Case Study: Revolutionizing Sugar Recovery Through Microbial Control Enzymes

Introduction: Tackling Chronic Purity Losses in Sugar Processing

Daily Crushing:                              12000 TCD sugarcane

Mixed Juice Generation:       12000 KL (Brix-14.52, Pol-11.76, Purity-80.99)          

Syrup Diversion to Distillery:             30% (3600 KL)

Ethanol and RS:                             14 %v/v and 0.29 %w/v

Retention Time:                             50 Hrs (Feeding-25 Hrs, retention-25 Hrs)

Distillery Production:                                240 KLPD

In the competitive Indian sugar industry, mills face relentless pressure from fluctuating cane quality, microbial contamination, and process inefficiencies. A leading integrated sugar-distillery operation struggled with persistent purity drops averaging 1.1-1.22%, translating to 14 MT daily sugar losses worth  INR 4.2 lakh (MSP  INR 31/kg) alone. Other by products Volatile acids (VA up to 7,940 ppm), lactic acid (1,405 ppm), and residual sugars (0.52% w/v) exacerbated fermentation losses, while distillery yields lagged lower ethanol yield, more retention time with poor spent wash recycling.

This case study documents a 51-day trial (Dec 2025-Jan 2026) where The Catalysts Group deployed Bactosafe I and II—proprietary enzyme formulations for microbial control. Dosed alternately at just 6 ppm on cane crush quantity (usages help in restricting microbial resistance and uncontrolled proliferation), these enzymes eliminated microbial degradation root causes. Combined with disciplined monitoring (pH/Brix/POL/purity in PJ/MJ, VA/lactic in MJ/syrup/SW) and CIP sanitization, the intervention slashed purity drops by 90%, delivered INR 4.78 lakh daily net profit, and unlocked scalable gains up to INR 2.01 lakh/day.

Mill Condition Before Intervention: A Process Under Siege

The mill's baseline revealed systemic vulnerabilities across crushing rates of 12000 TCD:

Root Causes: Uncontrolled bacterial load reduced POL retention, accelerated purity collapse in process juices, and contaminated syrup for distillery transfer. Spent wash recycling stagnated at 8.83%, with high process water consumption compounding costs.

Catalysts Group's Targeted Recommendations

The Catalysts Group prescribed a precision protocol leveraging their biotech expertise:

1. Enzyme Dosing: Alternate Bactosafe I and II at 6 ppm (total 72 kg/day recommended dose for Catalyst’s product alternatively every 15^th days).
2. Real-Time Monitoring:
• PJ/MJ: pH, Brix, POL, purity drop (Thrice per shift)
• Syrup/Spent Wash: VA and lactic acid (Once per Shift)
3. Process Hygiene: CIP sanitization for mills as "key booster"
4. Distillery Optimization: Blend 40% MJ in syrup, 40 brix uniform syrup output; maximize SW recycling

This low-dose, high-discipline approach targeted microbial hotspots without overhauling infrastructure.

Post-Intervention: Dramatic Process Transformation

Within weeks, metrics confirmed enzyme efficacy:

Post-Intervention: Dramatic Process Transformation

Within weeks, metrics confirmed enzyme efficacy:

Sugar Mill Recovery

• Purity drop: 0.11% w/w avg (10% reduction)
• Daily savings: 15.16 MT sugar - INR 4.70 lakh/day (INR 1.41 Cr/month)
• Impurity Reductions:

Total sugar equivalent saved: 1.03% w/v across parameters.

Distillery Performance (Additional Benefits)

• Control: 212 KLPD: Trial: 239 KLPD (+26.7 KL/day; 12.6% uplift)
• Efficiency: +2.29% ethanol recovery (40° Brix syrup); +0.32% v/v titer
• Resource Savings: 16% process water ; 11% SW recycling (52 m³ reused vs 40 m³)
• Batch Metrics: RS 0.40% cycle time -1 hr/batch; net SW ~60%

Quantified Benefits: Direct ROI + Compounding Gains

Compounding Effects: 2.3% distillation energy savings, ETP volume reduction, consistent gravity drops to 1.000, and high-purity MJ for seamless syrup handling.

Breakthrough Success: A Template for Industry Transformation

This trial represents Catalysts Group's technical mastery in enzyme-driven microbial control, achieving:

• 10% purity drop elimination at minimal 6 ppm dosing
• 12.6% ethanol yield surge as proven ancillary benefit
• ROI in weeks: INR 8,640/day investment - INR 4.78 lakh/day return (product cost can be calculated here, better not to show)
• Scalable blueprint: Works across variable crushing (5k-20k TCD)

The operation's discipline—real-time analytics + CIP—amplified enzyme impact, setting a gold standard for integrated sugar-distillery optimization. This success validates Catalysts' value proposition amid India's ethanol blending mandates and cane price volatility.

Conclusion & Results: Ready-to-Replicate Efficiency

The intervention converted a loss-making process into a high-margin operation, proving that targeted enzymes address root-cause microbial threats more effectively than traditional chemicals. Total projected savings: INR 6 Cr/month at scale.

Key Takeaway: With Bactosafe I/II at 6 ppm + monitoring + CIP, any sugar mill can capture 1%+ sugar recovery while boosting distillery yields—delivering INR 2 Cr+ monthly competitive advantage.

Final Results Snapshot:

1.     10% Purity Drop Reduction

2.     INR INR 4.78L Daily Net Profit 

3.     239 KLPD Ethanol (+12.6%)

4.     16% Water Savings

5.     Scalable to INR 6 Cr/Month

This case study demonstrates The Catalysts Group's ability to deliver measurable, bankable results through biotechnology precision.