Method for processing raw sugarcane maximizing the preservation of policosanols during production of a natural sugarcane juice-based product

A method for processing a quantity of unwashed raw sugarcane sticks to produce a policosanol-rich sugarcane juice product via a sugarcane juice product processing system, 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 one of a series of mechanical roller mills;
• extracting sugarcane juice from the unwashed shredded sugarcane sticks via the series of roller mills, the shredded sugarcane sticks, while being conveyed through the series of roller mills, macerated with water 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, 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.