Do you know how sugar is made?

Sugar is not a food product, but a chemical in pure formadded to food to improve flavor. This substance can be obtained in different ways: from oil, gas, wood, etc. But the most cost-effective way to obtain sugar is the processing of beets and special kind cane, which was named so - sugar cane.

Do you know how sugar is actually made?

To get white and clean refined sugar, it must be passed through a filter made of cow bones.
Beef bone charcoal is used for the production of refined sugar!

The bone charcoal filter acts as a coarse filter and is very often used in the first stage of the sugar refining process. In addition, this filter removes colorants; the most commonly used coloring agents are amino acids, organic acids, phenols (carbolic acids) and ash.

The only bone used in the bone filter is beef bones. Bone charcoal filters are the most efficient and economical bleaching filters, therefore, in the manufacturing industry cane sugar these are the most commonly used filters.
Companies are using up their stocks of bone coal quite quickly.
Sugar does not supply energy to the body. The fact is that the "burning" of sugar in the body is a very complex process, in which, in addition to sugar and oxygen, dozens of other substances are involved: vitamins, minerals, enzymes, etc. (it is still impossible to conclusively state that all these substances are known to science ). Without these substances, energy cannot be obtained from sugar in the body.
If we consume sugar in its pure form, then our body takes the missing substances from its organs (from teeth, from bones, from nerves, from skin, liver, etc.). It is clear that these organs begin to lack the indicated nutrients (fasting) and after a while begin to malfunction.

In the production of sugar using conventional technology, disinfectants are used: formalin, bleach, amine poisons (vazin, ambisol, as well as combinations of the above substances), hydrogen peroxide and others.

"IN traditional technology juice is obtained by languishing for an hour and a half, and so that during this time the fungal mass does not grow, which can then clog the centrifuges, the chopped beets are flavored with formalin at this stage.
... The sugar product in Russia is colored, lives its own life, cannot be stored without preservatives. In Europe, it is not even considered a food product, because in our sugar factories, in addition to color, they also leave technogenic impurities, including formalin. Hence the dysbiosis and other consequences. But there is no other sugar in Russia, so they are silent about it. And we can see formalin residues in Russian sugar on a Japanese spectrograph. ”

In the production of sugar, other chemicals are also used: milk of lime, sulfur dioxide, etc. In the final bleaching of sugar (to remove impurities that give it yellow, specific taste and smell), chemistry is also used, for example, ion exchange resins.

Now about the effect of sugar on our body.

The harm of sugar has long been clearly proven. It is known that refined white sugar is an energy dummy, devoid of proteins, fats and nutrients and trace elements, and even with an admixture of residual "chemistry".

59 REASONS WHICH SUGAR IS HARMFUL FOR HEALTH

1. It helps to reduce immunity.
2. May cause disturbances in mineral metabolism.
3. CAPABLE OF LEADING TO IRRITANCY, EXCITATION, VIOLATION OF ATTENTION, CHILD CAPRICE.
4. Causes a significant increase in triglyceride levels.
5. Helps reduce resistance to bacterial infections.
6. May cause kidney damage.
7. Reduces the level of high density lipoproteins.
8. Leads to a deficiency of the trace element chromium.
9. Promotes the occurrence of breast, ovarian, intestinal, prostate, rectal cancer.
10. Increases glucose and insulin levels.
11. Causes a deficiency of the trace element copper.
12. Violates the absorption of calcium and magnesium.
13. DECREASES VISION.
14. Increases the concentration of the neurotransmitter serotonin.
15. May cause hypoglycemia (drop in glucose levels).
16. Promotes an increase in the acidity of the digested food.
17. May increase adrenaline levels in children.
18. In patients with disorders of the digestive tract, leads to impaired absorption of nutrients.
19. Accelerates the onset of age-related changes.
20. Promotes the development of alcoholism.
21. Causes caries.
22. Promotes obesity.
23. Increases the risk of developing ulcerative colitis.
24. Leads to exacerbation of gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer.
25. May lead to the development of arthritis.
26. Provokes attacks of bronchial asthma.
27. Promotes the occurrence of fungal diseases (pathogens - Candida albicans).
28. Able to cause the formation of stones in the gallbladder.
29. Increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease.
30. May cause acute appendicitis.
31. May cause multiple sclerosis.
32. Promotes the appearance of hemorrhoids.
33. Increases the probability varicose veins.
34. May lead to elevated glucose and insulin levels in women who use hormonal birth control pills.
35. Promotes the onset of periodontal disease.
36. Increases the risk of developing osteoporosis.
37. Increases the acidity of saliva.
38. May impair insulin sensitivity.
39. Leads to decreased glucose tolerance.
40. May reduce the production of growth hormone.
41. Able to increase cholesterol levels.
42. Promotes an increase in systolic blood pressure.
43. Causes drowsiness in children.
44. Promotes headaches.
45. Disrupts protein absorption.
46. Causes food allergies.
47. Promotes the development of diabetes.
48. May cause toxicosis in pregnant women.
49. Promotes eczema in children. 50. Predisposes to the development of cardiovascular diseases.
51. May disrupt the structure of DNA.
52, May disrupt the structure of proteins.
53. By changing the structure of collagen, it promotes the early appearance of wrinkles.
54. Predisposes to the development of cataracts.
55. Contributes to the occurrence of pulmonary emphysema.
56. Provokes the development of atherosclerosis.
57. Promotes an increase in the content of low density lipoproteins.
58. Leads to the appearance of free radicals in the bloodstream.
59. Reduces the functional activity of enzymes.

But look at how much sugar is contained in some of the foods familiar to many:

Can you eat 16 cubes of refined sugar in one go? And drink half a liter of Coca-Cola? This is the amount of dissolved sugar equivalent in 500 milliliters of this drink.

Look at the photos. This is exactly how much sugar in cubes is contained in the form of sugar substitutes in drinks and sweets we are used to. Now you understand what is the DANGER OF SUGAR, especially when dissolved. Its harm is not immediately visible, just as dissolved sugar is not visible.

Its homeland is India, where sweet grains were obtained from the juice of some varieties of cane, which was later called sugar.

Indian sugar was well known in ancient Rome. The sweet delicacy was brought to the Eternal City through the territory of Egypt, which is quite for a long time was part of the empire. Towards the end of Rome, sugarcane began to be cultivated in Sicily and in some regions of southern Spain, but after the collapse of the empire, sugarcane cultivation did not receive further development.

Sugar was first brought to Russia in about the 11th - 12th century. At that time, it cost absolutely incredible money and only the prince and his entourage could try it. However, over time, the overseas sweetness somewhat fell in price, and under Peter the Great a "sugar chamber" appeared in Russia: they organized the import of raw materials from abroad and the production of sugar on the spot.

In 1809, a new stage began in the fate of sugar in Russia - work began on establishing the production of sugar from domestic raw materials. Sugar beet was used in this capacity.

Raw sugar

The most ancient source of sugar is sugar cane. For the first time, it began to be deliberately cultivated in the Persian Gulf region, from where it gradually spread, first to Europe, and then to America.

By the time sugar cane came to the American continent, sugar was already being consumed in Europe very actively and therefore its mass cultivation began, especially since the climate for this was very favorable. Attempts to cultivate cane in Europe gradually came to naught: American sugar was, oddly enough, much cheaper.

It was only under Napoleon that they thought about getting sugar from the long-familiar and familiar beets. When almost all of continental Europe, except for Great Britain, was under his control, Napoleon decided to arrange a trade blockade for the British. But I did not take into account (or, on the contrary, understood perfectly well) that almost all the sugar that got to Europe was brought by the merchant ships of the British fleet.

In order not to be completely sugar-free, I had to look for its alternative sources. It turned out that beets are the best fit, and they didn't even have to invent anything. Old developments came in handy.

The history of these developments is as follows. In 1747, Andreas Marggraf discovered that sugar, which was previously obtained from sugarcane, is also found in beets. After a series of experiments, the scientist was able to determine that the sugar content in fodder beets is 1.3%. The breeders decided to increase this percentage and started breeding a special, sugar beet. By now, they have succeeded in this so much that modern beet varieties already contain more than 20% of the required sugar.

Until 1801, all these discoveries were not in demand, and then one of Marggraf's students, whose name was Franz Karl Ahard, devoted his life to the problem of obtaining beet sugar... It was he who, in the distant 1801, equipped in Lower Silesia the first factory in Europe for the processing of beets into sugar. In general, in 1807, when Napoleon arranged a trade blockade, Europe was not left without sugar.

Raw material processing and sugar production

To get sugar from cane, do the following:

• The stems are cut before they bloom. They contain up to 8-12% fiber, 18-21% sugar and 67-73% water (salts and proteins).
• Then the cut stems are crushed with iron shafts and the juice is squeezed out of them. The juice contains up to 18.36% sugar, 81% water and very little a large number of aromatic substances that give the raw juice a peculiar smell.
• Fresh lime is added to the raw juice. This is done to separate proteins. The resulting mixture is heated to 70 ° C, then filtered and evaporated until the sugar crystallizes.

It takes a lot more time and effort to get sugar from beets. Today the technology is as follows:

• The beets harvested in the fields are accumulated on special sites - storage facilities, where they are kept quite long time - up to three months.
• After storage, root crops are washed and processed into shavings.
• Then, diffusion juice is obtained from the beet chips using hot water (+ 75 ° C).
• The juice goes through several stages of purification. Calcium hydroxide and carbon dioxide are used for it.
• The purified juice is boiled down to a syrup with a dry matter concentration of 55-65%, then it is decolorized with sulfur oxide and filtered.
• From the syrup in a vacuum apparatus of the 1st stage, massecuite of the 1st crystallization (7.5% of water) is obtained, which is centrifuged, removing the "white" molasses. The crystals remaining on the centrifuge sieves are washed, dried, and packaged.
• "White" molasses is again thickened in vacuum apparatus of the 2nd stage and divided into "green" molasses and "yellow" sugar of the 2nd product, which, after being dissolved in clean water, add to the syrup entering the 1st stage vacuum apparatus.
• For additional sugar extraction, a 3-stage boil and desugar is sometimes used.
• The molasses obtained at the last stage of crystallization is molasses - a waste of sugar production, which contains 40-50% sucrose and is 4-5% by weight of the processed beet mass.

Today, Ukraine is the leader in sugar beet growing, followed by Russia and Belarus. Then - the countries of the European Union and regions of North and Central America with a temperate climate.

Types of sugar

The types of sugar are distinguished by the plant from which it is obtained. In addition to reed and beet sugar there are three more types:

• Maple. It has been obtained in the eastern provinces of Canada since the 17th century from the juice of sugar maple. The volume of production is impressive: every year up to 3-6 pounds of sugar is "strained" from each tree.
• Palm. This type of sugar is very common in South and Southeast Asia, the Moluccas and many islands of the Indian Ocean. Here he is often called jagre, but obtained from the sweet juice from cuts on young flower cobs different types palm trees, including coconut and date.
• Sorghum. It is obtained from the stalks of sugar sorghum. Moreover, the technology was first developed in China in ancient times.

By the way. Refined sugar (the one in the form of cubes) was invented in 1843 in the Czech Republic. This brilliant idea came to the mind of the Swiss Jacob Christoph Rad, who worked as a manager at a sugar factory in Dačice. Today, in the place where this plant was located, there is a monument - a snow-white cube, symbolizing refined sugar.

• Great Soviet Encyclopedia
• Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron
• Free electronic encyclopedia Wikipedia, section "Sugarcane".
• Free electronic encyclopedia Wikipedia, section "Sugar beet".
• Shorin P.M. Technology of cultivation and use of sugar sorghum.

Nowadays, there are two types of raw materials from which sugar is produced - these are sugar beets and sugar cane. Beets are the most convenient and common raw material for sugar making. Because it quickly deteriorates, sugar factories are located near the fields.

Cane sugar is produced in tropical areas. This division is due to climatic and territorial factors. From the article you can learn more about this substance and its features.

What is white sugar made of?

Of all the types of sugar, the most famous and widely used is white or refined sugar, which is made from beets, or rather from its rhizome, because it contains a large amount of sucrose. The emergence of sugar refining in Europe occurred at the beginning of the 19th century, when the British, in a war with the French, completely cut off the supply of sugar, which was then made from cane. It was accessible only to wealthy people.

Then in France they promised to give a prize to anyone who finds another way to get sugar, that is, from beets. In Russia, the first sugar factory was built in 1802 in the Tula province. By the end of the 19th century, Russia not only produced sugar for itself, but also exported it.

What is brown sugar made from?

It is not the first year on store shelves that we see brown sugar... The price of such a product differs markedly from white sugar. Then what is brown sugar made of? And this sugar is produced from sugar cane, which grows in India. To Europe cane sugar was first brought from the Demerara region of British Guiana in the mid-16th century and quickly became a symbol of wealth and luxury.

What is sugar made of

Cane sugar is really healthier than white sugar because of molasses, which contains potassium, calcium, sodium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, organic acids and biologically active substances. It contains more vitamin B. However, the calorie content brown sugar coincides with the calorie content of white - 377 kcal.

In addition, brown sugar tastes like caramel, and its color depends on the presence of molasses in it. If there is a lot of molasses, the sugar will be dark brown and more aromatic. It is brown sugar that Europeans prefer to add to tea or coffee. Brown sugar is popular in sweets and cocktails.

SUGAR
from a chemical point of view, any substance from the broad group of water-soluble carbohydrates, usually with a low molecular weight and a more or less pronounced sweet taste. These are mainly monosaccharides ( simple sugars) and disaccharides, the molecule of which consists of two monosaccharide residues. The former include glucose (sometimes called dextrose or grape sugar) and fructose (fruit sugar, levulose); to the second - lactose ( milk sugar), maltose (malt sugar) and sucrose (cane or beet sugar). In everyday life, however, it is customary to call sugar only the usual food sweetener - sucrose; it is she who will be considered in this article. Sugar (sucrose) is a sweet crystalline substance derived mainly from the juice of sugar cane or sugar beet. In its pure (refined) form, sugar is white, and its crystals are colorless. The brownish color of many of its varieties is explained by the admixture of various amounts of molasses - condensed plant sap that envelops crystals. Sugar is a high-calorie food; his energy value - OK. 400 kcal per 100 g. It is easily digested and easily absorbed by the body, i.e. it is a fairly concentrated and quickly mobilized source of energy.
Application. Sugar is an important ingredient different dishes, drinks, bakery and confectionery... It is added to tea, coffee, cocoa; is he main component sweets, glazes, creams and ice cream. Sugar is used in meat canning, leather dressing and in the tobacco industry. It serves as a preservative in jams, jellies and other fruit products. Sugar is also important for the chemical industry. Thousands of derivatives are obtained from it, used in the most different areas, including the production of plastics, pharmaceuticals, effervescent drinks and frozen foods.
Sources. In nature, several hundred are known various sugars... Each green plant forms certain substances belonging to this group. In the process of photosynthesis from carbon dioxide of the atmosphere and water obtained mainly from the soil, glucose is first formed under the influence of solar energy, and then it is converted into other sugars. In addition to cane and beet sugar, some other products are used as sweeteners in different parts of the world, such as corn syrup, maple syrup, honey, sorghum, palm and malt sugar. Corn syrup is a very viscous, almost colorless liquid obtained directly from cornstarch. Aztecs who used this sweet syrup, made it from corn in approximately the same way as sugar is produced from cane in our time. Molasses is significantly inferior to refined sugar in sweetness, but it makes it possible to regulate the crystallization process in the manufacture of sweets and is much cheaper than sugar, therefore it is widely used in confectionery. Honey, which is high in fructose and glucose, is more expensive than sugar and is added to some foods only when you want them to taste better. The same is the case with maple syrup, which is prized primarily for its specific flavor. Sugar syrup is obtained from the stalks of grain sorghum, which has been used in China since ancient times. Sugar from it, however, has never been refined so well that it could compete successfully with beet or cane sugar. India is practically the only country where palm sugar is obtained on a commercial scale, but this country produces much more cane sugar. In Japan, malt sugar made from starchy rice or millet has been used as a sweet additive for over 2000 years. This substance (maltose) can also be obtained from ordinary starch using yeast. It is much inferior to sucrose in sweetness, but it is used in the manufacture bakery products and various types baby food... Prehistoric man satisfied his need for sugar with honey and fruits. Some flowers, the nectar of which contains a small amount of sucrose, probably served the same purpose. In India, more than 4000 years ago, a kind of raw sugar was mined from the flowers of the Madhuca tree. The Africans in the Cape Colony used the species Melianthus major for this, and the Boers in South Africa used Protea cynaroides. In the Bible honey is mentioned quite often, and "sweet cane" only twice, from which we can conclude that honey was the main sweetener in biblical times; this, by the way, is confirmed by historical evidence, according to which sugarcane began to be grown in the Middle East in the first centuries of our era. For a not too sophisticated taste, refined cane and beet sugar are practically indistinguishable. Another thing is raw sugar, an intermediate product of production, containing an admixture of vegetable juice. Here the difference is very noticeable: raw cane sugar is quite suitable for consumption (if, of course, it is obtained in adequate sanitary conditions), while beet sugar tastes unpleasant. Differs in taste and molasses ( fodder molasses) is an important by-product of sugar production: cane is readily eaten in England, and beet is not suitable for food.
Production. If the refining of beet sugar is carried out directly in beet sugar factories, then the refining of cane sugar, in which only 96-97% of sucrose, requires special refineries, where impurities are separated from the crystals of raw sugar: ash, water and components, united by the general concept of "non-sugar ". The latter include scraps of plant fibers, wax covering the cane stalk, protein, small amounts of cellulose, salts and fats. It is only thanks to the huge scale of production of refined cane and beet sugar that this product is so cheap today.
Consumption. Judging by the statistics, consumption of refined sugar in the country is directly proportional to per capita income. The leaders here include, for example, Australia, Ireland and Denmark, where more than 45 kg of refined sugar per person per year, while in China - only 6.1 kg. In many tropical countries where sugarcane is grown, this figure is significantly lower than in the United States (41.3 kg), but people there have the opportunity to consume sucrose not in pure form, but in another form, usually in fruits and sugary drinks.
CANE SUGAR
Plant. Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum), a perennial very tall herbaceous species of the cereal family, is cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions for the sucrose it contains, as well as some sugar by-products. The plant resembles a bamboo: its cylindrical stems, often reaching a height of 6-7.3 m with a thickness of 1.5-8 cm, grow in bunches. Sugar is obtained from their juice. In the nodes of the stems, there are buds, or "eyes", which develop into short lateral shoots. Cuttings used for propagation of reeds are obtained from them. Seeds are formed in the apical panicle inflorescences. They are used to develop new varieties and only in exceptional cases as a seed. The plant requires a lot of sun, heat and water, as well as fertile soil. That is why sugarcane is cultivated only in areas with hot and humid climates. Under favorable conditions, it grows very quickly, its plantations before harvesting are like impenetrable jungle. In Louisiana (USA), sugar cane ripens in 6-7 months, in Cuba it takes a year for it, and in Hawaii - 1.5-2 years. To ensure the maximum sucrose content in the stems (10-17% of the mass), the crop is harvested as soon as the plant stops growing in height. If harvesting is carried out by hand (using long machete knives), the shoots are cut off at the very ground, after which the leaves are removed and the stems are cut into short pieces that are convenient for processing. Manual cleaning is used where labor is cheap or where the site does not allow for efficient use of the machines. On large plantations, the technique is usually used, pre-burning the lower layer of vegetation. The fire destroys the bulk of the weeds without damaging the sugar cane, and the mechanization of the process significantly reduces the cost of production.

Story. Two regions dispute the right to be considered the homeland of sugarcane - the fertile valleys in the northeast of India and the Polynesian islands in the South Pacific. However, botanical research, ancient literary sources and etymological data speak in favor of India. Many of the woody, wild varieties of sugarcane found there do not differ in their main characteristics from modern cultivated forms. Sugarcane is mentioned in the Laws of Manu and other sacred books of the Hindus. The word "sugar" itself comes from the Sanskrit sarkara (gravel, sand or sugar); centuries later, this term entered the Arabic language as sukkar, in medieval Latin as succarum. From India, the sugarcane culture between 1800 and 1700 BC penetrated into China. This is evidenced by several Chinese sources, reporting that people who lived in the Ganges valley taught the Chinese people to obtain sugar by digesting its stalks. From China, ancient sailors probably brought it to the Philippines, Java, and even Hawaii. When Spanish sailors appeared in the Pacific many centuries later, the feral sugarcane was already growing on many Pacific islands. Apparently, the first mention of sugar in ancient times dates back to the time of Alexander the Great's campaign in India. In 327 BC. one of his generals, Nearchus, reported: "They say that a reed grows in India, which gives honey without the help of bees; as if it could also be used to make an intoxicating drink, although this plant has no fruit." Five hundred years later, Galen, the chief medical authority Of the ancient world, recommended "sakcharon from India and Arabia" as a remedy for diseases of the stomach, intestines and kidneys. The Persians, too, although much later, adopted from the Hindus the habit of consuming sugar and at the same time did a lot to improve the methods of its purification. Already in the 700s, Nestorian monks in the Euphrates Valley were successfully making white sugarusing ash to clean it. The Arabs, who spread from the 7th to the 9th centuries. their possessions in the Middle East, North Africa and Spain, brought sugarcane culture to the Mediterranean. A few centuries later, the crusaders who returned from the Holy Land introduced the whole of Western Europe to sugar. As a result of the collision of these two great expansions, Venice, which found itself at the crossroads of trade routes between the Muslim and Christian worlds, eventually became the center of the European sugar trade and remained so for over 500 years. At the beginning of the 15th century. Portuguese and Spanish sailors spread the sugarcane culture to the islands of the Atlantic Ocean. His plantations first appeared in Madeira, Azores and the Cape Verde Islands. In 1506, Pedro de Atienza ordered the planting of sugar cane in Santo Domingo (Haiti) - thus this crop penetrated New World... In just some 30 years after its appearance in the Caribbean, it has spread there so widely that it has become one of the main in the West Indies, which is now called the "sugar islands". The role of sugar produced here grew rapidly with the increasing demand for it in the Nordic countries, especially after the Turks conquered Constantinople in 1453 and the importance of the Eastern Mediterranean as a sugar supplier fell. With the spread of sugar cane in the West Indies and the penetration of its culture into South America, more and more workers were required to grow and process it. The natives who survived the invasion of the first conquerors turned out to be of little use for exploitation, and the planters found a way out in the import of slaves from Africa. In the end, sugar production became inextricably linked to the slave system and the bloody riots that it engendered that rocked the islands of the West Indies in the 18th and 19th centuries. In the beginning, sugarcane presses were driven by oxen or horses. Later, in places blown by trade winds, they were replaced by more efficient wind turbines. However, production as a whole was still rather primitive. After pressing the raw cane, the juice obtained was purified using lime, clay or ash, and then evaporated in copper or iron vats, under which a fire was made. Refining was reduced to dissolving crystals, boiling the mixture, and subsequent recrystallization. Even in our time, the remains of stone millstones and abandoned copper vats remind in the West Indies of the past owners of the islands, who made their fortunes in this lucrative industry. By the middle of the 17th century. the main sugar producers in the world are Santo Domingo and Brazil. On the territory of the modern United States, sugarcane first appeared in 1791 in Louisiana, where it was brought by the Jesuits from Santo Domingo. True, it was grown here in the beginning mainly in order to chew on sweet stems. However, forty years later, two enterprising colonists, Antonio Mendes and Etienne de Bore, established his plantations on the site of what is now New Orleans, with the goal of producing refined sugar for sale. After de Boret's success in this business, other landowners followed suit, and sugarcane began to be cultivated throughout Louisiana. In the future, the main events in the history of cane sugar are reduced to important improvements in the technology of its cultivation, mechanical processing and final purification of the product.
Recycling. The cane is first crushed to facilitate further squeezing the juice out of it. Then it goes to a three-roll squeeze press. Usually the cane is wrung out twice, wetting it with water between the first and second times to dilute the sweet liquid contained in the pulp (this process is called maceration). The resulting so-called. "diffusion juice" (usually gray or dark green) contains sucrose, glucose, gum, pectin substances , acids and all sorts of pollution. The methods of cleaning it have changed little over the centuries. Previously, the juice was heated in large vats over an open fire, and ash was added to remove the "non-sugar"; nowadays, milk of lime is used to precipitate impurities. Where sugar is produced on a local basis, the juice is treated with sulfur dioxide (sulphurous gas) just before the lime is added to speed up bleaching and cleaning. The sugar turns out to be yellowish, i.e. not completely cleaned, but pleasant enough to taste. In both cases, after adding lime, the juice is poured into a clarifier and kept there at 110-116 ° C under pressure. The next important step in the production of raw sugar is evaporation. The juice is piped to the evaporators, where it is heated by steam flowing through a closed tube system. When the concentration of dry matter reaches 40-50%, evaporation is continued in vacuum apparatus. The result is a mass of sugar crystals suspended in thick molasses, the so-called. massecuite. The massecuite is centrifuged, removing the molasses through the mesh walls of the centrifuge, in which only sucrose crystals remain. The purity of this raw sugar is 96-97%. The removed molasses (massecuite outflow) is boiled again, crystallized and centrifuged. The resulting second portion of raw sugar is somewhat less pure. Then another crystallization is carried out. The remaining effluent often still contains up to 50% sucrose, but it is no longer able to crystallize due to the large amount of impurities. This product ("black molasses") is used in the USA mainly for livestock feed. In some countries, for example in India, where the soil is in dire need of fertilizers, the flow of massecuite is simply plowed into the ground. Refining it briefly comes down to the following. First, raw sugar is mixed with sugar syrup to dissolve the remaining molasses that envelop the crystals. The resulting mixture (affinity massecuite) is centrifuged. The centrifuged crystals are washed with steam to give an almost white product. It is dissolved, turning into a thick syrup, lime and phosphoric acid are added there so that impurities float in the form of flakes, and then filtered through bone char (black granular material obtained from animal bones). The main task at this stage is complete discoloration and ash removal of the product. Refining 45 kg of dissolved raw sugar requires 4.5 to 27 kg of bone coal. The exact relationship is not established because the absorption capacity of the filter decreases with use. The resulting white mass is evaporated and, after crystallization, centrifuged, i.e. they treat it in about the same way as with sugarcane juice, after which the refined sugar is dried, removing the residues (about 1%) of water from it.
Production. Major manufacturers include Brazil, India, Cuba, as well as China, Mexico, Pakistan, USA, Thailand, Australia and the Philippines.
BEET SUGAR
Plant. Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) uses a long silvery-white root (from which sugar is obtained) and a rosette of leaves (tops), which serve as excellent feed for livestock. The root in its thickest part reaches 10-15 cm in diameter, and its thin shoots penetrate into the soil to a depth of 90-120 cm. Average mass root approx. 1 kg; up to 15% is sucrose in it, which corresponds to about 14 teaspoons of granulated sugar. Sugar beet is grown mainly in the temperate zone, and since each plant consumes on average approx. 55 liters of water, the culture requires abundant watering. By the time of harvest, the water content in the roots can reach 75-80%, and in the tops - 90%. By the efficiency of photosynthesis, i.e. converting solar energy and inorganic substances into nutrient organic substances, sugar beet is one of the first among plants. Her homeland is exactly unknown. Scientists believe that in prehistoric times it was a wild annual in Southern Europe and North Africa. Later, in areas with a cooler climate, sugar beets became biennials, storing sugar in the root in the first year, and producing seeds in the second. Now it is harvested at the end of the first growing season, when the mass of roots and their sugar content are maximum.
Story. According to reports from Spanish explorers, Indians in the Santa Clara River Valley in what is now California made some kind of sweets from the juice of wild-growing sugar beets. In Europe, they knew already in the 16th century that beets contain sugar, but only in 1747 the German chemist A. Marggraf obtained crystalline sucrose from it. The most important event in the history of beet sugar took place in 1799, when F. Ahard's laboratory experiments confirmed that the production of this product was justified from an economic point of view. As a result, already in 1802 beet sugar factories appeared in Silesia (Germany). At the beginning of the 19th century. during the Napoleonic wars, the British fleet blocked the coast of France, and the import of sugar there from the West Indies was temporarily stopped. This forced Napoleon to turn to the German model and build a number of experimental sugar beet factories. In 1811, business was already well established: the crops of sugar beet occupied over 32 thousand hectares, and refineries were operating throughout the country. After Napoleon's defeat, the European market was literally flooded with Caribbean sugar, and the newly emerged sugar beet industry began to wither. Interest in it, however, increased again during the reign of Louis Philippe and Napoleon III, and since then it has been one of the important sectors of the French economy. In America, people started talking about beet sugar in the 1830s. The association, which originated in Philadelphia, has delegated its representatives to Europe to study its production. From 1838 to 1879, about 14 unsuccessful attempts were made in the United States to establish the production of beet sugar. A real disaster befell the Mormons in the 1850s, when they bought $ 12,500 worth of equipment from France, delivered it by sea to New Orleans, then up the Mississippi to Kansas, and finally from there on oxen to Utah, but it was never launched. failed. Success was achieved by E. Dyer, who applied new production methods in California. Thanks to him, America's own sugar beet production was established. Since then it has developed continuously, and now the share of beet sugar is approx. 25% of all refined sugar produced in the United States.
Recycling. Sugar beet - bulky and perishable producttherefore, processing plants are usually built close to plantations. To obtain 45 kg of sugar from about 290 kg of beets, approx. 27 kg of coal and 16 kg of lime and coke. The process consists of the stages already described: extraction, purification, evaporation and crystallization. First, the beets are washed, and then cut into shavings, which are loaded into a diffuser, where sugar is extracted from plant matter hot water. The result is a "diffusion juice" containing from 10 to 15% sucrose. The remaining beet pulp is an excellent livestock feed. Diffusion juice is mixed with lime milk in a saturator. Heavy impurities settle here. Then carbon dioxide is passed through the heated solution to bind the non-sugar lime. After filtering them out, get the so-called. "clarified juice". Bleaching involves passing a sulfur dioxide gas through it and then filtering it through activated carbon... Excess water is removed by evaporation. The resulting liquid contains between 50 and 65% sugar. Crystallization is carried out in huge vacuum containers sometimes as high as a two-story house. Its product - massecuite - is a mixture of molasses with crystals of sucrose. These components are separated by centrifugation, and the resulting solid sugar is dried. Unlike cane, it does not require further refining and is suitable for consumption. The second, and then the third batch of less pure crystals is obtained from molasses (the first overflow) by evaporation. They are dissolved and refined.
Production. The main producers are Russia, Germany, USA, France, Poland, China, Turkey and Italy. In Europe, almost all sugar is obtained from sugar beets. In the United States, the sugar beet harvest in 1991 was 24,982,000 tons; it is grown mainly in Minnesota, California, Idaho and North Dakota.
MAPLE SUGAR AND SYRUP
Maple syrup is brown in color, very sweet and has a strong distinctive flavor arising from the reactions occurring during the manufacturing process. Maple sugar and syrup are produced almost exclusively in the northeastern United States, mainly in the states of Vermont and New York. Both sugar and syrup are obtained mainly from the sap of the black, red, silver and sugar maples growing in these areas. By itself, it does not have a special taste, but contains an average of 3% sucrose. One tree produces 38 to 95 liters of sap per year, from which 35 times less syrup is obtained. American Indians added it instead of salt to cereals, soups, and even meat dishes... They also taught the collection and processing of maple sap of European settlers who tried to plant birch and gray walnut for the same purpose. The first written mention of this product dates back to 1760; from it it follows that maples grow in Canada, "giving a large amount of useful refreshing juice", suitable for the manufacture of special sugar. The Winnebug and Chippev tribes supplied large quantities of it to the Northwest Fur Company. Most maple sugar and syrup were produced between 1850 and 1890. In the future, the role of these products fell, mainly because cane sugar is much cheaper. Nowadays, maple syrup is appreciated only for its special aroma and is used mainly with waffles and pancakes. Tapping is usually carried out from the end of February to the end of April; during this period, cold dry nights and sunny days promote sap flow. A hole with a diameter of 1.5 cm is drilled into the tree trunk to a depth of 5 cm and a wooden or metal groove is inserted into it, through which the juice flows into a trough. Since it can ferment quickly, the portions collected during the day are immediately sent for evaporation. In general, processing is proceeding according to the same scheme as in the case of sugar cane, although the technology is somewhat simpler here.

Collier's Encyclopedia. - Open Society. 2000 .

What is sugar? Sugar in everyday life is usually called sucrose. Sugar sweet taste, consists of a carbohydrate of fructose and glucose. Sugar is made massively from sugar beets and less often from sugar cane. In addition to the main types of sugar, there are other types, varieties, types.

Common sugar (granulated sugar and refined sugar) is pure sucrose. Sugar is divided into disaccharides and monosaccharides. Monosaccharides include: glucose - grape sugar - and fructose - fruit sugar. Disaccharides are: sucrose - cane or beet sugar - and maltose - malt sugar. In addition to sucrose and maltose, a well-known disaccharide is milk sugar (or it is also called lactose).

Testimonial advises. Before eating, it is important to remember that sugar is a high carbohydrate food and high in calories. Only 100 grams of sugar contains 400 kcal.

Sugar is a valuable food product moderate consumption sweet food improves mood, provides the body with energy. Sugar render beneficial effect to work the brain, contribute to the production of hormones of joy in the human body.

Sugar is often a topic of discussion among sweet lovers and aficionados. healthy eating... To find out if it is worth giving up sugar, how harmful sweet product, called by nutritionists "white death" along with salt, you need to understand the product in detail. Much of what we know about the dangers of sugar is actually myth. Information about sugar can be false. In fact, correct use of the product can be beneficial, and only eaten in excess of the norm can harm.

What is known about sugar, its types, types, varieties, effects on the body - we figure it out before completely eliminating sugar from our diet.

The chemical composition of sugar

The constituents of ordinary sugar are sucrose and a group of complex substances. It is the sugar formula that is absent in chemistry. Chemical formula sucrose - C 12 H 22 O 11. Sucrose, in turn, consists of fructose and glucose. Now we know what is contained in sugar, what is the chemical composition of the carbohydrate we eat every day.

Sugar in the form of complex compounds is included in most food products. It is found in breast milk, is part of cow's milk, the sugar content is high in vegetables, fruits, berries and nuts. Plants generally contain glucose and fructose. In nature, glucose is more often found in the composition of plants. Glucose is also called dextrose or grape sugar. Fructose is referred to as fruit sugar or levulose.

Fructose is considered the sweetest natural sugar. Glucose is less sweet than fructose. The glucose content exceeds the amount of fructose in plant organs. Glucose is found in polysaccharides such as starch and cellulose.

In addition to glucose, there are other natural sugars:

1. Maltose.
2. Lactose.
3. Mannose.
4. Sorbose.
5. Methylpentose.
6. Arabilose.
7. Inulin.
8. Pentose.
9. Xylose.
10. Cellobiose.

In different countries, sugar is extracted from different plant products... For the production of sugar in Russia, sugar beet is widespread, containing up to 22% sucrose. Cane sugar in the form of brown crystals or grains is obtained from sugarcane juice and is imported from India.

Sugar production

Sugar production in industrial scale began in India in the 16th century. The sugar industry in Russia and the first factory for the production of a sweet product from imported raw materials appeared in 1719 in St. Petersburg. In the 19th century, sugar in Russia began to be obtained from beets grown in their own fields. Most of the sugar factories of the Russian Empire worked in the territory of today's Ukraine.

Later, in the USSR, the sugar industry began to develop rapidly in Ukraine, sugar factories for the production of beet sugar were opened in various regions of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and the republics of the Caucasus. In the 30s of the XX century, the USSR held the first place in the world for the production of sugar from sugar beets. In the 70s, the number of sugar factories was already 318 units. Currently, there are about 70 sugar beet processing plants in Russia.

What is sugar made of now?

In Russia, sugar is made from sugar beets. What is sugar made from in different countries, besides cane and beet? In different countries, it is mined from various natural sources; as a rule, plants are used as raw materials. Types of sugars for raw materials:

1. The Chinese make sorghum from the sap of the cereal plant.
2. Maple syrup is often used in Canada. To prepare maple sugar, take the juice of sugar maple.
3. The Egyptians derive their sweet food from the beans.
4. Palm sugar (or jagre) is extracted from the juice of sweet palm species in South, Southeast Asia, on most of the islands of the Indian Ocean.
5. In Poland, the sweetness is obtained from birch sap.
6. The Japanese make malt sugar from starchy rice.
7. Mexicans feast on molasses made from agave, the sap of the plant.

In addition to the listed types of raw materials, sugar is extracted from various sugar-bearing plants, including flowers. The raw material for sugar production can be starch. From cornstarch, sweetness is more commonly referred to as corn syrup. There are hundreds of different types of sugars in nature. But in its pure form, refined, artificially refined sugar does not occur in nature, it is obtained industrially.

Getting sugars

How is sugar made? The sugar production technology has remained unchanged for many years. In order to extract sugar from beets or to obtain a product from sugarcane stalks, plant raw materials in production go through several stages of a complex technological process.

1. First of all, the beets are washed to remove dirt and cut into shavings.
2. To neutralize microbes, the raw material is poured with a lime solution.
3. The purified mass is crushed.
4. The surface of the crushed raw material is processed active substances, as a result of a chemical reaction, is released from raw materials.
5. Sugar syrup is filtered.
6. The next stage is the evaporation of the syrup. It is used to remove excess water.
7. Crystallization by vacuum.
8. The product obtained as a result of crystallization consists of crystals of sucrose and molasses.
9. The next step in the extraction of hard sugar is the separation of sucrose and molasses using a centrifuge.
10. In conclusion, drying is applied, after drying, you can eat sugar.

The technology for the production of beet sugar is similar to the production of a sweet cane product.

Types of sugar

What types of sugar are there? Sugar is known to be produced different types, its main types:

1. Reed.
2. Beetroot.
3. Palm.
4. Malt.
5. Sorghum.
6. Maple.

In addition to the main types, there are types of sugar intended for use in confectionery, this sugar cannot be bought in the store. We buy and eat plain white granulated sugar or granulated sugar. A less popular type is refined lump sugar. At home, consumers widely use a product made from sugar beet, which is what we buy in the store.

Types of sugars

Sugar is classified by type and type. Sugars have the same composition, the difference lies in the degree of processing and the quality of cleaning the goods from impurities.

There are these types of granulated sugar

1. Regular Sugar - regular or also called crystalline. Crystalline is the most commonly eaten type of sugar. Crystal size affects taste qualities crystalline sugar. It is an essential ingredient in homemade sweet dishes. It is used when preparing for the winter, cooking homemade, it is he who is found in homemade and cooking recipes.
2. Bakers Special - bakery has the smallest crystal size. Fine sugar is used by bakers in cooking for baking,.
3. Fruit sugar - fruit sugar with fine granules. It is appreciated more than usual for its uniformity of structure. It is used in the preparation of sweet puddings,.
4. Coarse Sugar is coarse and has large granules, which makes it an indispensable ingredient in the production of liqueurs and sweets.
5. Superfine, Ultrafine, Bar Sugar - ultrafine product with the finest crystals, due to which sugar crystals quickly dissolve in water of any temperature. Ideal meringue ingredient for fine crust strudel.
6. Confectioners (Powdered) Sugar - confectionery powder. On store shelves, the finest grinding powder is presented under the familiar name, powdered sugar. IN home cooking it is used in cream, egg, in the preparation of creams, powder is included in the composition for cakes,.
7. Sanding Sugar - sugar dusting. The product has large crystals. It is used, as a rule, in the confectionery industry; sugar dusting is not used at home.

Assortment of sugar

The basis of the assortment of sugar in the store is granulated sugar and refined sugar. Brown sugar is now considered less popular with consumers than white sugar. Sugar assortment:

1. Solid and free flowing.
2. Granulated sugar.
3. Crushed, lumpy and sawn sugar.
4. Lollipop, stone.

Beet white sugar

White or regular sugar is a common food sweetener. It is obtained by processing sugar cane or sugar beet. Sugar industry enterprises produce the main types of white sugar - granulated sugar and refined sugar. White sugar is commercially available in the form of granulated sugar and refined sugar in pieces.

Rafinated sugar

Refined sugar is produced from granulated sugar. In order to obtain refined sugar, granulated sugar is dissolved in water, the resulting syrup is additionally purified - refined. As a result of refining, refined sugar is obtained with an increased content of sucrose, it is the product that is maximally purified from impurities.

Refined sugar is produced in the following range:

1. Pressed crushed refined sugar.
2. Pressed refined sugar in cubes.
3. Pressed instant refined sugar.
4. Small-sized compressed refined sugar is a road option.
5. High refined sugar biological value with additives of lemongrass or eleutherococcus.

Refined sugar is packed in cardboard boxes and in this form the goods from sugar factories are sent to stores.

Granulated sugar

Refined granulated sugar is produced from refined sugar syrup. Depending on the size of the crystals, sugar sand is presented in the following assortment:

1. Small.
2. Middle.
3. Large.
4. Very large.

Unlike refined sugar, white sugar contains a small amount useful substances: calcium, sodium, iron and potassium. Granulated sugar is packed in bags and packages.

Vanilla sugar

Culinary experts often call vanilla sugar vanilla or vanillin. What is the Difference Between Vanilla and vanilla sugar? In order to understand how regular sugar differs from vanilla sugar, you need to know what vanilla sugar is.

Vanilla is regular granulated sugar flavored with vanilla pods. Real vanilla is considered an expensive and valuable product. Vanillin is a substance derived from vanilla, its artificial substitute.

Brown cane sugar

Cane sugar is obtained from cane juice. There are many varieties of cane sugar, the main difference between the species is in the quantitative content of molasses (molasses) in sugar. Brown is unrefined cane sugar. Dark unrefined has a dark color and aroma of molasses, unlike light brown sugar.

Unrefined cane sugar is considered a healthy substitute for regular white sugar. Before making the right choice between refined cane sugar, unrefined and unrefined, you need to know what types of cane sugar are.

Types of cane sugar

1. High quality
2. Special.
3. Special.
4. Refined refined
5. Unrefined.
6. Brown unrefined.

Cane is sold refined and unrefined, there are special varieties of cane sugar.

Cane sugar varieties

1. Demerara sugar variety. Unrefined, light brown with large crystals. It has a strong molasses aroma. Demerara is used as natural sweetener tea, coffee. Demerara is added to, its large crystals are used for sprinkling, buns,.
2. Muscavado sugar. Unrefined sugar, crystalline and saturated with molasses aroma. The crystals are slightly larger than normal brown, but not as large as Demerar.
3. Turbinado sugar. Partially refined. Large crystals from yellow to brown. Has a pleasant caramel taste. Ideal for sweet and savory.
4. Barbados (Soft molasses sugar / Black Barbados sugar). Soft, thin and moist. It has a dark color and a strong aroma due to the high content of molasses. Used to make gingerbreads, gingerbread, gingerbread houses and gingerbread.

What are the differences

Beet white sugar is edible only when it is refined. You can buy cane in refined, unrefined and unrefined form. This is what distinguishes cane sugar from white sugar.

Liquid sugars

In addition to the crystal, it happens liquid sugar... In liquid form, it is a white sugar solution and can be used for its intended purpose, as a crystalline one.

Liquid amber color with the addition of molasses, it is used to impart a special flavor to food products.

Another type belongs to liquid types - invert sugar.

What is invert sugar

Invert Sugar is a liquid sugar made from a mixture of glucose and fructose. It is used only in the industry for the production of carbonated drinks. Invert sugar is used only in liquid form.

What sugar is better to buy

Before buying sugar, you need to understand which sugar is better to buy for, white beetroot or brown dark cane. How to choose?

All sugar - white and brown - is food addictive. When cooking, as you know, it is impossible to do without sugar. You can buy inexpensive granulated sugar, refined sugar good quality or low-quality, but expensive brown sugar popular with health advocates. Under the guise of cane, they often sell simple sugar, colored sugar color... If you want to buy real cane sugar, its packaging must indicate:

1. Unrefined.
2. Cane sugar type: Demerara, Muscovado, Turbinado or Black Barbados.

Crystals must have different size, the same crystalline sugar indicates the chemical processing of the product.

You can safely buy white granulated sugar in its original packaging, on it conscientious manufacturer, as a rule, indicates on the pack such data:

1. Category. The category is either the first or Extra.
2. GOST R 55396-2009.
3. The nutritional value of the product.
4. What raw material is the sand or refined sugar made of: beet or raw cane sugar?
5. Year of manufacture and date of packing.

Lump sugar packs contain the same information as granulated sugar packs. Powdered sugar made in a sugar factory contains harmful additives... They are added so that the powder remains free-flowing and does not stray into lumps. It is more useful to prepare the powder at home, for its preparation you will need to grind simple granulated sugar in a mill.

1. Sausages, sausages.
2. Ketchups,.
3. Porridge fast food in bags, breakfast cereals.
4. Canned meat.
5. Low-fat yoghurts, curds.
6. Juices, soda, cocktails.
7. Syrups, ice cream.
8. Frozen foods.
9. Confectionery, bakery.
10. Beer, kvass.

In addition to food, sugar is used for the manufacture of medicines, in the tobacco industry, in the leather industry, and it is widely used in the chemical industry.

Why sugar is harmful to the human body

Sugar is primarily harmful to people with a sedentary lifestyle. The refined product is quickly absorbed by the human body and instantly raises blood glucose levels.

Elevated blood sugar levels are known to contribute to the development of diabetes. The load on the pancreas increases, and the gland does not have time to produce the right amount insulin, which is necessary for normal human activity.

Excessive consumption of sugar damages teeth and figure. Overweight and sweet in the form, in addition to fats, harm the body. Consuming sucrose instead of harm is beneficial the human body... Sugar eaten in excess of the norm is harmful.

Sweet consumption rate

According to the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO), the norm for sugar consumption is:

1. For women daily rate is 50 g per day.
2. For men 60 g per day.

Remember! Excessive consumption leads a sweet tooth more often than others to obesity, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus.

What can replace sugar

Sugar substitutes are used as a dietary supplement, as a rule, by people suffering from diabetes. Healthy people it is better to replace sucrose and artificial sweeteners with natural sweet foods, they are less nutritious and more useful:

1. Honey.
2. Stevia (or grass is also called honey grass).
3. Maple syrup.
4. Agave syrup.
5. Jerusalem artichoke or ground pear syrup.

How to store sugar properly at home

Sugar, as a food product, has its own shelf life. For the correct preservation of all long-term stored food products, it is necessary to observe the conditions for their storage at home.

The shelf life of sugar is calculated in years. Sugar is a shelf-stable product. After the expiration date, it retains its original taste for a long time.

All types of sugar have the same shelf life. At home, granulated sugar and refined sugar in pieces should be stored in a dry place at a temperature no higher than 25+. This storage period will be about 8 years.

The shelf life of the product in a cold room is reduced to 5-6 years. For long-term storage, it is better to keep sugar in cloth bag, for use throughout the year can be poured into glass containers, plastic dishes or leave in their original packaging.

Besides widely known species there are other types of sugars. Today, you can often hear that brown sugar is healthier than white sugar. This is actually a myth. A refined beet or cane product does not contain vitamins, minerals, or fiber.

Nutritionists advise replacing sucrose with fructose from fresh fruit, cut back on sweets and monitor blood glucose levels to stay healthy for years to come, eat healthy, and use healthy foods.