Sugarcane straw as a potential second generation feedstock for biorefinery and white biotechnology applications

Sugarcane straw (SCS) represents about one-third of the total primary sugarcane energy. Since its burning in pre-harvesting periods has been banned in Brazil, SCS available amount has grown, and the development of valuable applications for this lignocellulosic material became crucial for the development of a circular economy. An attractive and current alternative is its application in combustion processes for energy generation. However, in the biorefinery concept, the SCS processing as a potential feedstock for the obtainment of bioproducts and biomaterials, such as ethanol, xylitol, biogas, enzymes and oligosaccharides, has also attracted a great deal of attention. Thereby, this work provides a comprehensive review of the progress of SCS processing aimed at its valorization through the production of high-value products and the development of environmental-friendly and cost-effective processes.