Veerababu1, K Satish1, B Muralidhar1, Ch Chandra Sekar1 and N Gopalakrishnan2 #
1EID. – Parry (I) Limited, Sankili – 532440, A.P, India
2South Indian Sugarcane and Sugar Technologists’ Association of India, 49, 3rd Main Road, Adyar, Chennai, Tamil
Nadu 600020, India
Modern lifestyles and increasing consumer awareness of food quality have driven a growing demand for higher- quality sugar. One such initiative is the production of sulphur-free sugar, which also caters to diabetic consumers looking for low-glycemic-index (GI) sugar options. This study was carried out at EID Parry’s Sankili unit, achieving the production of sulphur-free sugar without major investment by diverting B-heavy molasses and syrup to the distillery, resulting in sugar with a color of less than 70 IU. Sulphur-free sugar production was more viable with the diversion of B-heavy molasses and syrup to the distillery that enhanced the fermentation efficiency in the distillery by supplying sulphur-free syrup. Additionally, it reduced scale formation in evaporators and pans, decreased chemical consumption, and minimized cleaning cycles. The final product quality of sulphur-free sugar was superior compared to conventional plantation white sugar. These improvements can enable an increased supply of high-quality sugar to institutional customers and retail markets. The study demonstrates that producing sulphur-free sugar during the diversion of B-heavy molasses and syrup to the distillery is not only feasible without significant capital expenditure but also beneficial to overall plant operations. The improved sugar quality and downstream process efficiency support a more sustainable and profitable production model. During the 2023- 24 season, we operated the sulphur-free process alongside the diversion of syrup and B-heavy to the distillery. The next phase involves focusing on diversion of only B-heavy and exploring sulphur-free sugar production using the existing A-Continuous pan for raw sugar boiling.