Sugarcane bagasse, the major by-product of the
sugarcane industry, seems to be an economically viable raw
material. Sugar mills generate bagasse (500 g kg1 water
content) at a rate of 270 kg t1 of harvested cane. Part of this
amount is enough to supply the energy required by the sugar
and ethanol plants [1] and the remaining bagasse can be used
not only for the production of fuel ethanol but also of value
added bioproducts.