Improving sugarcane juice clarification for jaggery manufacture

Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonolobus) gum powder (GGP), is an economical and readily available product containing potent flocculating properties. GGP helped in coagulation of the impurities of sugarcane juice and improved its clarification during jaggery manufacture. At the concentration of 0.3%, the clarification efficiency of GGP was at par with both deola (Hibiscus ficulneus) and hydros (sodium hydrogen sulphite), the conventional clarificants of the jaggery industry. The quality of jaggery prepared with GGP was superior, possessed improved acceptability and preserved better for 6 months on storage at 27 +/- 1 degrees C compared to those prepared with deola and hydros.