milling operation are one of the
most serious problems in many sugar processing units in sub-tropical India. The field losses in commercial
cane sugar were 0.35, 1.0 and 1.32 units per day during early, mid-season and late-crushing periods,
respectively. A small study revealed 13 kg sucrose loss per ton cane milled due to the biological agents. Some
approaches, like pre-harvest foliar application of divalent cations (Zn ~+and Mn ~+)and post-harvest application
of anti-bacterial formulations have shown reduction in sucrose loss after harvest.
Keywords: Post-harvest losses, milling, biocide, sugar recovery

INTRODUCTION Leuconostoc spp. which enter through the cut ends and thrive
at the expense of stored sucrose further reduces quality of
The cane supply system prevailing in north India has milled juice. This microbe has the ability to synthesize alpha-
some serious drawbacks and this adversely affects growers glucan polysaccharides (dextran) from sucrose through an
and sugar industry. Besides other factors, which undermine extracellular enzyme called dextransucrase. The level ofdextran
cane quality, recurrent cut-to-crush delay in cane supplies is synthesis varies with the geographic location, climate, cane
one of the major factors in pulling down sugar recovery. In variety, quality of cane, cut-to-crush delays, method of harvest
many sugar mills the time lag between harvesting to milling of and sanitary conditions inside the mill.
cane ranges between 3 to 7 days, entailing huge losses in The deterioration of cane after harvest has serious socio-
recoverable sugar due to deterioration and souring of harvested economic consequences affecting farmers, millers, refiners,
cane (Solomon et al., 2001). The biological losses of sucrose exporters and consumers (Fig. 1).
as a result of inversion, organic acid, ethanol and
polysaccharides formation in harvested cane and upstream
Farmers
milling process are largely responsible for low sugar recovery. (Lossin cane weight)
I
The climatic variability of sub-tropical India also influences
pre and post harvest losses and it is estimated that nearly 15-
20 percent of total sucrose present in freshly harvested cane J
t \
is lost du0'ng transit (Solomon et al., 1997) There is a vast Exportersand
Millers Consumers
difference between agronomic and technical sucrose content (Lowsugar recovery Refiners
(Unacceptable quality (Attracts penalties on raw
in sugarcane delivered to the mills which is mainly due to and loss)
in processing efficiencies of sugar) sugar due tn presence o~
biological losses. The bio-deterioration in the harvested cane dextran etc.

is caused by enzymatic, chemical and microbial agents and

continue to increase with the passage of time. Initially, the
enzyme invertase, which occurs naturally in cane is activated
after harvest especially when ambient temperature is high.
Large quantities of invertases are released during milling,
converting sucrose in to invert sugars, thus lowering the
purity. Polysaccharides producing bacteria from field such as
*Author for Correspondance : S. Solomon
Email: drsolomonsushil@rediffmail.com
Fig. 1. Socio-economic consequences of post-harvest cane
deterioration
The primary extracted juice in some cases contains a
very high amount of dextran due to certain physiological
conditions, post-harvest delays or mechanical injuries.
Microbial polysaccharides such as levan, and dextran, in
addition to their adverse affect on sugar recovery, exert their
negative effect on filtration, evaporation and crystallization
process during sugar manufacturing (Clarke, 1997; Purchase,
 Post-harvest deterioration of sugarcane and chemical methods to minimize sucrose losses 75

2001; Solomon, 2002; Solomon and Verma, 2004; Solomon et one unit decline in CCS if cane are not milled within 72 hours
al., 1997, 2001). The present studies focus on the biological after harvest, this accounts for nearly 8.7 per cent loss of
losses after harvest of cane under field conditions and their sucrose present in fresh cane. This loss in CCS during late
impact on the quality of milled juice (s). Efforts were also made crushing was around 3.5 unit accounting for 29 per cent decline
to reduce sucrose loss after harvest under open field in sugar present in freshly harvested crop. Some cane varieties
conditions using various chemical formulations. lose 25-35 per cent of their original CCS under open field
conditions during late-milling season. Earlier studies from
MATERIALS AND METHODS north India (Solomon et al., 1990, 1997, 2000; Sharma and
Sunita, 1994) have shown loss in CCS ranging between 2 to 5
All studies were carried out in sub-tropical cane growing units during post-harvest storage under open field conditions.
belt of India, using cane varieties commonly grown on Almost similar problem was reported from the tropical cane
commercial scale. The field deterioration of cane was recorded growing areas of India (Table 1).
in terms of loss in Commercial Cane Sugar (CCS) and biological In most part of sub-tropical India, the method of cane
losses were assessed by estimating invert sugars, dextran,
Table 1. Reported sugar losses after harvest in tropical and
and acid production at different storage period. The analysis
sub-tropical India
of cane and process juice (primary and mixed) for quality
parameters (Brix, Pol% juice and Purity Coefficient) reducing Area Sugar loss after harvest Reference
sugars, titrable acidity and dextran were carried out by the India (Sub-tropical)
methods described by Chen and Chou (1993). 2.0-2.5% loss in CCS,var. Solomon etaL,
CoSe 92423, early season 1997, 2003,2004
The following types of cane and juice samples were used 2.90% loss in CCS var.
for study: BO 91, late season
a. Freshly harvested cane 4.81% loss in CCS var.
CoS 767
b. Harvested cane stacked in the field 3.02% loss in CCS var.
CoLk 8102
c. Cane samples from mill yard
3.11% loss in CCS var.
d. Samples from fibrizer CoPt.84212
3.40 unit loss in CCS var. Sharmaand Sunita,
e. Primary juice or first expressed juice from mill CoJ 64 ,early season. 1994
d. Mixed juice samples
3.60 unit in 72 hours ,late Solomonet aL,
To minimize sucrose loss after harvest, following crushing 2000
approaches were tried: 15 kg sugar/ton cane crushed Sharmaet al., 2004
(i) Pre-harvest foliar application of divalent cations India (Tropical) 7-11% loss in CCS Chiranjivi Rao
such as Zn +§ Mn ++, @ 1000 mg/l. et aL, 1993
3.0% decline in CCS after Balusamyet al.,
(ii) Post-harvest application of chemical formulations 120 hours 1990
developed in our laboratory viz. F-1 (ammonium 5.88% in CCS after 288 Batta and
compound based); F-2 (sulphur compound based) ; hours Singh, 1991
F-3 (aromatic acid based). These formulations were 1.0 unit loss in sugar Ahmad and
sprayed on harvested cane and their effect on CCS recovery Khan, 1988
loss was assessed periodically. supply calendaring on equitable basis with provisions of 72
hours, validity of the requisition slips is a serious drawback
R E S U L T S A N D DISCUSSION leading to long hold-up periods. Besides, a large part of the
cane supplies are routed through intermediary agency (cane
(a) Decline in Commercial Cane Sugar (CCS) societies) which creates additional impediments in the supply
The field losses in sucrose after harvest were determined of cane to sugar mills. A recent survey of some sugarcane
in terms of CCS over a period of time. To assess the impact of varieties grown in north India (Solomon et al., 2003) has
weather on cane deterioration, studies were conducted during indicated that the cane varieties show perceptible difference
early(December-January) and late crushing seasons (April in CCS reduction after harvest, varieties CoS 95255 and CoLk
onwards) in sub-tropical India. The data in figure (la,b.c) 94184 showed significantly less reduction than CoS 767 and
showed CCS decline in harvested cane over a period of 8 CoJ 64 after 7 days of storage.
days during early crushing period in north India. There is over These studies show that the sugarcane varieties play a
76 ~q~ue~t~

crucial role in sustaining the recoverable sugar due to their metabolites and enzymes are released during the process of
difference in susceptibility to post-harvest deterioration rnilling.
(Balusamy etal., 1990; Chiranjivi Rao, 1989; Uppal and Sharma,
Our earlier findings (Solomon, 2004; Solomon and
1999; Singh and Solomon, 2003; Solomon et al. 1997, 1999,
Shrivastava,2004; Solomon and Verma, 2004) showed relatively
2001, 2003; Uppal et al., 2000). A large number of factors such
high activities of invertase and dextransucrase in harvested
as ambient temperature, humidity, nature of variety, period of
cane, which increased further during milling of cane. The losses
storage, activities of soluble invertases in cane, maturity status
in recoverable sugar increased appreciably during transition
etc. are responsible for this difference (Solomon, 2000, 2002).
from primary juice to mixed juice stage and quality parameters
It is therefore, imperative that each sugar mill must maintain
like dextran, reducing sugars and acidity increased manifold
post-harvest quality profile of varieties being grown in their
in mixed juice. A study carried out in a sugar mill show loss of
area. This would help each sugar unit to devise a scientific
5.0 kg sucrose per ton cane ground ( from primary to mixed
supply and crushing schedule with minimal loss of recoverable
juice stage) due to biological losses (Table 2) despite regular
sugar, especially during later part of the season.
sanitation program.
The problem ofpost-h~rvest sugar loss was also reported
These data indicate the severity of post-harvest problem
from Colombia which has the highest sugar productivity in
and urgency to minimize such losses both in the field as well
the world (1.0 ton sucrose/ha/month). Larrahondo et al. (2002)
as during milling and
reported that in some places sucrose loss per hour after
processing of cane/juice.
harvest ranged from 0.05 to 0.15 per cent for burnt and un
Considering 2.0 unit
burnt whole stalk. The rate of deterioration was higher for
sugar loss during
chopped cane(0.15-0.25 per hour).Sugar loss from 5-16 percent
processing (loss in
per day were recorded during the storage of whole cane stalk
bagasse+molasses+press
in the yard of a sugar factory in Colombia.
mud+unknown losses)
Decline in the quality of process juice in mill the total sugar loss
amounts to 3.28 per cent
The quality of primary juice or first expressed juice
cane. This showed that
undergoes rapid changes due to inversion and invasion by
nearly 25 per cent sugar
acid and polysaccharide(s) producing microorganisms. In
present in cane at the
harvested stored cane, inversion become evident due to
gradual rise in reducing sugars, a process initially activated time of harvesting gets Fig. 2. Effect of pre-harvest foliar
by invertase(s) of cane and then aggravated by the exogenous lost during various spray of divatent cations on
stages of transport (6%), CCS
invertases of bacterial origin. The relationship between decline
milling and extraction of
in CCS and invert sugars in harvested cane is shown in Fig. la
juice (4%) and processing (15%), respectively. These losses
.This dynamics keep changing with the external temperature
tend to increase depending on cane varieties, retention time
and humidity, nature of variety and cut-to-crush delay. These
before milling, and ambient temperature. Any slackness in

(a) (b) (c)

Fig 1. (a) Reduction in CCS and increase in invert sugars during storage of cane(b) CCS loss in a sugarcane variety during early and late
milling period and (c) difference in agronomic and technical pol due to post-harvest deterioration.
 Post-harvest deterioration of sugarcane and chemical methods to minimize sucrose losses 77

Table. 2. Assessment of sugar losses during milling o f stale post-harvest quality. The response o f Mn and Zn was
cane in a sugar unit in India elucidated at 1000 ppm on juice quality parameters and it was
found that the foliar spray o f zinc sulphate or manganous
Stage Pol% cane Purity Invert sugars TAI Dextran sulphate a week prior to harvest reduced sucrose losses on
coefficient (per 100 Bx) (mg/I) staling. There was 2-3 percent decline in CCS% in Mn and Zn
Field cane 13.38 90.02 8.01 9.55 treated cane after 6 days o f staling as compared to 10% in
Cane carrier 12.58 84.46 8.29 20.62 1467 untreated control, during early season (Fig. 2). These divalent
Primary juice 11.81(R) 82.51 8.66 20.56 1578 cations probably inhibits invertase activity but have negligible
Mixed juice 80.25 11.03 23.51 1865 effect on m i c r o b e s i n v a d i n g h a r v e s t e d cane. Sodium
metasilicate and sodium lauryl sulphate have been reported
9 Sugarlosses due to inversion = 3.13 kg/ton cane milled
to h a v e anti i n v e r s i o n p r o p e r t i e s ( R o s a r i o and
9 Sugarlosses due to acid formation = 0.69 kg/ton cane
milled Santisopasri, 1977) in sugarcane juice. Many bivalent cations
such as Zn++, Ba++ and Mg++ also inhibit invertases from
9 Losses due to dextran = 1.00 kg/ton cane
milled Tropaeolum majus leaves. On the basis o f the inhibition
9 Totalsugar losses = 4.82 kg/ton cane studies, prospects look better to control inversion losses in
milled harvested cane however, such system may face operational
a. Loss in sugar recovery at field level = 0.80 unit difficulties on commercial scale. Nevertheless, these divalent
b. Lossin sugar recovery during = 0.48 unit cations could be incorporated in future anti-deterioration
processing formulations.
Total loss in sugar recovery due to = 1.28 unit Post-harvest application on cane: In India, harvested cane
staling (a+b) is mostly stacked in the fields or cane centers for its
subsequent transport to the sugar mills. Sometimes, the trucks,
implementing proper sanitation program may further increase
trolleys or carts had to wait outside the mills for many hours
sugar losses.
leading to further deterioration in cane quality. It has been
Minimization of post-harvest s u c r o s e losses found that procedure like dipping o f cut-ends of cane in
bactericidal solution is not practical. Our studies show that
Pre-harvestfoliar spray of chemicals: Studies carried out by considerable loss in CCS takes place after harvest in sub-
our group ( Solomon et al., 1990,) using pre-harvest foliar
tropical India. These losses in CCS were 0.35, 1.0 and 1.32
application of certain chemicals (Zn ++, Ba ++, Co ++, Cu++and units per day during early, mid-season and late-crushing
sodium metasilicate) have shown appreciable improvement in periods, respectively and it may vary with the cane variety,

Form-1 Form-2 Form-3

Fig. 3. Effect of post-harvest application of chemical formulations on CCS during storage.

 78
ambient temperature, storage conditions and cut-to-mill delays.
Storage o f cane in shaded places or covering with trash has
some beneficial effect but fails to prevent sucrose losses
caused by inversion and bacterial infestation. The sugar rich
nature o f raw material, its harvesting and post-harvest
handling as well as variable weather conditions (high humidity)
makes it highly susceptible to deterioration and it is practically
impossible to store it without any anti-bacterial agent(s). Some
new formulations and methods o f cane preservation were
tried in our laboratory which could minimize post-harvest
sucrose losses to a great extent. These formulations (Form-
l,Form-2 and Form-3), consisting o f antibacterial agents and
chemicals showed appreciable reduction in sucrose loss as
compared to harvested cane stored in open field or cane
sprayed with water and covered with trash.
Our trials with Form- 1 have shown that during early, mid-
season and late-crushing periods, storage o f cane in open
field for a period o f 6 days leads to 2.41, 4.37 and 7.16 unit
decline in CCS, respectively. Harvested cane sprayed with
water and covered with trash recorded 2.52, 2.68 and 4.87
unit decline in CCS whereas spraying o f Form-1 on the
harvested cane and covering with trash showed 0.71, 0.64
and 3.05 unit decline in CCS, respectively. Similarly, Form-2
was also effective in minimizing sucrose losses (Patent
pending) and Form-3 exhibited moderate anti-deterioration
properties.
Several chemicals and disinfectants such as Ifopol,
formaldehyde, mill sanitizers were tried but did not become
commercially viable (Solomon et aL, 1997). Use o f gamma
irradiation 6~ was found to be useful in minimizing sucrose
losses (Acosta and Jorge, 1982) and this method was introduced
in a sugar mill in Cuba. Our studies have shown that post-
harvest deterioration o f sugarcane could be minimized to a
great extent, using s o m e strong and p o t e n t chemical
combinations. However, efficacy o f such formulations depend
on many factors such as variety, m e t h o d and time o f
application, storage conditions and ambient temperatures.
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Received: April, 2006; Accepted May 10, 2006