Dedini S/A Indústrias de Base built linear difusor

The Brazilian Experience: Rum, Cachaça and Difusores (Diffusers)

I'll be the first to admit that I am a complete novice when it comes to rum, and cachaça for that matter. It's interesting to stumble upon another manufacturer of difusor (diffuser) technology used in conjunction with the fermentation, and distillation processes for the production of rum (Cachaça). In a prior post, I pointed out that this type of agave sugar extraction technology was fairly new in the tequila and mezcal industry. The linear difusor built in Brazil looks strikingly similar to the Spanish built difusor used in the production of tequila, mezcal, brandy, wine, rum etc. as well. I approached a few so-called rum "experts" about this technology only to be rebuffed. I even got an unexpected fairly negative response from a Bacardi ambassador - which is sort of funny seeing how Bacardi does use a difusor at its distillery in Mexico - Bacardi Y Compañia - Tequila Cazadores De Arandas, S. De R.I. De C.V.

Apparently the first difusor (bagasse type) and milling process used in Brazil was sometime around 1967. Up until 1968, all sugarcane juice extraction systems consisted of just a milling process. Apparently, this bagasse type difusor was scrapped for a more efficient cane difusor milling process. This story certainly sounds familiar with the difusor technology in tequila and mezcal production - maximize the extraction of desired sugars from agave pinas before fermentation and distillation - but in this case just substitute sugarcane or molasses for agave pinas. According to Tomsa Destil, the Spanish difusor maker, this sort of technology can be to be used with molasses. The difusor is used somewhere in molasses treatment phase.

It seems the main manufacturer behind these sugarcane difusores is a Brazilian company named Dedini S/A Indústrias de Base. There are two types of difusores built by Dedini S/A Indústrias de Base - a linear diffuser with a movable screen and a fixed screen linear diffuser. Both types are used in the cane processing plants in Brazil - some produce sugar, ethanol and bioelectricity while others are designed for energy production, ethanol and electricity. Now it's hard to pin down an exact number currently in use for rum (Cachaça). Dedini S/A Indústrias de Base's website states that 15 of its difusores are currently in use in Brazil. Then if you just geek out some more and ask the obvious questions: How many of the 15 are being used for the purpose of producing rum (Cachaça)? Do these difusores use an acid catalyzed hydrolysis process to capture more sugars from the sugarcane? Does this technology in anyway affect the flavour? And how many turnkey difusores built by this Brazilian company have been exported to enterprises outside of Brazil for the sole purpose of aiding in alcohol production? It's rather alarming...