Sustainable Conversion of Wastes into Green Bioproducts to Introduce Diversification and Green Economy in the Sugar Industry. A Review

Sucrose has been the major commercial product of the sugar industry for decades. Sugarcane is a C4 photosynthetic crop and has great diversification potential. It can be used to produce dozens of bioproducts, apart from ethanol, electricity, paper, vinasse, and other green products of commercial importance already being generated. The optimal processing of sugarcane can yield food, feed, biofertilizers, bioplastics, and biomolecules, apart from sucrose of several applications as sucrochemistry. The diversification of the sugar industry would not only enhance the commercial competitiveness of this sector but will also limit the wastes production from sugar mills, offering environmental benefits. Nevertheless, despite the exceptional possibilities of the biorefinery concept of the sugar industry, the industrial adoption of this strategy has remained limited in most of the sugarcane growing countries for some reasons. In the current scenario of sugarcane agroindustry in many areas of the world, sugarcane diversification is crucial for improving the sugarcane value chain, ensuring the efficient exploitation of sugarcane agriculture, and contributing to the 2030 sustainable development goals. The purpose of this review was to carry out an analysis of the factors and constraints that determine the potential of sugarcane supply areas and sugar mills to establish diversification projects. The analysis presented in this study would serve as a useful guide to formulate strategies for optimal utilization of sugarcane crop and sugar industry wastes, by maximizing its benefits through modifying/converting the sugar mills to so-called bio-refineries.