Nwalor J. U. and Adeniran J. A.
Over the last fourteen years of Dangote Sugar Refinery’s existence, sucrose in the final molasses continues to be a source of major financial loss to the company. This study aims at rectifying this anomaly. Samples from different stages of the refining process were analyzed. A benchmark ‘Target Purity Formula’ which is a function of Reducing Sugar/Ash ratio (RS/A) was considered as most appropriate for assessing the degree of molasses exhaustion achieved. Reducing sugar and Sucrose were analyzed using the ICUMSA recognized Lane and Eynon method. The results indicate that RS/A in the final molasses were too high compared to those determined in the melt, clarified, decolourized and fine liquors. RS/A values for the final molasses were substituted in the various target purity formulae proposed by different authors. ASI 1993 gave the best fit at the refinery’s conditions, suggesting that it is the most appropriate to quantify molasses exhaustion at the refinery
