Review of sugarcane juice: Phytochemicals, therapeutic properties, and spoilage with its preservative measures

Sugarcane juice is a very popular drink and is extracted by crushing sugarcane between roller crushers.It is excellent for replenishing energy because it is rich in water (75-85%), reducing sugar (0.3-3.0%), and non-reducing sugar (10-21%), along with carbohydrates, minerals, enzymes, organic acids, and phenolic compounds.Being a nutritious product, sugarcane juice has many medicinal properties, but its processing and marketing are limited due to its rapid deterioration.Sugarcane juice is affected by several factors, such as physical (light, heat), chemical (oxygen), biochemical (enzymes), and biological (microorganisms).It is spoiled quickly after extraction due to the presence of simple sugars.The quality of sugarcane juice is also affected by chemical and enzymatic inversion, where polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) are the major enzymes involved in the discoloration of juice.Furthermore, microbial fermentation of the juice turns it sour within a few hours of extraction, rendering it dangerous to consume.The polyphenol oxidase enzyme can be inhibited by heating.Traditionally, lime and ginger are used for shortterm inhibition of enzymatic activity.Moreover, antibrowning chemicals such as citric acid and ascorbic acid are thus often utilized for short-term preservation in order to keep the juice's original taste.Therefore, the development of effective treatments and procedures to maintain the quality of sugarcane juice would allow a broader market and increase its quality and safety.