Varietal Effects on the Nutrient Composition of Saccharum Officinarum

Abstract

Studies on the varietal effects on the nutrient composition of Saccharum officinarum were carried out in the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology and the Food Science and Technology Laboratories in Rivers State University. The sugar components assessed were glucose, fructose and sucrose. Sucrose was highest in both varieties compared to others. Nevertheless, the yellow variety had higher total sugar content (82. 9±0.00). The assessment of mineral composition of S. officinarum showed that the red variety had higher values for all the parameters namely calcium, sodium, iron, chlorine, copper, phosphorus and magnesium with an exception in potassium, sulphur and carboxylic acid which were higher in the yellow variety.  It was also observed that vitamins A and C values were higher in the red variety. The proximate analysis indicated that the red variety had higher values for carbonate ash, cane fibre, solid bagasse, soluble solid and salt. However, moisture (76.5±0.02), protein (0.71±0.01) and juice fibre (0.8±0.01) were higher in the yellow variety.