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27th
July 2007
Standard for cane molasses underway
Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) is
working on a standard for cane molasses
to ensure the safety and quality of the
product. The standard will prescribe the
requirements and methods of sampling and
test for cane molasses.
In its seventh meeting held on July 24,
2007 at TBS, the Sugars and Honey
Technical Committee deliberated on
various technical issues concerning the
standard and approved the draft standard
for presentation to the TBS Agriculture
and Food Divisional Standards Committee.
The Sugars and Honey Technical Committee
Secretary, Principal Standards Officer
Obadiah Msaki said after the meeting
that the growing commercial importance
of the cane molasses has made it
necessary for stakeholders to prescribe
a standard for cane molasses.
He also said in a number of countries
around the world, sugar cane molasses
has become raw material for the
production of ethanol, as a measure to
support the development of alternative
energy biofuel, thus making it a
necessity for Tanzania as part of the
international community to take
necessary measures in ensuring safe and
quality production of the product.
Describing the physical and chemical
properties of the product, Mr. Msaki
said molasses is a thick liquid
byproduct that remains after canes have
been crushed, the cane juice boiled, and
sugar extracted, leaving black syrup
containing large amounts of sugar.
"It is a unique substrate for
fermentation and offers diverse
functionalities from viscosity control
to a source of nitrogen for soil and
water remediation," said Mr. Msaki.
He said worldwide, molasses is mainly
used for the manufacture of ethyl
alcohol (ethanol), yeast and cattle feed
and that ethanol is in turn used to
produce potable liquor and downstream
added chemicals such as acetone, acetic
acid, butanol, acetic anhydride and
petro-chemicals.
Members of the Technical Committee were
drawn from Tanzania Food and Drugs
Authority (TFDA), Coca Cola Kwanza Ltd.,
the Sugar Board of Tanzania, Kilombero
Sugar Company Ltd., Ministry of Natural
Resources and Tourism, and TBS which
acts as a secretariat in national
standards writing.
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