IIT Guwahati develops new method to produce sugar substitute 'Xylitol' from sugarcane waste
Researchers at the IIT-G have developed a new ultrasound-assisted fermentation method to produce a safe
sugar substitute called 'Xylitol' from bagasse, the residue left after crushing of sugarcane.
This new method overcomes operational limitations of chemical methods of synthesis and time delays compared to conventional fermentation.
The research has been published in Bioresource Technology and Ultrasonics Sonochemistry journals.
"Xylitol, a sugar alcohol derived from natural products, has potential anti-diabetic and anti-obesogenic effects,
is a mild prebiotic and protects teeth against caries," said VS Moholkar, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Guwahati.
Researchers found the use ultrasound during the fermentation compared to conventional way
to 15 hours from almost 48 hours but also increased yield of the product by almost 20 per cent.
Only 1.5 hours of ultrasonication was used during the fermentation.