Optionally, the bagasse of the invention is sugarcane bagasse or sorghum bagasse. 

Optionally, the bagasse of the invention is sugarcane bagasse. 

Typically, bagasse can include: 

Cellulose 45-55 percent Hemicellulose 20-25 percent Lignin 18-24 percent Ash 1-4 percent Waxes < 1 percent 

The terms “sugarcane bagasse”or “sugarcane fibre”refer to bagasse sourced from sugar cane. 

The term “sugar” refers to a solid that contains one or more low molecular weight sugars such as sucrose, glucose, fructose or galactose. 

The term “reducingsugar”refers to any sugar that is capable of acting as a reducing agent. Generally, reducing sugars have a free aldehyde or free ketone group. Glucose, galactose, fructose, lactose and maltose are reducing sugars. Sucrose is not a reducing sugar. 

The term “phytochemical” refers generally to biologically active compounds that occur naturally in plants. 

The term “polyphenol” refers to chemical compounds that have more than one phenol group. There are many naturally occurring polyphenols and many are phytochemicals. Flavonoids are a class of polyphenols. Polyphenols including flavonoids naturally occur in sugar cane. In the context of the present invention the polyphenols that naturally occur in sugar cane are most relevant. Polyphenols in food are micronutrients that are of interest because of the role they are currently thought to have in prevention of degenerative diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease or diabetes. 

The term “refined white sugar”refers to fully processed food grade white sugar that is essentially sucrose with minimal reducing sugar content and minimal phytochemicals such as polyphenols or flavonoids. 

The term “massecuite” refers to a dense suspension of sugar crystals in the mother liquor of sugar syrup. This is the suspension that remains after concentration of the sugar juice into a syrup by evaporation, crystallisation of the sugar and removal of 

