Sweeter, longer

Every year, the sugar industry loses lakhs of rupees because of the degradation of sugarcane post-harvest. A recent innovation of the Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research IISR, Lucknow, may make that a thing of the past by retaining cane freshness and checking bacterial invasion.

8216;8216;Any degradation in the quality of the cane is bound to affect the sugar and other value-added products derived from it. The freshener we have developed arrests the conversion of sucrose into its non-crystalline forms8212;a principal factor in limiting extraction of sugar from cane8212;and also fights bacteria, which normally affects harvested stock from its cut or bruised ends,8217;8217; says IISR8217;s principal scientist S Solomon.

Since the institute has applied for a patent, he is reluctant to reveal the formulation of the freshener. But, he says, the product8212;to be available as an aerosol spray8212;will be pocket-friendly.

Asit Srivastava