Researchers compared two methods of treating sago palm bark waste with sodium hydroxide and sodium bicarbonate to see which one is better for making sugar. They found that both methods removed lignin from the bark, but sodium bicarbonate was slightly more effective. The analysis showed that both methods had similar effects on the bark's structure. The only inhibitor found was acetic acid, and the sugar yield was slightly higher with sodium hydroxide treatment. Overall, using diluted sodium bicarbonate could be a cheaper way to treat sago palm bark for sugar production.