Special Issue (November - December, 2020): Diversification of Sugar Crops for Value Addition
Diversification of Sugar Crops for Value Addition
Guest Editors: Prof. Gillian Eggleston, Dr. Manoel Regis Lima Verde Leal, Prof. Giovanna M., Prof. Klanarong Sriroth
Sugarcane and sugar crops (sugar beet, sweet sorghum, palms, stevia) are rich source of food (sucrose, jaggery and syrups), fiber (cellulose), fodder (green leaves and tops of cane plant and beet roots, bagasse, molasses, pulp and press mud), fuel and chemicals (bagasse, molasses, syrup & juice and alcohol). It is now an established fact that sweeteners from sugar crops are undoubtedly the most paying proposition for economic sustainability, it is better to produce value added products by diversification and utilizing the by-products of the sugar crops and sugar industry. Sugarcane and sugar crops are highly efficient in converting solar energy into chemical energy and have unique ability to synthesize a large number of useful compounds and store them. These chemicals include sucrose, glucose, fructose, complex polysaccharides, wax, vitamins, polyphenols etc. which could be extracted commercially and may be used in food and wellness industry.
Recent researches in green chemistry has lead to transform sugarcane and sugar crops biomass and carbohydrates into the basic chemical ingredients that go into many everyday products. All biomass from sugar crops are potential feedstocks for biobased industries. The cogeneration of bioelectricity from bagasse and trash is now a reality in many countries and, due to the high carbon content of bagasse and leaves, can also be converted into value-added products such as biochar. Sugar crops are superior feedstocks for the production of chemicals for the manufacture of a range of value added products which have large scale application in agriculture and industry. Among sugarcane-based products are; raw sugar, white sugar, refined sugar and sugar with molasses, these sugars are renewable feedstock for the production of platform chemicals for the manufacture of a range of end-products, e.g., bioplastics, industrial solvents, and chemicals. Cellulosic by-products like bagasse is used for the production of bleached pulp, glazed paper, typographic paper, printing paper, corrugated base-stock, copper printing paper, wrapping paper, fibre boards, furfural, binding agent etc. Molasses based products are ethyl alcohol, liquid carbon dioxide, dry ice, edible yeast, ribonucleic acid, nucleotides, adenosine triphosphate, cytidine triphosphate, polyinosinate polycytidylate, fuel oil etc. Other economically important products that can be produced from sugars are succinic acid, sorbitol, xylitol, glutamic acid, itaconic acid, levulinic acid, and hydroxymethylfurfural. Commercial production of platform chemicals has received considerable attention in recent years in view of industry sustainability and green chemistry.
We would appreciate receiving your articles on any aspect of diversification/value addition related to sugar crops for this special issue. Please submit your valuable contribution on line before 30th August, 2020 through springer link: https://www.springer.com/journal/12355