Sugar Extract

A method for producing a molasses extract comprising the steps of:

• a. diluting the molasses to produce a 10 to 40% w/v aqueous solution;
• b. optionally filtering the diluted molasses produced in step (a);
• c. contacting the diluted molasses with a hydrophobic polymeric adsorbent under conditions sufficient to enable binding of hydrophobic compounds to the adsorbent and flow through of all other compounds in the diluted molasses;
• d. optionally passing the flow through from step (c) over the hydrophobic polymeric adsorbent at least once;
• e. optionally rising the hydrophobic polymeric adsorbent;
• and
• f. eluting the compounds bound to the hydrophobic polymeric adsorbent to produce the extract;
• wherein the hydrophobic compounds are eluted with 30 to 70% ethanol;
• and
• wherein the molasses extract has a high relative abundance of hydrophobic compounds including polyphenols and wherein the extract comprises:
• at least 9000 mg catechin equivalent/100 g of hydrophobic polyphenols in a mixture of free form polyphenols selected from the group consisting of apigenin, catechin, catechin gallate, epicatechin, kaempherol, luteolin, quercetin, tricin, myricetin and diosmetin;
• polyphenol glycosides selected from diosmin, tricin-7-O-neohesperidoside, orientin, vitexin, luteolin-8-C-(rhamnosylglucoside), schaftoside, isoschaftoside and rutin;
• and phenolic acids, selected from caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid, syringic acid and vanillic acid;
• one or more trace elements selected from the group consisting of calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium and sodium;
• protein and other nitrogen-containing compounds;
• carbohydrates other than monosaccharides and sucrose;
• and
• less than 2 g of monosaccharides and sucrose per 100 g of extract.