Types of sugar
There is a wide range of different cane sugar available, from white
granulated sugar to a range of brown sugars, where the variations in flavour,
colour and texture depend on their molasses content and degree of refinement.
Sugars with high molasses content are darker, stickier and have a stronger
flavour. Based on their end use, sugar is classified as follows:
·
Granulated sugar
·
Brown sugar
·
Liquid sugar
Granulated sugar
Granulated sugar is available in different crystal sizes, depending on
the end-use (processors' requirement). There are many different types of
granulated sugar. Most of these are used, only by food processors and
professional bakers; they are not available in the retail market.
The various types of granulated sugar are regular, extra fine or fine
sugar; fruit sugar; bakers special, superfine, ultra fine, or bar sugar;
confectioners (or powdered) sugar; coarse sugar; and sanding sugar.
Brown sugar
Brown sugar is a form of raw sugar, with or without a coating of
molasses syrup. It has a rich flavour and is used for specific applications in
the food industry. Brown sugar is of two types; those produced directly from
the cane juice at the place of origin and those that are produced during the
refining of raw sugar. The first type includes a variety of molasses and
syrups, demerara, muscovado and turbinado sugar while the second type is coated
brown or soft sugar, manufactured demerara and a variety of refinery molasses
and golden syrups.
Liquid sugar
Liquid sucrose (sugar) is liquid granulated sugar and can be used in
products where dissolved granulated sugar can be used. Liquid sugar was
developed before the current methods of sugar processing made transport and
handling of granulated sugars practical.
The various types of liquid sugar are premium liquid sugar;
manufacturer's liquid sugar; standard liquid sugar; fine liquid sugar; amber
liquid sugar, and invert sugar.
Chart 1: Sugar - Types, characteristics and uses of sugar
|
|
Type
|
|
Characteristics
|
Uses
|
|
1)
|
Granulated
sugar
|
|||
|
|
a)
|
"Regular"
sugar, extra fine or fine sugar
|
1) The
crystals are
fine
2) Ideal for bulk
handling
3)
Not susceptible to caking
|
1) Commonly used in home food
preparation
2) Used by food processors
|
|
|
b)
|
Fruit sugar
|
1) It is
finer than regular
sugar
2) It has a more uniform crystal
size
3) It does not separate or settle to the bottom of the box
|
1) Used in
dry mixes such as gelatin desserts, pudding mixes and drinks mixes
|
|
|
c)
|
Baker's
special
|
1) It is even
finer than fruit
sugar
2) It produces fine crumb texture
|
1) Used for
sugaring doughnuts as well as in some commercial cakes
|
|
|
d)
|
Superfine,
ultra fine, or bar sugar
|
1) The
crystal size is the finest of all types of granulated sugar
2) It produces an extra fine texture on cakes
|
1) Used for
sweetening fruits and iced
drinks
2) Used in extra fine textured cakes and meringues
|
|
|
e)
|
Confectioners
(or powdered) sugar
|
1) It is in
the form of a smooth
powder 2)
It contains 3% cornstarch to prevent
caking
3) It is available in different grades
|
1) The finest
grade is used in icings, confections and whipping
cream
2) The other grades are used by industrial bakers
|
|
|
f)
|
Coarse sugar
|
1) Its
crystal size is larger than regular sugar 2) It is processed from the purest
sugar
liquor
3) It is highly resistant to colour change or inversion at high temperatures
|
It is used in
making fondants, confections and liquors
|
|
|
g)
|
Sanding sugar
|
Their large
crystals reflect light and give it a sparkling appearance.
|
Used in
baking and confectionery industry to sprinkle on top of cakes
|
|
2)
|
Brown sugar
|
|||
|
|
a)
|
Turbinado
sugar
|
1) It is
partially refined sugar in which two thirds of the original molasses content
is removed
|
1) It is used
in place of white sugar in cereals and baked
goods
2) It is often used in tea
|
|
|
b)
|
Brown sugar
(light and dark)
|
1) Its sugar
crystals are coated in molasses syrup with natural flavour and
colour. 2)
It is available in light and darker varieties 3) Dark brown
variety has a rich flavour
|
1) Lighter
types are used in baking and making butterscotch, condiments and
glazes
2) Dark brown variety is used for gingerbread, mincemeat, baked beans, plum
pudding and other full flavoured foods
|
|
|
c)
|
Muscovado or
|
1) It is very
dark brown in colour and has a particularly strong molasses
flavour
2) It is unrefined sugar crystallised from the first boiling in the
mill
3) Crystals are larger than brown sugar but not
|
1) It is good
for toffee &
gingerbread.
2) Used in place of granulated sugar on breakfast
cereals 3) It is used on hot
oatmeal.
4) Its crunchy texture makes it amenable for being us
|
|
|
d)
|
Demerara
sugar
|
1) It is
dark, molasses rich, with golden
crystals
2) The crystals are slightly sticky
|
1) It is
often used in tea, coffee or on top of hot
cereals
2) It is used as a topping on cookies, cakes and deserts.
|
|
3)
|
Liquid sugar
|
|||
|
|
a)
|
Premium
liquid sugar
|
1) It is a
virtually water-white liquid sucrose
syrup
2) It is produced from bottler's grade white sugar to meet the testing
standards of the carbonated beverage industry
|
It is used
for a wide range of beverages, food products and as a source of sucrose in
chemical factories
|
|
|
b)
|
Manufacturers'
liquid sugar
|
1) It is similar
to premium liquid sugar but has a marginally higher level of microorganisms
and is generally not considered suitable for carbonated beverage production.
|
It is
intended for a wide range of food products and as a source of sucrose in
chemical factories where colour is critical, but where marginally higher
level of microorganisms (compared with premium liquid sugar) can be
tolerated.
|
|
|
c)
|
Standard
liquid sugar
|
1) It is pale
straw coloured liquid sucrose
syrup
2) It is produced by dissolving granulated sugar of higher colour than that
used to produce manufacturers liquid sugar
|
It is
suitable for use in dairy products, cordials and juices where very low colour
is not critical
|
|
|
d)
|
Fine liquid sugar
|
1) It is
straw coloured sugar syrup with small amounts of naturally occurring reducing
sugars, inorganic ash, other soluble organic matter and colour of raw sugar
origin.
|
It is
suitable for use in those products where small residual amounts of reducing
sugars, mineral salts, soluble organic matter and colour can be tolerated or
may even enhance flavour or other product characteristics.
|
|
|
e)
|
Amber liquid
sugar
|
1) It is dark
in colour and may contain some
impurities.
2) The method of production is highly variable
|
It is
suitable for use as a fermentable or in applications where the presence of
non-sugar components is of little consequence. Its range of use is limited
|
|
|
f)
|
Invert sugar
|
1) It is a result
of inversion or chemical breakdown of
sucrose
2)
It contains equal proportion of glucose and
fructose
3) It is commercially available only in the
|
It has wide
applications and is particularly useful where high concentrations of invert
sugar are required.
|
|
Source:
CRISIL Research
|
|
|
||
In India, only the ISS (Indian Sugar Standards) grades
sugar, such as M-30, S-30, L-30, M-29, S-29, and L-29, are allowed to be
produced (no specialty grade sugar is allowed to be produced). Since November
2001, the government has allowed the production of raw sugar. In India
