Types Of Sugar

Question 1

Where does sugar come from?

Answer 1

All sugar is made by first extracting sugar juice from sugar beet or sugar cane plants, and from there, many types of sugar can be produced.

Question 2

What is the processing of sugar cane?

Answer 2

1. Cutting, shredding and crushing between heavy rollers.
2. Hot water spray and lime to clarify the juice.
3. Filtering of the brown juice produced.
4. Boiling of juice under vacuum to form a thick syrup.
5. Separation of crystals (raw sugar) and syrup (molasses) in a centrifuge.
6. Brown raw sugar or crystals is then exported around the world for local refining.

Question 3

What are the sources of sugar?

Answer 3

MONOSACCHARIDES

Can be found in commonly-eaten foods such as fruits, vegetables and honey.

Glucose:- Fresh, dried and cooked fruits, honey and most vegetables, glucose syrups, which are derived from wheat and maize starch.

Fructose:- Honey, agave nectar, fruit juices, pure crystalline fructose and glucose-fructose syrups “ which are derived from wheat and maize starch.

DISACCHARIDES

Sucrose:- Table sugar, which is derived from sugar beet or cane as these vegetables provide the most accessible stores of sucrose. Fruits and vegetables.

Lactose:- Milk and milk products

Maltose:- formed when starch is digested e.g. from barley and other grains such as wheat.

Question 4

What are the uses of sugar?

Answer 4

Added sugar in foods acts as a sweetener, preservative, texture modifier, fermentation substrate, flavouring and colouring agent, bulking agent.