Quality Ealuation of National Cereals Research Institute Brown Sugar

Abstract

A brown sugar process technology [BST] was developed using a simple batch system and a local clarifier at the National Cereals Research Institute [NCRI], Badeggi. The quality characteristics of the brown sugar produced from the technology were studied. Where necessary and feasible the brown sugar quality was compared to industrial brown sugars. The bulk density, solubility, particle size, brix percentage, pH, Pol%, soluble and insoluble fractions, water sorption properties, proximate composition, microbial load and organoleptic properties of the sugar were evaluated. The results showed that the brown sugar had 82.87% solubility as compared to 85.80 and 72.73% of industrial samples. The bulk density was 0.88g/cm3 as compared to 0.82 and 0.95g/cm3. The particle size ranged from 600µm-10mm with 53% passing through 600µm-1.18mm. The moisture sorption studies showed that the brown sugar exhibited a sigmoid shaped structure with monolayer moisture content of 0.63gH20 while the surface area was 0.0036x10M2 /g solid. There was no apparent presence of fibre but ash content was high [10.00%] while protein as expected was very low [0.26%]. The microbial load was low 20x103 cfu/g while feacal pollution was not observed. The NCRI brown sugar was preferred to the industrial samples and had an acceptability score of 4 in a 5-point-hedonic scale.