Low-Cost Production of Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters from Sugarcane Molasses Using a Non-Aqueous Chemical Process
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64295/cujahr.v11i11.118Keywords:
Molasse, Esters of fatty acids, Sucrose fatty esters acid, Glucose and fructose estersAbstract
Sucrose fatty acid esters are biodegradable, non-ionic surfactants widely used in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications. Conventional production methods typically require purified sucrose and refined fatty acid derivatives, resulting in high processing costs and complex separation steps. This study presents a simplified and cost-effective chemical method for producing sugar esters directly from sugarcane molasses as a low-purity renewable feedstock. Free fatty acids were prepared from corn oil via saponification followed by acidification and purification. Esterification was conducted in a non-aqueous medium using dimethyl sulfoxide and tert-butanol as solvents at 60 °C for 24 h in the presence of molecular sieves to remove water formed during the reaction. The resulting products were separated and characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). FTIR analysis confirmed the formation of ester bonds, as indicated by a strong absorption band near 1740 cm⁻¹ corresponding to C=O stretching of ester groups, alongside characteristic C–H and C–O absorption bands of fatty acid sugar esters. The process was further evaluated through material and energy balance calculations and scaled to a conceptual industrial design with an estimated production capacity of 1000 tons/year. An economic assessment demonstrated high feasibility due to the use of low-cost raw materials and simplified processing steps. Overall, these findings indicate that molasses can serve as an effective alternative feedstock for sucrose ester production, offering a sustainable and economically viable approach for local chemical manufacturing.
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