Determining Optimum Conditions for Sugarcane Juice

Abstract

The conditions for the refinement of clarified sugarcane juice, including temperature<br><br>(50o, 60o and 70oC) and pressure (0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 bars) by micro-filtration membrane<br><br>technology were investigated. The raw sugarcane juice was initially pre-filtrated with lime<br><br>and then the juice obtained (clarified juice) processed using a ceramic micro-filter membrane<br><br>(0.2 micrometer). The characteristics investigated included brix, polarity (sucrose<br><br>percent), turbidity, color and purity. The results showed that the effects of different process<br><br>conditions with micro-filtration on reduction of turbidity and color were significant at<br><br>probably &lt;0.01 and probably &lt;0.05, respectively. For other characteristics, no significant<br><br>difference was observed. Finally, a temperature of 70oC and transmembrane pressure of<br><br>1.5 bar were determined as the optimum conditions for ceramic micro-filtration. Membrane<br><br>processing at 70oC and 1.5 bars reduced the turbidity, viscosity and color of clarified<br><br>juice 56.25%, 16.67% and 6.49%, respectively, and increased 0.87 units of purity.