Lipophilic phytochemicals from sugarcane bagasse and straw

• Sugarcane bagasse was dominated by aldehydes and alcohols.
• Sugarcane straw was dominated by fatty acids and steroid compounds.
• Sugarcane residues are promising sources for obtaining valuable phytochemicals.

The composition of lipophilic phytochemicals in sugarcane bagasse and straw, the two major residues of sugarcane processing, was investigated in detail by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The composition of the lipids from sugarcane bagasse and straw was completely different from each other. While the extracts of sugarcane bagasse were dominated by n-aldehydes (ca. 48% of all identified lipids) and n-fatty alcohols (ca. 23%) with lower amounts of n-fatty acids (10%) and steroid ketones (14%), the extracts from sugarcane straw were strongly dominated by n-fatty acids (accounting for ca. 60% of all identified compounds) with significant amounts of steroid compounds, particularly sterols (10%) and steroid ketones (14%). Tocopherols and triterpenols were also found, being particularly abundant among the extractives of sugarcane straw. Sugarcane bagasse and straw can thus be considered as promising feedstocks for obtaining highly valuable phytochemicals of nutraceutical or pharmaceutical interest.

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