Special types of sugar. Description of sugar with photos: its types, the benefits and harms of this product, its other properties, as well as its composition and calorie content Sugar new types of products

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Sugar is one of the most famous spices, which is intensively used in cooking, as well as in cosmetology.

Until about the 19th century, this product was very expensive and only wealthy citizens could use it. But after the increase in the overseas possessions of the Western powers, sugar plantations also increased. Because of this, the price of this product has fallen and it has become more accessible to the common man. True, in Russian Empire it still remained a fairly expensive product.

There are many varieties of sugar. They are classified depending on the plant from which they are made:

Sorghum sugar

It looks like a dark, very sweet syrup. It is produced from the cereal plant sorghum, which grows in Africa. Asia and the New World. Moreover, this cereal has been used since ancient times.

A quarter of the composition of this sugar product is sucrose, and the same amount is fructose. In addition, there are such useful minerals like: calcium, manganese, magnesium and many others.

Manufacture this product as follows: after collecting the leaves, they are finely chopped and squeezed. As a result, the resulting juice is heated, making it thicker.

At one time, they wanted to produce this type of sugar on an industrial scale, but it turned out to be unprofitable. With such a process, very little of the final product is released, since the composition includes many mineral salts. This idea was quickly abandoned.

In addition to sugar, flour, alcohol, cereals, and starch can also be made from the plant. And the spent green mass is used to feed animals.

Maple sugar

It also appears as a thick syrup with varying shades of brown. It is extracted from the sap of the maple tree. Almost 70% of the production of this product occurs in Canada, where Indian tribes have mined it since ancient times. With the advent of the first settlers, the production of this syrup only increased.

The production process of this product is as follows: at the beginning of spring, notches are made on the maple tree, special tubes are installed at the holes, through which the tree sap is drained into a container for collecting it. After which the water from the juice is evaporated and the liquid becomes very thick. Next, the syrup is poured onto the snow and it becomes soft sugar.

During and after the syrup harvest, festivals and fairs are held in Canada.

Cane sugar

It looks like the usual brown crystallized powder. It is made from sugar cane. Its production dates back to ancient India about 5,000 years ago. From there it spread throughout Africa and the rest of Asia. And despite the expensive price, it became very popular in Europe during the early Middle Ages. In the American colonies, growing this type of plant was as popular as cotton and coffee.

It is produced in the following way: after the cane has ripened, it is collected on the plantation, chopping it into large pieces. Next, they are sent to a processing plant, where pieces of the plant are further crushed and the juice is extracted. Next, it is cleaned using slaked lime and water. Finally, the process of evaporating the liquid to form a solid powder begins. This product is bleached using carbonic acid or sulfur.

Beet sugar

As the name suggests, this sugar is made from a special type of beet. This method of obtaining sugar is the most common. The production technology was developed back in the mid-18th century. But they began to actively use it at the beginning of the 19th century, first in France, and then in other countries.

This sugar is made according to this scheme: after the beets are collected, they are sent to the factory. There the vegetable can be finely chopped. After pressing, the resulting juice is evaporated and cleaned.

There are other ways to extract sugar, but the ones described above are the most common.

Sugar- an easily digestible and high-calorie product (375 kcal/100 g), which has a strengthening effect on nervous system, increases the sensitivity of the senses (vision, hearing), enhances attention.

In Russia, sugar is the main raw material in the confectionery industry. It is used in the production of caramel, sweets, chocolate, marmalade, marshmallows, dragees, cookies, gingerbread, cakes, pastries and other types of confectionery products. Confectionery products such as caramel, fondant candies, sugar dragees, and meringues consist of 80-95% sugar. In chocolate and many types of sweets, the share of sugar is about 50%, and in flour - 30-40%.

Consumption of white (refined) sugar in highly developed countries has reached 140-150 g per day per person, as a result of which the negative aspects of its effect began to appear. Therefore, in most countries of Europe and America, along with refined (white), yellow sugar is used, obtained in the process of producing raw cane sugar (an incompletely purified product). Yellow sugar, in addition to sucrose, contains invert sugar (glucose and fructose), minerals (chromium, manganese, etc.), organic acids, i.e. complex of biologically active substances.

Brown sugar is also obtained from cane; it undergoes only partial processing, preserving its natural color and natural aroma. Due to the smallest cane particles remaining in the sugar, the body receives vital fiber, which prevents fat deposition.

Dark brown sugar is very popular in England, having a very specific taste and rich aroma. As a rule, due to its commercial properties, brown sugar is mainly used in confectionery and exotic sauces.

The raw material for sugar production is sugar cane, which grows in tropical and subtropical climates, or sugar beets. The main producers of cane sugar are India, Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, and Australia. In Russia, sugar is produced mainly from sugar beets, less often from raw cane sugar containing pre-purified sucrose (at least 80%). Sucrose from raw cane sugar is characterized by a crystalline structure, and its crystals are covered with a film of cane-sugar molasses.

An identifying feature that distinguishes cane sugar from beet sugar is the ratio of carbon C13 to carbon C12. It has been established that sugar cane absorbs more carbon C in contrast to sugar beets. Therefore, an increased ratio of carbon C 1 from the norm indicates that the sugar is obtained from cane.

Produced from sugar beets and raw cane sugar, it practically does not differ in terms of quality indicators of the current regulatory and technical documentation, however, for the confectionery industry, the role of sugar, which is the main type of raw material, in shaping the quality of products is one of the most significant components.

An essential identifying feature of their difference is the relationship between nitrogen-containing and nitrogen-free acids. Nitrogen-containing acids predominate in granulated beet sugar, while nitrogen-free acids predominate in granulated sugar made from raw cane. They also differ in mineral content. Thus, there is 5-10 times more calcium in granulated sugar from cane than from beets.

There are two main types of sugar produced in Russia: granulated sugar and refined sugar.

Towards organoleptic quality assessment granulated sugar appearance, taste, smell and color.

Granulated sugar consists of sucrose crystals. They should be uniform in size, regular in shape, with clearly defined edges, shiny, crumbly, dry to the touch, without lumps of unbleached sugar.

Taste And smell dry granulated sugar and it aqueous solution sweet, without foreign taste or smell; complete solubility in water; the solution is clear or slightly opalescent. without insoluble sediment, mechanical and other foreign impurities.

Color white or white with a yellowish tint for granulated sugar for industrial processing. Granulated sugar should be free-flowing; For granulated sugar intended for industrial processing, lumps that fall apart when lightly pressed are allowed.

From physical and chemical parameters The quality of granulated sugar is determined by: mass fraction of sucrose (at least 99.75%); mass fraction of reducing substances (no more than 0.05%), humidity (no more than 0.14%); ash content (no more than 0.04%); color (no more than 0.8 units); mass fraction of ferroimpurities (no more than 0.0003%).

Identification of granulated sugar defects

Most common defects granulated sugar - moisture, loss of flowability, the presence of non-scattering lumps as a result of storage at high relative humidity and sudden temperature changes. Defects of the technology are an uncharacteristic yellowish or gray color, the presence of lumps of unbleached sugar, impurities (scale, lint). Sugar may acquire foreign tastes and odors when packed in new bags, as well as due to non-compliance with the product proximity.

Damp and highly moistened granulated sugar is an irreparable defect; when it dries, it loses its flowability and shine and turns into a dense monolith.

According to the packaging method for retail sale, granulated sugar can be unpacked, packaged in paper and plastic bags with a net weight of 0.5 and 1.0 kg, as well as packaged in artistically designed bags with a net weight of 20 g, made from a combined material.

Quantitative identification allows you to establish the compliance of the actual net mass of granulated sugar packaging units with the corresponding labeling data and the permissible deviations provided for by the standard.

Refined sugar- a food product that is additionally purified (refined) sugar in the form of pieces, crystals and crushed crystals, intended for sale in the retail chain and industrial processing. The main classification feature of refined sugar is the method of production. Depending on the latter, refined sugar is divided into: pressed, refined granulated sugar and refined powder.

Refined sugar is produced in the following assortment: pressed crushed sugar in bags, packs and boxes; pressed instant in packs and boxes: pressed in small packaging; refined granulated sugar in bulk in bags and packages: refined granulated sugar in small packaging: sucrose for champagne; refined powder in bulk in bags and bags.

Lump pressed Refined sugar is produced in the form of separate pieces shaped like a parallelepiped. Its identifying feature is the thickness of a piece of pressed crushed refined sugar, which can be 11 or 22 mm. Deviations from the thickness at the site of splitting of the pieces are allowed ± 3 mm.

Depending on the granulometric composition, refined granulated sugar is produced with the following crystal sizes (mm): from 0.2 to 0.8 - fine; from 0.5 to 1.2 - average; from 1.0 to 2.5 - large. Sucrose for champagne is obtained in the form of crystals ranging in size from 1.0 to 2.5 mm.

For refined granulated sugar and sucrose for champagne, deviations from the upper limit of the specified sizes are allowed by 20%, from the lower limit by 5% of the mass of sugar crystals.

Refined powder represents crushed refined sugar crystals no larger than 0.2 mm in size.

Identification of the type of refined sugar is established in accordance with the requirements of the standard for organoleptic and physicochemical indicators.

Refined sugar should have the appearance of white pieces consisting of crystals, without visible foreign inclusions or contaminants.

Refined sugar is characterized by a sweet taste and characteristic smell, without foreign tastes and odors, white, pure color. Refined granulated sugar should be free-flowing without lumps, and the sugar solution should be transparent or slightly opalescent with a subtle bluish tint.

For identification examination of the quality of pressed crushed refined sugar, instant and in small packaging important has a strength indicator (crushing resistance).

Physico-chemical indicators refined sugars are given in table. 1.

Table 1. Physico-chemical parameters of refined sugar

The strength of pressed refined sugar is less than that of cast sugar, due to the fact that during the production of the latter, with additional crystallization of sugar during cooling of the massecuite poured into molds, the sugar crystals grow more firmly together.

Quantitative identification identifies the compliance of the actual net mass of packaging units of sugar with the data indicated on the labeling and the permissible deviations provided for by the standard.

Refined sugar, crushed and pressed, is packaged in packs and boxes with a net weight of 0.5 and 1.0 kg.

Lump pressed refined sugar is wrapped in two pieces in separate bags, first in parchment paper, then in an artistically designed label made of label paper.

Refined granulated sugar is packaged in net weights of 0.5 and 1.0 kg, refined powder - 0.25; 0.5 and 1.0 kg in paper and plastic bags or in artistically decorated bags with a net weight of 5-20 g.

Identification of refined sugar defects

The presentation of moistened refined sugar deteriorates; the surface of the pieces is covered with a fine-crystalline film. With strong moisture, sugar pieces lose their shape, stimulate the development of microorganisms, crumbs form, and color deteriorates.

Adulteration of sugar

Assorted adulteration of sugar can be carried out as follows: replacing refined sugar with granulated sugar, refined powdered sugar with powdered sugar, so this falsification can be distinguished by organoleptic and physicochemical indicators.

Refined sugar has a whiter color, sometimes with a bluish tint compared to granulated sugar, contains more sucrose (99.9%), less reducing substances (less than 0.1%), increased color.

Fine-crystalline granulated sugar should be free-flowing, non-sticky, dry to the touch, without impurities and lumps of unbleached sugar. Refined granulated sugar differs from ordinary sugar in the presence of larger white crystals with well-defined edges and shiny planes.

High-quality adulteration of sugar most widely used in its implementation, includes the introduction of foreign additives (wheat flour, semolina, salt, chalk, building gypsum) or high humidity. These types of falsification are easily recognized by external visual inspection, microscopy and the addition of water.

High humidity of granulated sugar (more than 0.14%) leads to weight gain and... accordingly, to clumping. This sugar can be distinguished by the loss of shine on the edges of sucrose crystals.

Qualitative falsification can also include scale residues observed in sugar when magnetic cleaning is not carried out, which is visible in the form of black inclusions.

Sugar is characterized by quantitative and information falsifications, which are detected in the same ways as for starch.

© Bought from adrian_ilie825, fotolia

Granulated sugar (sugar), coarse, per tablespoon, including the spelling "diabetes".

Crystal sugar , also called refined sugar, is the most used type of sugar. It is made from sugar cane (cane sugar) or sugar beets (beet sugar). At the same time, sugar beets have been known for only a few hundred years, but people have been growing sugar cane for about 10,000 years on the Melanesian Islands and Polynesia. Two thousand years later, it was also grown in India and Persia.

General information:

From Wikipedia: "Sugar- the common name for sucrose (12C * 11 H 2 O). Cane and beet sugar (granulated sugar, refined sugar) is an important food product. Regular sugar belongs to carbohydrates, which are considered valuable nutrients that provide the body with the necessary energy. Sucrose is quickly broken down in the digestive tract into glucose and fructose, which then enter the bloodstream. Glucose provides more than half of the body's energy expenditure. Normal blood glucose concentration is maintained at 80-120 milligrams of sugar per 100 milliliters (0.08~0.12%)."

Types of sugar by raw material:

• Cane sugar: "The stalks of sugar cane, a plant that grew wild in India, were the original raw materials for the extraction of sugar; in Europe, cane sugar became known even before our era as a medicine. ... Most of the sugar consumed in modern world, made from sugar cane. Massecuite (raw sugar) crystals have a sticky brown coating and can be eaten as is, or they can be bleached with sulfur dioxide or carbonic acid (saturation) to produce a white product.”
• Beet sugar:"WITHSugar beet is cultivated in temperate regions with moderate rainfall and requires fertile soil. Root vegetables can be stored without loss for several weeks before being sent to a processing plant. Here the beets are washed and cut, and the sugar syrup is extracted with hot water by diffusion. ... Purified by these means, the juice is so freed from impurities that it can be brought by simple evaporation to such a concentration at which sugar crystals will precipitate from the boiled mass.”
• Maple Sugar:"Ttraditional sugar in the eastern provinces of Canada, extracted from the sap of sugar maple trees since the 17th century, for which the trunks are drilled in February and March, and then sap containing up to 3% sugar begins to flow out of the holes. The sap is evaporated to form maple syrup, and then sugar is extracted from the syrup. It is used by the local population instead of ordinary cane sugar. The maple syrup industry generated more than $100 million in revenue in 1989.".
• Palm sugar:"Palm sugar or jagre- extracted from the sweet juice that flows in large quantities from cuts on young flower ears various types palm trees In some areas it is obtained mainly from the sap of the coconut palm (called coconut sugar). Palm sugar is also extracted from the date palm, areng and other palm trees.

Release forms:

"Sugar is released the following types:

• granulated sugar
• pressed and lump
• powdered sugar
• candy sugar
• syrup
• in the past it was produced in the form of a “sugarloaf”

Excessive sugar consumption:

"IN recent years researchers are inclined to limit the use of this product. It has been established that in old age, excessive sugar consumption contributes to the disruption of fat metabolism, leads to an increase in the concentration of cholesterol and glucose in the blood, and disrupts the functions of cells.”

"Cardiologists say that as a result of increased calorie intake due to sugar, people who do not exercise physical labor“, conditions are created for excess body weight and the rapid development of atherosclerosis.”

1.6 Special types of sugar

Powdered sugar

The main consumers of powdered sugar are the confectionery, non-alcoholic, canning industries and ice cream production.

Powdered sugar consists of very small (less than 0.1-0.2 mm) sugar particles. It is made from crystalline granulated sugar by grinding it in special mills.

It has been established that the smaller the sugar particles, the more its ability to withstand the influence of unfavorable storage conditions decreases. To prevent clumping and improve the conditions for storing and transporting powdered sugar, it is advisable to add up to three percent fine sugar. corn starch.

Powdered sugar even with better conditions storage (ambient air humidity up to 60%) is capable of clumping. The powder should be packaged in moisture-proof containers.

Special types of commercial lump sugar

In Russia, under special technical conditions, special types of commercial lump sugar with various herbal additives that have a beneficial effect on the human body are produced in small volumes.

These types, in particular, include:

Eleutherococcal sugar- lump sugar with the addition of eleutherococcus extract, sweet, with a pleasant tart specific taste, light yellow in color.
This sugar has a general strengthening, tonic effect, reduces fatigue, and increases the body's resistance to various adverse effects. The extract of Eleutherococcus contained in sugar is similar in its properties to the effects of ginseng and is intended for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes.

Schisandra sugar- lump sugar with the addition of lemongrass juice, sweet, with a pleasant sour taste and aroma, has a light pink color.
This sugar has a stimulating and tonic effect, has a beneficial effect on mental and physical performance, contains biologically active substances, multivitamins, organic acids, microelements and is intended for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes.

Viburnum sugar- lump sugar with the addition of viburnum juice, sweet, has a pleasant light raspberry color.
This sugar has a general strengthening and health-improving effect, contains multivitamins, organic acids, microelements and is intended for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes.

Yellow sugar It is sucrose in the form of crystals, covered with a yellow film of intercrystalline edema, sweet, completely soluble in water.
Such sugar retains natural biologically active substances and microelements contained in sugar cane.
Science has established that yellow sugar is completely harmless and has a general strengthening and health-improving effect.

Naturfit classic- lump sugar with natural extracts of ginseng, thyme, St. John's wort, hawthorn, echinacea. It has a mild phytotherapeutic effect on the functional state of the body. A specially selected complex of phytocomponents helps improve physical performance, resistance to stress, and adverse effects. environment, improves the functioning of the brain, cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract.

U healthy people Regular use of the product increases resistance to colds, improves performance and overall tone, and slows down the aging process. This sugar is especially effective when combined with medications and physiotherapy for weakened patients after infectious diseases, injuries, and surgical operations.

Naturfit immunid- lump sugar with natural echinacea extract has a mild phytotherapeutic effect on the immune system of the human body. Most effective in prevention and as an adjuvant in the treatment of colds of the upper respiratory tract, has an antiseptic and analgesic effect. Its use with hot drinks prevents the development of diseases after hypothermia, during epidemics and during fatigue.

Naturfit gastric- lump sugar with a complex of natural extracts of elecampane, thyme, yarrow, wormwood, Rhodiola rosea, ginseng, echinacea, rose hips and hawthorn has a mild phytotherapeutic effect on the condition of the gastrointestinal tract, has a general strengthening and tonic effect. Its use leads to normalization of the gastrointestinal tract and increased body resistance.

Naturfit adaptin- lump sugar with natural extract of Rhodiola rosea, the most powerful adaptogen among the ginseng family. Its use, even in small doses, has a tonic effect and increases the body’s resistance to adverse effects. environmental factors, protects the central nervous system, heart and gastrointestinal tract from stressors during mental stress, overwork, hypothermia and injuries. Using it for preventive purposes increases performance and slows down the aging process.

Liquid sugar

For industrial purposes (confectionery, baking, etc.) the so-called liquid sugar, which is a solution of granulated sugar in water, is intended.

In accordance with Russian technical conditions, it comes in two categories:

• liquid sugar of the extra category - sugar syrup obtained by dissolving granulated sugar and purified from mechanical impurities using filter powders, where high-quality sugar is required. Transparent syrupy liquid with a subtle shade of pale yellow;
• liquid sugar of the first category - sugar syrup obtained by dissolving granulated sugar and purified from mechanical impurities using filter powders. Transparent syrupy liquid of pale yellow color;

The storage temperature of liquid sugar is no more than 40°C. Transportation is carried out by rail or road tanks.

The production of special types (grades) of sugar is very common abroad.

Liquid sugar (like that described above) is widely used, as well as invert syrup, consumed mainly in the confectionery industry. This syrup contains approximately 77% dry matter, of which 50-52% invert sugar (i.e. glucose and fructose formed during the decomposition of sucrose), 0.05% ash, pH 6.5-7.0.

Instant sugar

Instant sugar is crystalline granulated sugar with modified physical properties. The method for obtaining it basically comes down to the following. Granulated sugar, crushed into powdered sugar, is sent to the zone of humidified air. Here, as a result of the dissolution of sugar, an adhesive film is formed on the surface of the particles, which contributes to the appearance of soft conglomerates. Wet conglomerates are fed into a dry air zone, where the moisture is evaporated and the sugar conglomerates are dried, taking on the appearance of very small sponges. They are then cooled to room temperature in the air flow, which helps stabilize the sugar particles. Next, the resulting particles are dispersed by size.

Conglomerates of instant sugar particles are porous and consist of a large number of tiny crystals glued together. One conglomerate can contain about 50 thousand crystals of powdered sugar. Therefore, its surface is very large.

Ordinary crystalline sugar dissolves relatively slowly, its dissolution begins from the surface of the crystals. When in contact with water or any solution, powdered sugar tends to clump. Instant sugar in water, fruit juices, cream, etc. dissolves quickly, since the liquid surrounding its particles immediately enters the pores of the conglomerates and is absorbed by small capillaries, as a result of which the outer and inner surfaces of the conglomerates are moistened. They break down into small, easily soluble particles.

If equal amounts of instant sugar and granulated sugar or powdered sugar are poured into a container of water, then the instant sugar, without reaching the bottom of the container, will dissolve during settling, while granulated sugar and powdered sugar will settle at the bottom in a relatively large amount.

Because of its porosity, instant sugar takes up twice the volume of an equal amount of crystalline sugar. This should be kept in mind when dosing volumetric instant sugar. Such sugar, despite its porosity, is not hygroscopic and is not affected by fluctuations in temperature and air humidity.

Fudge Sugar

Fudge sugar is used in the confectionery industry in the production of chocolate, fillings for soft candies, etc.

Fondant sugar is produced in wet and dry forms.

Wet fondant sugar is produced as follows. Sucrose (82 parts), glucose and water (9 parts each) are dosed at a constant temperature, while sucrose is dissolved, glucose is added to the solution and mixed thoroughly. The resulting homogeneous mixture is concentrated to a certain concentration. The solution is then cooled, causing tiny sugar crystals to form and the solution turns into a snow-white paste. Store this sugar in a tightly closed container at a temperature of 18-21° C.

Dry fondant sugar consists of a mixture of finely ground sucrose crystals and invert sugar. Sugar is sold in powder form. Mixing dry fondant sugar with water quickly forms fondant, which has the same uses as wet fondant sugar. The advantage of dry fondant sugar over wet sugar is the ability to use precisely dosed amounts and the absence of the need to warm up before use.

Gelling sugar

Gelling sugar makes making marmalade and jelly much easier.

The gelling sugar contains 0.8% regular apple pectin, 0.6% citric acid, 98.2% refined sugar and 0.4% water.

When preparing gelling sugar, pre-crushed components are added to the sugar and mixed thoroughly. In this case, a homogeneous product with gelling properties is obtained.

Yellow soft sugars

Yellow soft sugars are special varieties of cane sugar produced in countries Latin America, Asia, India. Their feature is a high content (1-4%) of reducing substances, which, along with large size crystals provides softness and adds sugar good taste.

Such sugar is sugar crystals with a film of molasses (molasses) on their surface.

Different types of such sugar (Turbinado, San-On, etc.) contain 88.5-99.0% sucrose, 0.3-4.0% invert sugar, 0.2-2.0% ash, 0.3- 3.6% organic non-sugars, 0.2-3.3% moisture.

Such sugars are used directly in food, as well as in the production of confectionery products.

In some countries (India, Pakistan, China, Japan), yellow (brown) soft sugars are obtained directly from purified cane juice. To do this, the juice is concentrated and poured into special containers, where the mass crystallizes. After crystallization, a solid of various shapes is obtained, which is then crushed into pieces. This sugar is intended for home use.

Sugar candy

Candy sugar, also called candy sugar, is produced in the form of individual large (17-25 mm, weighing up to 5 g) yellow or colorless crystals.

Artisanal sugars

There are a large number of different types (varieties) of sugar produced artisanally from cane in Asian countries (including:

• Kuro-Sato,
• Shiroshita-To,
• O-Tung,
• Muscovado,
• Duong-Cat,
• Pien-Tang,
• Au-Tung,
• Gul-Sakar,
• Gula-Kuning,
• Gur, Jaggery,
• Cream Jaggery,
• khandsari,
• Candy,
• Pai-Tang,
• Saisei-To.

It turns out that there are a large number of types of sugar. Brown cane sugar is described in the previous article, there are other sugars - about granulated and liquid sugar.

The Chinese made sugar from sorghum, in Egypt it was extracted from beans, in Bengal - from the areng tree, in the countries of the Hindustan Peninsula - from palm sap, in Canada - from maple sap, in Poland - from birch sap, in Lithuania - from parsnip roots, in Belarus - from parsley.

Depending on the production technology, sugar turns out to be loose or solid.(lumpy, crushed, candy).

Granulated sugars

Granulated (crystalline) sugar is known as granulated sugar. And there are many types of granulated sugar. But most of them are used only in professional confectionery and culinary fields and are not sold in regular grocery stores. Types of granulated sugar differ from each other primarily in the size of the crystals, as well as in the functional characteristics, or simply, the purposes for which they are used.

Experts simply call the sugar that can be found in every family sugar bowl – regular sugar. This is the same sugar that most cookbooks suggest using in cooking. It is truly ideal for preparing many dishes, and is widely used not only in households, but also in food processing plants.

Fruit sugar is more respected by professionals than regular sugar because of its finer, more one-dimensional crystal structure. Used in dry mixtures for making desserts - gelatin, puddings, as well as in dry drinks, etc. The uniformity of the fruit sugar crystals prevents smaller crystals from separating or settling to the bottom of the package, an important quality of good dry mixes.

Baker's Sugar has even finer and more uniform crystals than fruit sugar. Already from the name it is clear that this sugar is produced specifically for professional confectionery purposes, and if you do not have friends among confectioners and bakers, then it is unlikely that you will be able to get a kilogram or two of this sugar for personal use. Baking sugar is used to sweeten donuts, cookies, etc., and is also added to dough to create an almost perfect texture for baked goods.

Ultrafine sugar (Superfine, Ultrafine, or Bar Sugar) – the crystal size of this type of granulated sugar is the smallest of all types of granulated sugars. It is ideal for making meringues and thin pies, for sweetening fruits, cold drinks, as it dissolves very easily at any temperature in any environment. In England you can find sugar on sale that is very similar in structure to this type of sugar; it is known there as caster or castor.

Confectioners (or Powdered) Sugar is essentially ground and then sifted granulated sugar. The powder contains approximately 3% cornstarch, which helps prevent baked goods from sticking together. There are three grades of powdered sugar, differing in the degree of fineness of the grind. As a rule, the best, thinnest variety reaches store shelves. The remaining two types of powdered sugar are used in a wide range of industrial baking applications. Powdered sugar is included in glazes, many confectionery products, and is used when whipping cream, etc.

Coarse Sugar - The crystal size of this type of granulated sugar is larger than the size of regular sugar crystals. Coarse sugar is used primarily in the creation of fondants, confectionery and liqueurs. Coarse sugar has an important property - at high temperatures it does not break down into fructose and glucose.

Sanding Sugar, like coarse sugar, is characterized by the large size of its crystals. It is mainly used in the confectionery and butter industry as a final accord to give an attractive appearance to confectionery products; it is sprinkled on the top of the products. Large crystals reflect light and give buns and cookies a beautiful sparkling appearance.

Liquid sugars

There are several types of liquid sugar. Liquid sucrose– essentially liquid granulated sugar, used in the same way as regular sugar. Amber liquid sucrose– darker in color, acts as a kind of substitute for some types of brown sugar. Invert Sugar– consists of equal parts glucose and fructose, commercially available only in liquid form, widely used in the industry for the production of carbonated drinks, since invert sugar can only be used in products with a liquid structure.

What kind of sugar is there?

Granulated sugar (loose sugar)

Bulk sugar (also called crushed, ground, granulated or granulated sugar) is more important in cooking than any other: it is most often used as a sweetener various dishes.

Lump (crushed, sawn) sugar

“Lump” refers to sugar that has been compressed into small cubes. Refined lump sugar is called refined sugar. Lump sugar dissolves quickly in hot water, so it is very often served with tea. “Cracked” (“sawed”) sugar dissolves in water a little longer - it is, in essence, a large piece of sugar cut into small pieces (which is often called a “sugar loaf”).

Candy, rock sugar

“Candy” and “rock” sugar look very similar to caramel (these are translucent, very hard crystals irregular shape), and the production process of this product is very similar to the preparation of “suckers”. It takes much longer to dissolve than lump.

Maple sugar

The Indians of North America have long extracted juice from two local species of maple - sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and silver or sugar maple (A. saccharinum). The Indians prepared their delicacy in the simplest way. The sweet juice was poured into clay pots and left in the cold overnight. By the morning the juice had solidified and the result was a kind of primitive ice cream. Europeans dubbed the product “sweet ice.”

Over time, the same technology was used to produce maple sugar as for the production of cane sugar. Despite the rise that maple and sugar production experienced in the 17th - XVIII centuries, it failed to make sugar cheaper. In Russia, this sugar was once called “agorn” (from German Ahorn - maple).

Palm sugar (jaggery)

Palm sugar is obtained from the sap of the sugar palm (Arenga pinnata or Arenga saccharifera) mainly in Southeast Asia (India, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines). IN Western Europe and the USA, in stores selling Asian products, unrefined jaggery is sold under the English name jaggery (from the Indian jagri, which goes back to the ancient Indian “sarkara” - the same root as “sugar”).

Jaggery has a golden-brown color, a pleasant taste and aroma (and when produced artisanally, the resulting product is moist, dark, coarse, unrefined, with a very strong molasses-like taste). It goes on sale in two forms: soft, similar to thick honey, and hard, in the form of bars. Once upon a time such sugar in Russia was known as “yagre” or “yageri”.

Beet sugar

Beet sugar - back in 1575, the French botanist Olivier de Serres tried to draw attention to the high sugar content in beets, but it was only in 1747 that the German chemist Andreas Sigismund Marggraff managed to extract sugar from sugar beets and make it solid. And only in 1830 the production of beet sugar was established, and the price of this product also ceased to be exorbitant.

Refined beet sugar is practically no different from refined cane sugar - both, when fully purified, can contain up to 99.9% sucrose.

However, there is still some difference. At the first stage of the production of any sugar (boiling the juice), raw sugar is obtained, while cane sugar, whose brownish color is explained by the admixture of molasses - a dark brown syrup-like liquid enveloping crystals with a peculiar odor - is quite suitable for consumption, and beetroot has an unpleasant taste and requires mandatory refining.

Malt sugar

Malt sugar is obtained from malt - a fermentation product from sprouted, dried and coarsely ground cereals. In Japan, malt sugar made from starchy rice or millet has been used for over two thousand years. Malt sugar is significantly less sweet than sucrose; it is added to baked goods and various baby food products.

Sorghum sugar

Sorghum sugar is a type of sugar that is obtained from the juice of sweet sorghum (Sorghum saccharatum), a plant of the cereal family, the stems of which contain up to 18% sugar. In China, molasses (sorghum honey) has been produced from sweet sorghum since ancient times. During Civil War in the northern states of the United States they tried to put the production of sorghum sugar on an industrial basis. But extracting sugar from sorghum juice turned out to be not cost-effective - the juice contains a lot of mineral salts, gums and invert sugar, so the yield of pure crystalline sugar is very small.

Cane sugar

Sugar cane, brought by the Arabs from India, began to be cultivated in the Middle East already in the 3rd century BC, and, most likely, it was the Persians who, by repeatedly digesting the raw material, were the first to produce a kind of refined sugar. The Arabs, who captured the Persian state of the Sassanids, quickly became addicted to sweets and in their campaigns of conquest in the 7th–8th centuries. brought sugar to the Mediterranean countries.

The enterprising Spaniards and Portuguese, who became acquainted with this sweet plant, eventually founded its plantations in the Canaries, Madeira and Cape Verde. In the 15th century, sugar cane made its main journey - to New World, and cane sugar plantations were created in America.

There is a separate article on cane sugar on the site.

Sugar can not only soften the taste of dishes, but also fight off unwanted odors, for example, pork and fish oil - it’s not without reason that the Scandinavians even add this product to liver pate and pickled herring.