SWEET INNOVATION FROM NORTHERN SUGAR

Human dietary fibre and natural cane juices are new products to be extracted from sugar cane as a result of innovative technology adopted in far north Queensland, Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin said today.

Overseas markets, especially Japan, have already expressed a keen interest in the value-adding potential of sugar cane thanks to Australia’s first commercialised cane separation facility opened today by the Minister at the Mossman Central Mill in far north Queensland.

Project developers Resis Australia have spent four years working with researchers and business to commercialise naturally healthy alternative products from sugarcane using energy efficient novel milling technology.

They have been assisted in the venture by leading manufacturers, researchers and technicians from Japan, Italy, Switzerland, USA and Germany.

In particular, Resis Australia’s association with the Queensland/Japanese company, Kristevefourspace Ussy, has created new opportunities for the sale of high value sugarcane products to Japanese markets and processing of new human dietary fibre.

The company is confident its cane concentrate can become the new base of a range of fruit and health drinks as well as finding applications in the confectionary and quality sweetener markets.

A delicious syrup, marketed as Reef Gold™ Cane Syrup, is already finding markets in Okinawa in southern Japan, one of the oldest cane-growing regions in the world.

Mr Mulherin said the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries had played an important role in this project, through the provision of technical support.

“Value-adding is an important way to build on the profitability of the cane industry and to enhance Queensland’s reputation as the SmartState,’’ Mr Mulherin said.

“The sugar industry is worth about $1 billion to the Queensland economy so we have a solid foundation on which to take advantage of value-adding opportunities.

“Government assistance via BSES, DPI&F’s Future Cane personnel and our Innovative Food Technologies Unit in Cairns as well as JamesCookUniversity’s Centre for Tropical Agri-tech Researchhas helped Resis get this project operating on a commercial basis.”

Managing Director of Resis Australia, Sonya Maley believes they have only just begun to tap into the functional applications for food valuable to human health.

“The benefits of sugarcane are well known in areas of the world where consumption of sugarcane and fresh cane juice is the norm,” Ms Maley said.

“The incidence of diabetes, childhood obesity and rampant tooth decay are negligible among those populations.

“The sugarcane plant is high in water soluble minerals, a natural source of riboflavin and niacin, can reduce blood cholesterol and contains natural compounds that have many functional health benefits.’

Ms Maley sees a future for Australian sugarcane in the production of high value nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products from separated cane and other high value speciality amorphous sugars.

“The scope is endless – sugarcane contains powerful natural compounds that have very specific nutritional and pharmaceutical applications and we aim to harness this.”

Another aim is to export the packaged production process to other regions of Australia and overseas with interest already received from Japan and Fiji.

The cane separation facility removes the outside skin of the cane stalk and the juice in the core is processed into a concentrate.

Media:David Potter 32396530