Evaluation of the operation parameters and the process quality of the obtaining of granulated panela in the parish of Tarqui, in the panela industry “El Valle”

Sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is a crop with a high worldwide demand due to being the main source of sucrose and the wide range of products obtained. The production of granulated sugar non-centrifugal in the province of Pastaza is currently part of the diverse products that are obtained through sugar cane, being of great agroindustrial interest. By means of a descriptive questionnaire applied to 13 panela producers of the parish of Tarqui, identified that only one had sanitary registration and has faced problems such as: price instability, insufficient demand, regular infrastructure, limited process conditions, a lack of knowledge of the quality and control. The following presentation carried out a diagnostic of the operational parameters (pH, Brix, Temperature, Performance) of the process and the quality of the panela (% humidity, % cinder y color) in the industry “El Valle” for the duration of three months and determined that in the reception, extraction, clarification and evaporation (1,2,3,4), the pH values, brix and temperature are below the lower limit, while the performance of the trapiche is in an range 53,2 – 71,2% σ 5,3. With respect to the quality parameters, the values are outside what is established in the NTE INEN 2 332:2002 for granulated sugar non centrifugal with the humidity content of 2.8% σ 0,53, pH: 5,98 σ 0,13 and cinder 0,62 %; σ 0,03 at a level of confidence 95,0 %.