Refining of Raw Sugar Cane Juice Using Bentonite and Gelatin and its Effects on Colorants

In commercial, technological and scientific aspects, control of colorants compounds, produced from tow different source: sugarcane and processing is very important. As an example of colorants with plant source, anthocyanins, xanthophylls, flavonoids and beta-carotene can be mentioned. Some material like bentonite can act like as active carbon and dioxide sulfur in absorbing polyphenol oxidase, phenols, charged molecules and etc. The adsorption of phenols from extracted products reduces the rate of enzymatic reaction colorful materials are usually affecting the efficiency and quality of final products and should be removed from raw sugarcane juice. In this study, first of all, raw sugarcane juice treated by bentonite compared with the sample purified with lime and so optimum quantity of bentonite and pH were recognized. Experimental results indicated 1.5gr/l bentonite and pH=4.5 had the best results in reduction of syrup color. As a second step, in order to increasing the effectives of bentonite adding gelatin was checked and it is compared by pure bentonite for optimizing the time and temperature of process. The experimental results indicated that 0.02gr/l gelatin in 100C° for 60 min are optimum conditions for purification of raw sugarcane juice in processing with bentonite.