Brownsugarexporter.com - By-products of cane sugar and beet
sugar production include fibre (from both cane and beet) and molasses (residual
concentrated syrup from which no more sugar can economically be removed).
Fibre
SUGAR BEET
PULP
Sugar beet
pulp is used almost entirely for animal feed, mixed with molasses in loose or
pellet form. Because of the higher nitrogen content of sugar beets, nitrogen
(in the form of urea) need not be added, as it must when sugarcane bagasse is
used for animal feed. Other uses for beet pulp are as edible fibre, for
addition of soluble fibre to baked goods and processed foods, and for inclusion
in paper manufacture.
BAGASSE
Feed use
for bagasse is relatively minor. The major use is as fuel for the cane factory,
where one ton of dry bagasse is equivalent in energy value to two barrels of
fuel oil. Freshly produced bagasse contains about 50 percent moisture and
becomes drier on storage.
Bagasse is
also widely used as filler for paper, fibreboard, and particleboard—especially
in areas where wood is in short supply. Paper quality ranges from kraft-process
brown paper through newsprint to glossy white.
Molasses
Molasses
from both sugarcane and sugar beets is a major component of animal feed. Sugar
beet molasses that has been subjected to desugarization contains reduced
carbohydratelevels and may be blended with cane molasses.
Production
of ethanol (ethyl alcohol) for industry and distilled spirits is common at most
cane and beet factories. Rum is produced from cane molasses in the Western
Hemisphere;beverage alcohol is produced from beet molasses in Europe.