How Cane Sugar is Produced
How Cane Sugar is Produced
Cane sugar is derived from sugarcane, a tropical plant that can grow up to five meters tall. The production process involves several key steps:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCKt02NGjfM&t=307s
1. Harvesting
- Sugarcane is harvested either manually with machetes or mechanically using specialized harvesters.
- The cut sugarcane must be quickly transported for processing, as the sugar content begins to decline after harvesting.
2. Crushing and Pressing
- The sugarcane is washed, chopped into small pieces, and mechanically crushed.
- The crushed cane is passed through large rollers to extract the sweet juice (cane juice).
3. Juice Purification
- The raw juice contains not only sugar but also fibres, dirt, and other plant residues.
- It is purified through sedimentation, filtration, and sometimes lime treatment to remove impurities.
4. Evaporation & Crystallization
- The purified cane juice is heated in evaporators to remove excess water.
- As the sugar concentration increases, crystallization begins.
- Sugar crystals start to form as the syrup thickens.
5. Centrifugation & Drying
- The thick sugar mass is placed in centrifuges to separate the molasses from the sugar crystals.
- Depending on the type of sugar being produced:
- Brown sugar retains some molasses content.
- White sugar undergoes further refining and purification.
6. Refining (Optional)
- To produce white cane sugar, raw sugar is dissolved again, purified, and recrystallized.
- This process removes any remaining molasses to achieve a uniform white colour.
7. Drying & Packaging
- The final sugar is dried, sieved, and packaged according to its intended form, such as granulated sugar, powdered sugar, or sugar cubes.
Byproducts of Cane Sugar Production
- Molasses are used in animal feed, rum production, or industrial applications.
- Bagasse (the fibrous residue of sugarcane), is often burned in sugar mills for energy production.
