Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or double sugars, are molecules made of two bonded monosaccharides; common examples are sucrose (glucose + fructose), lactose (glucose + galactose), and maltose (two molecules of glucose). White sugar is a refined form of sucrose. In the body, compound sugars are hydrolysed into simple sugars. —from Wikipedia
Source of Sugar
Scourse of sugar is found in almost all plants, but it occurs at concentrations high enough for economic recovery only in sugar cane and sugar beets. 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.
Sugar Production Process
1. Cane Sugar Manufacturing
Sugarcane processing 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.
| 1. Juice Extraction The crushed cane is subjected to a series of millings to extract as much juice as possible. The extracted juice, which contains water, sugar, and impurities, is collected and transferred to large tanks. |
| 2. Clarification To remove impurities from the juice, it undergoes a process called clarification. This involves heating the juice and adding lime and other chemicals to help precipitate impurities. The impurities form a solid mass called “filter cake”, which is separated from the clear juice. |
| 3. Concentration The clarified juice is then heated and evaporated in multiple stages to concentrate the sugar content. This process removes a significant amount of water, resulting in a thick syrup called “cane juice concentrate” or “raw syrup”. |
| 4. Crystallization The concentrated syrup is then further processed to crystallize the sugar. This is typically achieved by boiling the syrup under vacuum conditions and adding seed crystals to initiate the formation of sugar crystals. The sugar crystals continue to grow as more moisture is evaporated, resulting in a thick paste-like substance called “massecuite”. |
| 5. Separation The massecuite is then centrifuged to separate the sugar crystals from the syrup. The centrifugation process separates the molasses, which is the thick, dark syrup-like liquid remaining after removing the sugar crystals. |
| 6. Drying and Packaging The separated sugar crystals are washed, dried, and sieved to remove any remaining impurities. The dried sugar crystals are then packaged into bags or other containers for distribution and sale. |
It’s worth mentioning that different countries and mills may have variations in their cane sugar manufacturing processes. However, the above steps provide a general overview of how cane sugar is produced.
2. Beet Sugar Manufacturing
Beet sugar is produced from sugar beets, which are root vegetables similar to turnips. The process of beet sugar manufacturing is quite similar to that of cane sugar, with a few key differences. Here’s a general overview of the beet sugar manufacturing process:
| 1. Cleaning and Slicing Upon arrival at the processing plant, the sugar beets are thoroughly cleaned to remove any dirt and debris. They are then sliced into thin strips called cossettes using slicing machines. Cossettes are about 3-4 mm thick and have a higher surface area, which aids in sugar extraction. |
| 2. Juice Extraction The sliced cossettes are subjected to a process called diffusion. They are mixed with hot water in large vessels called diffusers. The water extracts the sugar from the cossettes, forming a sweet, sugary liquid called “raw juice”. The sugar beet pulp, which remains after diffusion, is called “pulp cossettes” and can be further processed for various uses. |
| 3. Purification The raw juice extracted from the diffusion process contains impurities that need to be removed. It undergoes a series of purification steps, such as adding lime and carbonation, to clarify and remove unwanted substances. The impurities precipitate out and are separated from the clear juice through filtration or settling. |
| 4. Evaporation and Crystallization The clear juice is then concentrated through multiple evaporation stages to remove water and increase the sugar content. The concentrated juice, called “thick juice” or “syrup”, is further processed to crystallize the sugar. This is done by boiling the syrup under vacuum conditions and introducing seed crystals to initiate crystal formation. |
| 5. Separation and Drying The sugar crystals are separated from the syrup by centrifugation, similar to the cane sugar manufacturing process. The separated sugar crystals, known as “raw sugar”, are washed to remove any remaining syrup and impurities. The washed sugar crystals are then dried, usually in a rotating drum, until the moisture content is sufficiently reduced. |
| 6. Refining The dried raw sugar is transported to a sugar refinery, where it undergoes further purification and refining processes to produce white, granulated sugar. These processes involve multiple stages of filtration, decolorization, and crystallization to remove impurities and produce the desired quality of sugar. |
| 7. Packaging The refined, granulated sugar is finally packaged into bags, boxes, or other containers for distribution and sale. |
It’s important to note that the beet sugar manufacturing process may vary slightly between different plants and regions, but the general steps outlined above provide a good overview of how beet sugar is produced.
Sugar Sieving
1.WHITE CANE SUGAR
White sugars from cane are produced in various crystal sizes, from coarse (0.75 to 0.6 mm) to medium (0.5 to 0.3 mm) to small-size (0.3 to 0.02 mm).
From the sugars with largest to smallest crystals: sparkling > sanding > granulated > fine > extra fine > superfine > ultrafine > powdered 6X > powdered 10X > powdered 12X > fondant.
Despite their crystals sizes, all white sugars have the same sweetness and provide the same calories. Finer crystals, such as powdered and fondant sugars, contain 3 percent cornstarch (or tapioca starch) added to prevent lumping.
2. BROWN CANE SUGAR
Composition: 93 to 98% sucrose and 1.5 to 5% invert sugar (glucose + fructose).
Water content: light brown is 2 to 3% water; dark brown, 2.5 to 3.5% water.
Crystal size: the average is typically between 0.27 and 0.42 mm.
The most widely available brown sugars are not naturally brown; they are blends of sucrose crystals & molasses (cane syrups).
Three types of brown cane sugar are sold in stores: light (or golden), dark, and free-flowing.
The color and rich taste of brown sugars are determined by the amount of molasses remaining or added to the crystals.
3. BEET SUGAR & BLENDS
Contrary to cane sugar — which is available in unrefined, raw and refined forms — beet sugar is sold as a refined sugar only. Beet sugars are produced in a Sugar Factory. Put simply, beet juice is collected, its water is boiled off, and sugar crystals are separated from everything else.
Refer to Adriane Campos, Refined Sugars from “Whatsugar Blog”.
WEILIANG SUGAR SIEVING SOLUTION
Like many other popular food ingredients, sugar needs some sieving process too.
There are two types of screening needs for sugar, the first is check screening before packing and the second is grading screening.
Safety Screening of Sugar
Safety sieving of sugar is for removing all foreign impurities (plastic parts, metal parts, insects, paper parts, etc.) from the main product in order to obtain a safe product.
WEILIANG S49-AQ FLOW-THROUGH VIBRATING SCREEN, also called direct discharge vibrating screen or safety vibrating screen. The inlet and outlet are on the same center line, which helps to reduce the movement of materials in the sifter, thus shortening the screening time and increasing the production capacity. It is best suitable for safety screening of raw materials, in-process screening, inspection screening, impurity removal and mainly for pre-packaging screening.
WLQ centrifugal screen can also be used to remove impurities from sugar.
WEILIANG Centrifugal Screen is ideal for handling the wide variety of powder, granules and other free-flowing materials. It also provides ease of operation and can be used on a variety of applications including classifying & De-dusting. Its unique design and structure allow more material to be sieved with fewer fines in the oversize particles, which will increase capacity also efficiency, and optimize the profits of any processing applications ultimately.
Grading of Sugar
S49 vibrating screen and YBS tumbler screen can be applied to the classification of sugar, according to different customer sites and needs.
Tumbler screen is chosen by many customers for its high precision and large output.
The tumbler screen simulates a form of simple hand sieving motion, which are used for classification of bulk dry materials for products such as chemicals, food, mining, pharmaceuticals, plastics and feed etc. The core of the tumbler screen is the patented three-dimensional adjustment system that enables screening of fine & ultra-fine particles with ease.
WEILIANG wide range of screening equipment offers any business in the food and other industries the opportunity to improve production results by applying the right equipment for the right application.
Contact us now and we will provide the most suitable solution for you!
