A method for processing a quantity of unwashed raw sugarcane sticks to produce a policosanol-rich sugarcane juice product, the unwashed raw sugarcane sticks each including a sugarcane stalk outer cortex containing natural policosanol-rich waxes and minerals, the method comprising steps of:
- shredding the unwashed sugarcane sticks and conveying the shredded and unwashed sugarcane sticks toward a first mechanical roller mill of a series of mechanical roller mills used to extract sugarcane juice from the unwashed shredded sugarcane sticks;
- macerating the unwashed shredded sugarcane sticks being conveyed toward said first mechanical roller mill with a mixture of water and surfactant, the mixture of water and surfactant having a temperature maintained below a temperature at which dissolution of said policosanol-rich natural waxes and minerals in the sugarcane stalk outer cortex occurs, the surfactant functioning to solubilize the policosanol-rich waxes in the sugarcane stalk outer cortex to enable the policosanol-rich waxes to dissolve out of the sugarcane stalk outer cortex into the water to produce a volume of water-diluted extracted policosanol-rich sugarcane juice product;
- filtering the diluted extracted policosanol-rich sugarcane juice product;
- stabilizing the pH of the extracted and filtered policosanol-rich sugarcane juice product to a stabilized pH level within a pH range of 7.0 to 7.6;
- heating the pH-stabilized sugarcane juice to a temperature below that at which evaporation of policosanols from the extracted policosanol-rich sugarcane juice product occurs and maintaining that temperature for a period of time;
- clarifying the heated and pH-stabilized sugarcane juice, wherein the heated and pH-stabilized sugarcane juice is flocculated using a mixture of water and at least one flocculate product, the flocculated sugarcane juice forming a glutinous froth, the glutinous froth retained and subjected to further processing in order to preserve a rich concentration of policosanols contained therein, the policosanol-rich processed froth subsequently reintroduced into the sugarcane juice product being processed;
- evaporating the clarified sugarcane juice product in a manner incrementally increasing both sugar and policosanol concentrations in the sugarcane juice product to create a post-evaporation, policosanol-rich sugarcane juice concentrate having a Brix value maintained at or below 70° Bx during the entire evaporating step;
- and
- extracting the evaporated sugarcane juice concentrate from evaporation apparatus at said post-evaporation Brix value,
- wherein, the sugarcane processing method maintains a juice product temperature within a temperature range precluding evaporation of policosanols from said extracted policosanol-rich sugarcane juice product throughout said process.