Evaluation of sugar beet parameters during storage

Abstract EN

Storability of four sugar beet varieties was tested during the winter season of 2006 -2007 at Elguneid Sugar Cane Research Center.

Sugar beet varieties used in this study were Juvena, Mashad, Valentina and Brigitta.

The storage conditions were at room, outdoors and underground temperature.

The chemical analysis for samples was carried out for the fresh varieties samples and stated as control where the rest of the samples were optioned according to the following schedule: 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, one week, two weeks and one month with average of three replicates for each test.

For the fresh samples of Juvena, Mashad, Valentina and Brigitta the moisture content was 80.7%, 83.8%, 81.1% and 81.1%, respectively.

Ash content was 0.560%, 0.562%, 0.651% and 0.650%, respectively.

Protein content was 0.210%, 0.226%, 0.202% and 0.190%, respectively.

The weight loss % for the tested varieties after 24 h storage ranged from 5.57% to 8.32% and 5.65% to 6.70% for room and outdoor samples respectively.

The pulp % for fresh tested varieties ranged from.

2.99% to 3.89%.

Purity % for fresh samples was 81.18, 78.59, 82.45 and 79.66 for Juvena, Mashad, Valentina and Brigitta respectively.

Reducing sugars% were 0.066, 0.0083, 0.0116 and 0.005 for the fresh samples of Juvena, Mashad, Valentina and Brigitta, respectively.

The obtained results showed no difference between varieties, while there were marked differences among the storage methods and periods.

Underground storage scored the best results which were comparable with the control (fresh).

KEYWORDS: Beta vulgaris, Weight loss, and pulp, purity.