Alternative Uses of Bagasse

Pakistan, is the fourth largest sugar cane producing country, generates annually 5.4 million tones of bagasse, eighty percent being used for producing fuel, the remaining bulk (2 million tones approx) containing 50-55% cellulose, can possibly be recycled and put to beneficial use instead of merely burning. Seventy percent of population in Pakistan suffers from protein deficiency and malnutrition. Scarcity of protein rich leguminous grazing sites coupled with feeding cheap and protein deficient materials result in slow growth and low productivity of farm animals. Feeding high protein diet is quite expensive and, therefore, not feasible. Feeding bagasse residues directly to animal has limitations due to low digestability, and poor protein content. Nutritive value and digestability of bagasse can, however, be significantly improved through microbial degradation. De Menezes converted bagasse into protein using Myrothecium verrucaria, Trichoderma viride and Geotrichumsp. Jahuri reported protein production from agricultural waste using fungi. Fermentation of bagasse for improving its digestability as animal feed was also carried out by Nigam et al. Based on earlier reported information on synthesis of fungal protein from molasses and on other studies relating to recycling waste.