A Step-by-Step Guide to Industrial Sugar Processing
From your morning cup of tea to the candies in your pantry, sugar is a staple in households and industries alike. But how does the sweet, white crystal make its way from tall stalks of sugarcane or humble sugar beets to your kitchen shelf? The answer lies in a fascinating, multi-stage process known as industrial sugar processing. In this blog, we’ll walk you through every critical step involved in transforming raw plant materials into refined sugar. Step 1: Harvesting the Raw Material The journey begins in the fields with the harvesting of sugarcane (primarily in tropical regions) or sugar beets (commonly in temperate zones). Sugarcane is typically harvested mechanically or manually and transported to mills as quickly as possible to avoid sucrose degradation. Sugar beets are uprooted and washed to remove soil and debris before processing. Step 2: Juice Extraction For Sugarcane: The harvested stalks are crushed using heavy rollers to extract the juice. Water is often sprayed durin...