Chemical Sugar Prosessed

Brownsugarexporter.com - Sugar, any of numerous sweet, colourless, water-soluble compounds present in the sap of seed plants and the milk of mammals and making up the simplest group of carbohydrates. (See also carbohydrate.) The most common sugar is sucrose, a crystalline tabletop and industrial sweetener used in foods and beverages.

As a chemical term, “sugar” usually refers to all carbohydrates of the general formula Cn(H2O)n. Sucrose is a disaccharide, or double sugar, being composed of one molecule ofglucose linked to one molecule of fructose. Because one molecule of water (H2O) is lost in the condensation reaction linking glucose to fructose, sucrose is represented by the formula C12H22O11 (following the general formula Cn[H2O]n - 1).

Sucrose is found in almost all plants, but it occurs at concentrations high enough for economic recovery only in sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) and sugar beets (Beta vulgaris). The former is a giant grass growing in tropical and subtropical areas; the latter is a root crop growing in temperate zones. Sugarcane ranges from 7 to 18 percent sugar by weight, while sugar beets are from 8 to 22 percent sugar by weight. Sucrose from either source (or from two relatively minor sources, the sugar maple tree and the date palm) is the same molecule, yielding 3.94 calories per gram as do all carbohydrates. Differences in sugar products come from other components isolated with sucrose.

The first cultivated sugar crop was sugarcane, developed from wild varieties in the East Indies—probably New Guinea. The sugar beet was developed as a crop in Europe in the 19th century during the Napoleonic Wars, when France sought an alternate homegrown source of sugar in order to save its ships from running blockades to sugarcane sources in the Caribbean. Sugarcane, once harvested, cannot be stored because of sucrose decomposition. For this reason, cane sugar is generally produced in two stages, manufacture of raw sugartaking place in the cane-growing areas and refining into food products occurring in the sugar-consuming countries. Sugar beets, on the other hand, can be stored and are therefore generally processed in one stage into white sugar. (BD)

Sugar by-products

Brownsugarexporter.com - By-products of cane sugar and beet sugar production include fibre (from both cane and beet) and molasses (residual concentrated syrup from which no more sugar can economically be removed).

Fibre

SUGAR BEET PULP

Sugar beet pulp is used almost entirely for animal feed, mixed with molasses in loose or pellet form. Because of the higher nitrogen content of sugar beets, nitrogen (in the form of urea) need not be added, as it must when sugarcane bagasse is used for animal feed. Other uses for beet pulp are as edible fibre, for addition of soluble fibre to baked goods and processed foods, and for inclusion in paper manufacture.

BAGASSE

Feed use for bagasse is relatively minor. The major use is as fuel for the cane factory, where one ton of dry bagasse is equivalent in energy value to two barrels of fuel oil. Freshly produced bagasse contains about 50 percent moisture and becomes drier on storage.

Bagasse is also widely used as filler for paper, fibreboard, and particleboard—especially in areas where wood is in short supply. Paper quality ranges from kraft-process brown paper through newsprint to glossy white.

Molasses

Molasses from both sugarcane and sugar beets is a major component of animal feed. Sugar beet molasses that has been subjected to desugarization contains reduced carbohydratelevels and may be blended with cane molasses.

Production of ethanol (ethyl alcohol) for industry and distilled spirits is common at most cane and beet factories. Rum is produced from cane molasses in the Western Hemisphere;beverage alcohol is produced from beet molasses in Europe.

Raw sugar manufacture

Brownsugarexporter.com - Sugarcane processing, outlined in Figure 2, is practiced in many variations, but the essential process consists of the following steps: extraction of the cane juice by milling or diffusion, clarification of the juice, concentration of the juice to syrup by evaporation, crystallization of sugar from the syrup, and separation and drying of the crystals.

JUICE EXTRACTION

After weighing, sugarcane is loaded by hand or crane onto a moving table. The table carries the cane into one or two sets of revolving knives, which chop the cane into chips in order to expose the tissue and open the cell structure, thus readying the material for efficient extraction of the juice. Frequently, knives are followed by a shredder, which breaks the chips into shreds for finer cane preparation. The chipped (and shredded) cane then goes through the crusher, a set of roller mills in which the cane cells are crushed and juice extracted. As the crushed cane proceeds through a series of up to eight four-roll mills, it is forced against a countercurrent of water known as water of maceration or imbibition. Streams of juiceextracted from the cane, mixed with maceration water from all mills, are combined into a mixed juice called dilute juice. Juice from the last mill in the series (which does not receive a current of maceration water) is called residual juice.

The alternative to extraction by milling is extraction by diffusion. In this process, cane prepared by rotating knives and a shredder is moved through a multicell, countercurrent diffuser. Extraction of sugar is higher by diffusion (an average rate of 93 percent, compared with 85–90 percent by milling), but extraction of nonsugars is also higher. Diffusion, therefore, is most used where cane quality is highest—e.g., in South Africa, Australia, and Hawaii. Occasionally a smaller “bagasse diffuser” is used in order to increase extraction from partially milled cane after two or three mills. (Residual cane fibre, after juice is removed, is calledbagasse.)

Disposal of the large amounts of water used by diffusers is a costly environmental problem, as cane factories that practice diffusion must operate their own primary, secondary, and tertiary water-treatment systems.

CLARIFICATION

Mixed juice from the extraction mills or diffuser is purified by addition of heat, lime, andflocculation aids. The lime is a suspension of calcium hydroxide, often in a sucrose solution, which forms a calcium saccharate compound. The heat and lime kill enzymes in the juice and increase pH from a natural acid level of 5.0–6.5 to a neutral pH. Control of pH is important throughout sugar manufacture because sucrose inverts, or hydrolyzes, to its components glucose and fructose at acid pH (less than 7.0), and all three sugars decompose quickly at high pH (greater than 11.5).

Heated to 99°–104° C (210°–220° F), the neutralized juice is inoculated, if necessary, with flocculants such as polyacrylamides and pumped to a continuous clarification vessel, a large, enclosed, heated tank in which clear juice flows off the upper part while muds settle below. This settling and separation process is known as defecation. Muds are pumped to rotary vacuum filters, where residual sucrose is washed out with a water spray on a rotating filter. Clarified juice, meanwhile, is pumped to a series of three to five multiple-effect evaporators. (BD)

Cane harvesting and delivery Sugar

Brownsugarexporter.com - Sugarcane is generally harvested in the cooler months of the year, although it is harvested year-round in Cuba, the Philippines, Colombia, and other prime areas. As much as two-thirds of the world’s cane crop is harvested by hand, using long machetes. Since the 1940s, however, mechanical harvesting has increased. Before or after harvest, the cane is burned in order to drive out rodents and snakes and to burn off leaves and trash that dull knife blades, but environmental considerations are leading to the harvesting of whole unburned cane in several areas.

Harvested cane is transported to the factory by many means, ranging from manual haulage to oxcarts, trucks, railway cars, or barges. The usual economic distance between field and factory is 25 kilometres (15 miles). Minimizing the time between cutting and processing reduces the amount of cane deterioration and encourages a higher sugar yield.

Upon arrival at the factory gate, cane is weighed and sampled for analysis (if factors other than weight are used for payment). Cane is stored in as small amounts and for as short a time as possible in the mill yard. Factories run around the clock, stopping in some areas for only one or two days per month for cleaning. Although payment is usually based on weight and sucrose content, quality factors such as moisture, trash, and fibre content also are included. Payment is generally split, with 60 to 65 percent going to the grower and 35 to 40 percent going to the processor.

Are animal ingredients included in white sugar?

Brownsugarexporter.com - Bone char, which is used to process sugar, is made from the bones of cattle from Afghanistan, Argentina, India, and Pakistan. The bones are sold to traders in Scotland, Egypt, and Brazil who then sell them back to the U.S. sugar industry. The European Union and the USDA heavily regulate the use of bone char. Only countries that are deemed BSE-free can sell the bones of their cattle for this process. Bone char—often referred to as natural carbon—is widely used by the sugar industry as a decolorizing filter, which allows the sugar cane to achieve its desirable white color. Other types of filters involve granular carbon or an ion-exchange system rather than bone char.

Bone char is also used in other types of sugar. Brown sugar is created by adding molasses to refined sugar, so companies that use bone char in the production of their regular sugar also use it in the production of their brown sugar. Confectioner’s sugar—refined sugar mixed with cornstarch—made by these companies also involves the use of bone char. Fructose may, but does not typically, involve a bone-char filter. Supermarket brands of sugar (e.g., Giant, Townhouse, etc.) obtain their sugar from several different refineries, making it impossible to know whether it has been filtered with bone char.

If you want to avoid all refined sugars, we recommend alternatives such as Sucanat and turbinado sugar, which are not filtered with bone char. Additionally, beet sugar—though normally refined—never involves the use of bone char and Edward & Sons Trading Company has developed a vegan confectioner’s sugar which should be available in health food stores soon.

It would be virtually impossible for PETA to maintain information on the refining process used for the sugar in every product. We encourage you to contact companies directly to ask about the source of their sugar. (BD)

Difference Between Brown Sugar & Sugar in the Raw

Brownsugarexporter.com - When you add sweetness to your morning cup of coffee, most likely you choose white, granulated sugar. You could also use sugar in the raw or brown sugar, both products of sugar cane purification. Sugar in the raw -- raw sugar -- is a light, golden brown crystal that has a mild, caramel taste. Brown sugar is darker in color and stickier in texture, and has a definite caramel taste.

Raw Sugar

When sugar cane arrives from the fields, sugar millers grind and press it to extract the sweet juices. Crystals that form in the liquid are granules called raw sugar. After going through filtration and hot water washes, the sugar contains 96 percent sucrose and 4 percent of plant materials contained in the mother liquid. Vacuum-drying this product leaves a golden brown color and sweet taste but very little nutritional value, except for calories from the carbohydrate content. The raw sugar can either go to the consumer or to the refinery for further processing.

Molasses

After filtering out plant trash and raw sugar crystals, millers slowly evaporate the liquid, resulting in a rich, brown mixture called molasses. Molasses contains 46 percent dissolved sucrose and other sugars; 3 percent protein; small amounts of minerals like calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and sulfur; trace elements such as copper, iron, manganese and zinc; and B-vitamins. Molasses is used for both human and animal consumption. Producers may also mix it with raw sugar to facilitate transport to a refinery, or with white sugar to yield brown sugar.

White Sugar

At the refinery, the raw sugar and molasses mixture undergoes further washing with hot water and separation through centrifugation and filtration. The naturally white crystals that remain are 99.9 percent sucrose. This sugar can go to grinding machines that produce different sizes of granules -- everything from crystals to powders -- for use in household and commercial cooking and flavoring.

Brown Sugar

Mixing white sugar crystals with various amounts of molasses results in a soft, lumpy product called brown sugar. The amount of molasses added depends on the producer, but you could expect light brown sugar to contain 3.5 percent molasses, while dark brown sugar might contain 6.5 percent molasses.Brown sugar imparts the taste of molasses to recipes and adds moisture to make a softer texture.

Considerations

Raw sugar differs very little from white sugar, except that the crystals of raw sugar are larger and have more color. In spite of trace amounts of minerals in molasses, brown sugar contains only slightly more nutritive value than raw sugar because the amounts added back are so small. The calories of raw sugar and brown sugar are the same. Both raw sugar and brown sugar appeal to people and animals because of the sweet taste and burst of caloric energy.(BD)

Sugar Facts and Myths: Why Sugar is Bad for You

Brownsugarexporter.com - No Organic Merchant sells white sugar or any products containing white sugar because it is a foodless food. It is 99.96% sucrose and when taken into the human body in this form is potentially dangerous. It is touted as an energy food, but such sugar myths are propaganda and is misleading for there is ample evidence that white sugar robs the body of B vitamins, disrupts calcium metabolism and has a deleterious effect on the nervous system. This is why processed sugar is bad for you.

The above sugar facts can be concluded by anyone through reading but in addition to the reading, I have taken the trouble to visit sugar refineries in both Hawaii and California. Aside from general curiosity, my reason for these visits was that I had been selling "raw" or brown sugar without understanding what they are. There was no information available which seemed dependable.

Sugar cane is grown with the use of synthetic fertilizers and weed sprays. The fields are burned just previous to harvest. These are destructive agricultural practices; nothing truly good can come from soil so mistreated. I would, therefore, be uninterested in consuming anything derived from commercially grown sugar cane, either brown sugar or molasses.

Sugar refining is largely a mechanical process done in truly huge machines which boil, spin, filter and separate. Aside from water, the materials which enter the processing are lime, phosphoric acid and diatomaceous earth. I don't consider any of these additives significant where white sugar is concerned because one thing is certainly true about white sugar; it is "pure". No chemical residues could possibly remain at the end of the line, so effective is their purification process.

There are three kinds of sugar which are not white: light brown, dark brown and Kleenraw. They are all made the same way—by adding back molasses to refined sugar. For years I have heard several different versions of how these so-called "raw" sugars are made. All of them led me to believe that the so-called "raw" sugar which has traditionally been used in the health food industry is a "partially refined" product removed from the refining process sometimes before the final stage of white sugar. But my investigation have proved this impression erroneous. All forms of non-white sugars are made from a base of white sugar.

The numbers go like this: Partially refined or "raw" sugar is 97% sucrose when it leaves Hawaii and goes through a gigantic California refinery to produce refined sugar, 99.96% sucrose. For Kleenraw they add back 5% molasses, for light brown they add back 12% molasses, for dark brown they add back 13% molasses. A special crystallization process is used for Kleenraw designed especially to create a raw-like illusion.

All sugar companies use similar processes, as it is against the law to sell sugar which has not been refined. Ostensibly, the purpose of this law is to protect us; in reality it means we have no freedom to choose what kind of sugar we would use. Personally, I would like to be able to buy sugar from an organically grown cane in the form of an almost black, syrupy mass of crystals. It is rumored that the law which prevents us from buying such true raw sugar was enacted as a result of powerful lobbying on the behalf of the sugar refining companies.

Organic Merchants do not sell brown or "raw" sugar or any products containing brown sugar either, because the plain fact is that brown sugar is a shuck (for those not familiar with the term, let's call brown sugar phony).

It does not seem to me to be a good judgement to ban white sugar because it is refined to the point of foodlessness containing neither vitamins nor minerals, a definite potential human heath hazard... and then turn around and sell a product which is made from 87% of the very same white sugar. Having done a thorough personal investigation, I can assure you that brown sugar is nothing more than white sugar wearing a mask.

Besides not liking the 87% part of brown sugar—meaning the white sugar—I don't like much the 13% part either—the molasses. For one thing, the ecologically unsound agricultural practices I mentioned previously; for another thing; those mammoth filtration units the molasses comes out of which are filled with charred beef bones. A representative from one of the sugar companies who came to see me to answer some questions from a letter I have written said the burned beef bones were to give the white sugar a more pleasing "aesthetic" effect. He explained that burned beef bones make white sugar whiter. Of course it's purely personal opinion but I say God save us from such "aesthetics".

I have not seen Turbinado or Demarara sugar produced, but my understanding of sugar procesing enables me to make the following wager with complete confidence: I'll bet Turbinado sugar is at least 95% sucrose. I'm so confident that I would not lose those bets that I won't sell Turbinado or Demarara either. That wager makes no pretense of being founded on "scientific" grounds but on first-hand experience of what sugar looks like during the refining procedure.

Not having known the facts, some Organic Merchants have allowed so-called "raw sugar" to have a home in their stores. Probably some products containing it are popular. Our intention is not take the pleasure out of anyone's life, but to play a part in upgrading the quality of American food. If enought of us stop buying junk—even the better junk—the food manufacturers will listen.

So what are you going to use for a sweetener if you never allow sugar to cross your lips? Half the amount of honey should be used in substituting for sugar in recipes. Beyong that, it's all experimental. Try carob molasses, carb syrup, unrefined sugar cane syrup, date sugar. Best experiment of all is to follow the advice of J.I. Rodale: "We receive so many letters from readers asking what kind of sugar to use. So as far as we are concerned, the answer is none... if you would be healthy, omit all sugar and just get accustomed to doing without it." (BD)

What’s the Difference Between Brown Sugars?

Brownsugarexporter.com - What’s the difference between the various types of brown sugar (light, dark, Demerara, turbinado, and muscovado)?

All brown sugars are sugar crystals that contain molasses, a dark syrup that’s a by-product of sugar refining, says Melanie Miller, vice president of public relations for the Sugar Association. The differences between various brown sugars lie, primarily, in how much molasses each contains.

Typically, brown sugar is made from sugarcane, rather than from beets (which are sometimes used to make white sugar). The process works like this: The sweet cane juice is extracted, then boiled until all the water evaporates, leaving molasses-rich crystals behind.

Demerara sugar, popular in Britain, and turbinado sugar—both of which are often referred to as “raw sugar” in the United States—are very similar to one another in color and texture. To make them, the molasses-rich crystals are spun in a centrifuge to dry them, as well as to remove excess plant material, leaving a coarse granule that’s lighter brown or tan in color. Edouard Rollet, cofounder of Alter Eco, a fair-trade food imports company that sells sugars, describes Demerara as having a mild molasses flavor. Turbinado, he says, contains hints of honey. Both Demerara and turbinado are good for sweetening coffee and tea.

Muscovado sugar (a.k.a. Barbados sugar), from Britain, is the darkest of them all and made by allowing the sugar crystals to dry under low heat, sometimes in the sun. (Muscovado doesn’t get spun in a centrifuge.) This leaves more plant material in the sugar, resulting in a very strong molasses taste and a sticky consistency. The flavor is overpowering for use in coffee but is sometimes called for in gingersnap recipes.

Sugars labeled simply “light brown” or “dark brown” are made by adding molasses back into refined (white) sugar. To make white sugar, the raw sugar crystals are dissolved in hot water until they form a syrup, which is then filtered to remove excess plant material from the natural sucrose. The syrup is boiled, evaporated once again to crystals, then spun dry in a centrifuge. Although there are no regulations dictating how much molasses must be added to the refined sugar to make light or dark brown sugar, most producers put about 3 percent molasses in light and 6 percent molasses in dark.

It may seem strange that molasses is removed from sugar only to be put back in, but brown sugar is made this way, says Miller, for consistency. Sugar producers can ensure a uniform product batch after batch, because they’re regulating the exact amount of molasses that goes in. Some in the natural foods industry, like Rollet, argue that the refining process strips the sugar of minerals. But the health benefits of brown sugar over white remain unproven. (BD)

Nigeria, Cuba Collaborate On Brown Sugar Production

Brownsugarexporter.com - The Tide (Nigeria) - Nigeria, Cuba collaborate on brown sugar Production Cuba and Nigeria are entering into a technical partnership for the development of brown sugar production technology.

A statement issued by the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) in Abuja said that Cuba pledged its technical expertise during a visit to the brown sugar pilot plant at Kona-Mada, FCT.

The leader of the Cuban delegation to the plant, Mr Oscar Hector was quoted in the statement as saying that "Cuba has a wealth of experience in sugar production that will benefit Nigeria."

Hector said that officials from the embassy had visited a similar sugar plant in Jigawa and were already working out a strategy on the area of collaboration.

He said that both plants were operating below installed capacity, adding that there was need to improve on the output from the present 60 per cent.

He advanced the use of old sugar canes, the evaporation that occurred during boiling, as well as the use of old boiling pans as reasons for the low sugar yield at the plants.

He said that the envisaged collaboration between both countries would address the issue of obsolete technology currently deployed at the plants.

The statement quoted NOTAP Director General, David Okongwu as saying that the office has concluded arrangements to site the plants in more states of the federation.

Okongwu said that the brown sugar technology initiative had been commercialised by the office to prove its viability, as well as encourage entrepreneurs and communities to invest in the production.

He said that the commercialization of the technology would also spur the production of ethanol, molasses and organic fertiliser. (BD)

Just what is brown sugar?

Is brown sugar made from white sugar, or is white sugar purified brown sugar? Which is more fattening?

Brownsugarexporter.com - To understand this, it’s a good idea to start with the origins of sugar, which comes in many different forms.

Common white table sugar, called sucrose, is made of two simpler sugars, fructose and glucose, joined together. Sucrose, which is naturally white, is usually derived from sugar cane or sugar beets.

The process of extracting the sugar is the same for both: The juice is filtered to remove plant matter and boiled down. What’s left is a thick syrup from which sucrose starts to crystallize. The syrup is spun in a centrifuge to separate out the crystals, which then make up what is called raw sugar. The rest is molasses.

The separation of sugar from juice is never perfect. A first pass yields impure sucrose (natural brown sugar, or raw sugar) and molasses, which is still quite sweet and is called “first molasses.’’

Boiling molasses and crystallizing sucrose out of it again leaves “second molasses’’ and if it is done again, it is called “third molasses,’’ or “blackstrap molasses.’’

If the sugar is not refined further, it will be brown sugar; if it is refined further, the result is a pure form of sucrose, or white sugar.

Also, molasses is sometimes added to refined white sugar to make a brown sugar.

However it is made, brown sugar is essentially incompletely purified sugar colored and flavored by other plant matter, which answers the first question.

As for which is more fattening, it depends to some extent on how its calories are measured.

Brown sugar has a slightly lower calorie content by weight, with typically 373 calories in 100 grams versus 396, since it has more water, which has zero calories, and other nonsugar plant matter in it.

But there are many grades of brown sugar with differing caloric counts and since brown sugar packs more compactly than refined white sugar, it can have more calories by volume. (BD)

Sugar Processing: Milling & Refinin

Brownsugarexporter.com - Queensland's 23 sugar mills are in close proximity to the farms which supply them with cane. The mills operate during the harvesting and crushing season which extends from June to December. Raw sugar produced by these mills is stored at bulk sugar terminals before being sold to Australian and overseas refineries. The exception is the new Tableland mill whose syrup is transported to the company's coastal mills, Babinda, Mourilyan and South Johnstone, where raw sugar is then made.

To avoid deterioration in the sugar content levels, sugar cane is delivered to the mill with minimal delay after harvesting. This has led to the development of an extensive transport system which allows harvested cane to be moved quickly and efficiently to sugar mills by either road or rail. Queensland mills own and operate approximately 4,000 kilometres of narrow gauge railway.

At the mill, the sugar cane is crushed by large rollers. The extracted juice is then clarified to remove soil and impurities. This juice is concentrated into a syrup by boiling off excess water, seeded with raw sugar crystals in a vacuum pan and boiled until sugar crystals have formed and grown. The boiled mixture is centrifuged to separate the molasses from the crystals, which are tumble dried and placed in large storage bins for transport to bulk sugar terminals or refineries.

Recent technological advances in milling procedures and mill equipment have contributed to the efficiency and high quality of Queensland's raw sugar industry.

Most raw sugar requires further processing at refineries in order to meet food manufacturers and consumers needs.

The main products from Australia's refineries are white crystal sugars, brown sugars, liquid sugar, golden syrup and treacle.

At the refinery, the raw sugar crystals are washed and dissolved in hot water to form a syrup. Phosphoric acid and lime are added to the melted sugar to remove any impurities in the clarification process. The syrup is pressure filtered through cloth, passed through decolourising columns containing activated carbon, boiled in a vacuum pan and seeded with fine sugar crystals. When the crystals are large enough, they are discharged from the pan, centrifuged to remove excess liquid and then tumble dried. The dried sugar is then graded into required sizes prior to packaging and supply to customers. (BD)

Raw Sugar vs Refined Sugar

Brownsugarexporter.com - Due to this nation's recent interest in personal health, it's important to understand the difference between brown sugar, refined white sugar, and unrefined (or "raw") sugar.  Many grocery stores these days sell all 3 variations and even though they're different, they are all very similar.

The Process

Raw Sugar

To begin with, it's important to note that "unrefined sugar" is actually a misleading term.  It is still refined, but only to put it in a crystallized form.  The sugar that is extracted from the sugar cain or the sugar beet must still be washed, boiled, filtered, and pressed for it to be crystalline and usable by consumers.  The product is still brown in color.

Refined sugar

This is the most common sugar you will see in stores.  The sugar is still derived from sugar canes or sugar beets, which won't change.  The refined sugar is achieved by removing the sucrose from the plant before it is cleaned and the impurities are removed from the product.  Things like mold, soil, bacteria, stalk fibers, and wax can all be left over until this point.  Carbon dioxide or phosphoric acid and calcium hydroxide are then used to bleach the product and get it to the lusterous white that we are accustomed to.  In order to be considered table sugar, it has to be processed one more time.  It is filtered in a liquid state through "beef bone char".  From beginning to end, the product has changed considerably.  The sugar that was initially brown in color is now white.  Finally, many people refer to refined sugar as "empty calories", as there is absolutely no nutritional value to the product.  None.

Refined Brown Sugar

Our common brown sugar goes through the exact same process as refined sugar, but along the way, molasses is added to give it the brown color and a little additional sweetness.

Conclusion

It would be ridiculous to choose refined sugar over raw sugar given the option.  Raw sugar has a minimal 11 calories per teaspoon and remains the natural vitamins and minerals that are in the sugar cane juice.  Refined sugar lacks out on phosphorous, calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium.  Also, during the process of refining table sugar, there are various chemicals that are used that could potentially be passed to person ingesting the food.

When you are in the store, be sure to check the labels of the sugar you are purchasing.  Although raw sugar and brown sugar both have molasses, the brown sugar was added during the refining process and is not the natural presence.  They are very similar in color, and it can be difficult to tell without looking at the label.

The use of sugar should be done sparingly.  There are too many studies noting that sugar is the cause of Type 2 Diabetes, Obesity, and Tooth Decay.  Be sure to take an investment in your health and to use it sparingly. (BD)

Non-centrifugal brown sugars

Brownsugarexporter.com - In Asia, Africa and South America non-centrifugal sugars are made for direct consumption and are known by a range of names: gur in India and Bangladesh, desi in Pakistan, jaggery in Africa, and panela in South America. These sugars are a concentrated product of the cane juice without separation of the molasses and crystals. It can vary from golden brown to dark brown in colour and contains up to 50% sucrose, up to 20% invert sugars, moisture content of up to 20%, and the remainder made up of other insoluble matter such as ash, proteins and bagasse fines.

In most cases this sugar is produced using open pan boiling techniques, either in a single open pan (see figure 1) or in a series of pans (figure 2) that are located above a furnace.

Fig. 1: Simple juice boiling furnace as used in Bangladesh

Note: Furnace extends about 1m in underground. The soil dug from the hole is used to construct the walls.

The boiling pans can be round or rectangular depending on furnace design and local tradition. In all cases, fuel is provided by dry bagasse from the crushing operation and sometimes additional fuel, such as wood, may be required to complete the boiling.

Before boiling the juice is allowed to settle and some clarification is carried out by adding vegetable matter to coagulate the particulates which come to the surface during boiling and are skimmed off. In some of the larger factories especially in India, the juice is often filtered and chemically clarified before boiling commences.

In Bangladesh it is common for the product, during cooling, to be poured into clay pots which are used to transport it to market. The pots are then broken and the product removed and sold by weight. In India, Pakistan and African the product is usually poured into small rectangular moulds and in South America the product is formed into round cakes approximately 150mm in diameter.

If sodium bicarbonate, diluted in raw juice, is added during cooling the product will become powdery and can be packaged in small bags as a crystal sugar substitute.

Figure 1: Multi-pan shell furnace used for open pan sugar production

Khandsari

A basic raw crystalline sugar, developed in India, that has been separated from most of the molasses. Khandsari, varies in colour from golden yellow to brown and contains between 94 and 98% sucrose.

It is produced by the small to medium scale sector and has a considerable market in India. At its most basic, khandsari is manufactured using simple animal-drawn crushers, is subjected to simple clarification, boiled to the consistency of a thick syrup, and allowed to stand until sugar crystals are formed. The small crystals are then separated in manually operated centrifuges and sun dried.

At the other end of the scale, the production plant can use diesel or electrically driven crushers, crystalliser to ensure even formation of crystals, power-driven centrifuges, and forced-air driers to dry the product. Factories processing between one and two hundred tonnes of cane per day are common yielding between 6.5 and 13 tonnes per day respectively.

Menu of Brown sugar

Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

1 broiler/fryer chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), cut up or about 6 boneless skinless breasts

1 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup vinegar

1/4 cup lemon-lime soda (diet is fine)

2 to 3 tablespoons minced garlic

2 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon pepper

Place chicken in a large plastic bag. Combine remaining ingredients, pour into bag and seal. Shake several times to coat the chicken. Refrigerate 2 to 4 hours. Transfer chicken and marinade to a large skillet, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes or until juices run clear.

Brown Sugar Frosting

12 tablespoons brown sugar

4 tablespoons milk

6 tablespoons butter

1 cup powdered sugar (or a little more depending on the consistency you want)

Place the brown sugar, milk and butter in a saucepan and boil for minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and mix in the powdered sugar. Let cool, then beat until smooth. Makes 1 cup.

Brown Sugar Banana Pound Cake

1 pound brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1 pound butter

5 large eggs

2 bananas, mashed

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the sugars with butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the mashed bananas. Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Mix milk and vanilla together. Add flour and milk mixtures alternately to egg mixture. Stir in the pecans. Pour the batter into a 10-inch well-greased Bundt pan. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until firm. Place upside down on a cake rack; when cool, invert and turn out onto rack. Serves 12.

Brown Sugar Cheesecake with Bourbon Sauce

Crust:

1/3 cup pecans

16 thin chocolate wafer cookies

4 (5-by-2 1/2 -inch) graham crackers

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

6 tablespoons ( 3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

4 large eggs

3 tablespoons bourbon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup packed brown sugar

Topping:

1 (16-ounce) container sour cream

2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a baking pan, toast pecans in one layer in middle of oven until golden, about 10 minutes; cool. In a food processor, finely grind pecans, wafers and graham crackers. Add brown sugar, butter and salt and pulse until combined well. Transfer mixture to a 9 1/2 -inch springform pan and press evenly onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up side.

For filling: In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy and add eggs, one at a time, beating at low speed until just combined. Beat in bourbon, vanilla extract and brown sugar until just combined. Pour filling into crust and put springform pan in a baking pan. Bake cheesecake in middle of oven 35 minutes. Leaving oven on, transfer cake in springform pan to a rack and let stand 5 minutes. (Center of cake will set as it cools.)

For topping: In a bowl, stir together sour cream, brown sugar and vanilla extract. Drop spoonfuls of topping around edge of cake and spread gently over center, smoothing evenly. Bake cake in baking pan in middle of oven 10 minutes and cool completely in springform pan on rack. Chill cake, covered, at least 8 hours and up to four days. Run a thin knife around inside edge of pan and remove side of pan. Transfer cake to a serving plate and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Serve cake with sauce (see below). Serves 12.

Bourbon Butterscotch Sauce:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup bourbon

6 tablespoons ( 3/4 stick) unsalted butter

In a dry 3-quart heavy kettle, cook sugar over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork (to help sugar melt evenly), until melted and pale golden. Cook caramel, without stirring, swirling kettle, until deep golden. Remove kettle from heat and carefully add water and bourbon down side of kettle (mixture will bubble and steam). Simmer mixture, stirring, until caramel is dissolved. Stir in butter until incorporated and cool sauce to warm. Sauce may be made one week ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat sauce to warm before serving. Makes about 1 3/4 cups. (BD)

Sweet on Smoky Brown Sugar

Brownsugarexporter.com - There are those among us sugar junkies who prefer brown sugar to white when it comes to a choice of sweetener.

While I know in my head and heart that there is no real difference in calories or sweetness between the two, brown sugar, with its mellow smoky taste, is truly my favorite.

For the uninformed, brown sugar is just white sugar combined with molasses. Molasses is actually a byproduct of sugar production. Normally, molasses is separated and removed when sugar is created from sugarcane. With brown sugar the molasses is either left in or reintroduced after the white sugar has been created. Light and dark are the two varieties of brown sugar. In general, the lighter the brown sugar, the more delicate its flavor. Dark brown sugar has a more intense molasses flavor.

Most of us are familiar with the slightly moist, clumpy kind of brown sugar that turns into a door stop if left out in the air too long (solutions to this is place a few slices of apples in the bag of brown sugar for one to two days or microwave it for about 20 to 30 seconds). Now a granulated brown sugar and a liquid form are available. Be warned, however, that 1 cup of the granulated brown sugar weighs about 5 ounces as opposed to a cup of packed regular brown sugar which weighs about 7 ounces. Make sure you weigh your granulated brown sugar (as opposed to just using a measuring cup) and your recipe should turn out just fine. (BD)

Medium-scale brown sugar production

Brownsugarexporter.com - Medium-scale sugar processing can use either relatively low-cost labour intensive open pan sulphitation (OP S) technology or modern vacuum pan (VP) technology. Although OPS is a low-cost technology compared to VP technology it still requires substantial capital investment in plant and equipment (for further details see IT Technical Brief - OPS sugar processing). The following brown sugars are normally produced using modern VP plants but could be produced using OPS technology.

Demerara sugar

Named after the area in Guyana where it was first produced, demerara is a centrifuged sugar prepared from the first crystallisation of cane syrup and has large yellow crystals and a slightly sticky texture. Production of this sugar is not suitable for the small sector as the juice needs to be carefully clarified to ensure purity and crystalliser are required to ensure uniform grain size.

Muscovado

Also known as Barbados sugar, muscovado is the product of the third crystallisation. It is dark brown in colour with small grains and sticky texture.

A by-product of both the OPS and VP scale of production, it tends to be produced as an alternative to white sugar if the standard is not very high.

Small Scale Brown Sugar Production

Brownsugarexporter.com - The following sugars can be produced using relatively simple low-cost technologies that are currently in use in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, East Africa and South America. In all cases these sugars can also be produced in medium and large factories.

Scale	Cane processed/day	Type of enterprise
Small	up to 50 tonnes	Cottage and small village industry using traditional technology
Medium	50 to 500 tonnes	Small to medium enterprise using modified traditional, OPS or small-scale VP technology
Large	500 tonnes upwards	Larage industry using modern VP technology

Table 1: Scale of production

Syrups

A syrup is a liquid sugar made using relatively simple production processes. The cane is crushed using roller type crushers extracting the juice and discharging the waste bagasse. The juice is collected in containers and allowed to stand for a few hours before use, to allow particles and fines to precipitate out. The juice is then poured into the boiling pan through a coarse cotton cloth to filter out remaining particles.

If possible the juice should be allowed to stand in tanks for 24 hours to settle out bagasse and other solids that may have contaminated the juice. Tanks should be fitted with a mesh lid, through which the juice is poured, which acts as a filter.

The boiling pan is located on top of a furnace that uses sun-dried bagasse, from the crushing operation, as fuel. Further clarification can be undertaken by adding a small amount of vegetable or chemical matter that coagulates during heating, trapping particles and contaminants and bringing them to the surface during boiling. This 'scum' can then be skimmed off and discarded.

The juice is boiled until the required concentration is reached, around 105°C when most of the moisture has been boiled off and crystallisation begins. The viscous juice (massecuite) is then removed, a step known as the 'strike', and allowed to cool before bottling.

Care is needed during boiling as over-boiling will cause crystallisation and under-boiling will result in too much water remaining in the syrup which could lead to contamination or rapid deterioration of the product.