The potential of molasses from different dietary sources in industrial applications: A source of functional compounds and health attributes, a comprehensive review

Sugar production is a significant worldwide agro-based industry generally produced by extraction mostly from sugar plants, principally Beta vulgaris var. saccharifera and sugarcane Saccharum officinarum L. Other plant resources for sucrose include grape, mulberry, apricot, prune, fig, apple, and carob. During sucrose production, molasses is typically recovered as a side product and exceeds 50 million tons, posing it as a potential human food source. Molasses is an essential source of monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, galactose, arabinose, xylose), disaccharides (sucrose), and trisaccharides (raffinose). It is also rich in vitamins, betaine, and minerals such as potassium and calcium, meditating for several health benefits and treating ailments such as hyperhomocysteinemia, reproductive functions, pediatric constipation, ulcerative colitis, and immune modulation. In addition to these health benefits, molasses has improved food palatability and sensory attributes, lessening sucrose consumption and providing a better nutritional profile in processed foods.