Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati have developed an ultrasound-assisted fermentation method to produce a safe sugar substitute called "Xylitol" from bagasse, the residue left after crushing of sugarcane.
Xylitol is a natural sugar alcohol found in plants, including many fruits and vegetables. It can be used as a safe alternative sweetener as it has less calories and doesn’t raise blood sugar levels.
It has anti-obesogenic and anti-diabetic properties with other properties such as mild prebiotic and guarding teeth against caries.
The use of ultrasound in the fermentation process will increase the yield by about 20% with a reduction in the time taken in conventional processes. Also, it will not consume much ultrasound power.