Sugar, Types of sugars and sugar syrups

Group 311 - Athira12 - Divya13 - Ekta14 - Indrani15 - Janarthini (NCC/ab)

What is SUGAR? Most people recognize sugar as a white crystalline substance used as a sweetener in food and drink.

Sugar is a carbohydrate. Sugar is a source of energy in the body and is a structural component of the cells.

Example: d-ribose, a form of sugar is a building block of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a nucleotide produced by the body for energy release.

Source of Sugar:

Sugarcane is the chief source of sugar.

It belongs to the genus Saccharum.

Sugar is simply separated from the beet or cane plant, and the result is 99.95% pure sucrose (sugar).

The sucrose from sugar beets and sugar cane is not only identical to one another, but each is the same as the sucrose present in fruits and vegetables.

The cultivation of sugarcane started in New guinea.

Another important source of sugar is sugar beet.

Sugarcane contains 12-15 per cent sugars(sucrose, glucose and fructose).

The cane juice is acidic (pH 5.0-5.4) and, in addition to sugars, contains minerals (0.4-0.7 per cent) and vitamins. The vitamins present are thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin and vitamin D.

Structure of Sugar:Sucrose is the organic compound commonly known as table sugar and sometimes called Saccharose. A white, odorless, crystalline powder with a sweet taste, it is best known for its role in food.

Formula: C12H22O11

Melting point: 186 °C

Molar mass: 342.2965 g/mol

Density: 1.59 g/cm³

There are two main categories of sugars:

1) SIMPLE SUGARS

Simple sugars are a basic form of carbohydrate.

Simple sugars belong to one of two categories: monosaccharide and disaccharides.

Saccharides are a group of carbohydrates which include starches and sugars.

Examples of monosaccharide: Ribose Glucose Fructose Galactose

Examples of disaccharides: Maltose Lactose Sucrose

Sources of simple sugars include:1. fruit2. milk3. hop - a plant and ingredient in beer

COMPLEX SUGARS

As suggested by name, complex sugars are more 'complex' in their structure compared to simple sugars.

Complex sugars contain three or more units of sugar.

As sugar is a carbohydrate, complex sugars are often referred to as complex carbohydrates.

There are two types of complex carbohydrates:

• assimilable polysaccharides.

• non-assimilable polysaccharides.

o Assimilable Polysaccharides

If a complex carbohydrate is assimilable it can be readily absorbed by the body and incorporated into body tissue. Examples of assimilable complex carbohydrates include starch and amylase.

Sources of (Assimilable Polysaccharides) include:

1. Potatoes

2. Pasta

3. Rice

o Non-assimilable Polysaccharides

These complex carbohydrates are not readily absorbed by the body. Examples of non-assimilable polysaccharides include cellulose, gums and pectin.

Sources of (Non-Assimilable Polysaccharides) include:

1. Seeds

2. Pulses

3. green vegetables

TYPES OF SUGARS:1. WHITE SUGARRegular Sugar• As it is known to consumers, is the sugar found in every home’s sugar bowl, and most commonly used in home food preparation.• The food industry stipulates “regular” sugar to be extra fine or fine because small crystals are ideal for bulk handling.

Fruit Sugar• Fruit sugar is slightly finer than “regular” sugar and is used in dry mixes such as gelatin and pudding desserts, and powdered drinks.• The uniformity of crystal size prevents separation or settling of larger crystals to the bottom of the box, an important quality in dry mixes.

Bakers Special Sugar• The crystal size of Bakers Special is even finer than fruit sugar. • As its name suggests, it was developed specially for the baking industry.

Superfine, ultrafine, or bar sugar• This sugar’s crystal size is the finest of all the types of granulated white sugar. • It is ideal for delicately textured cakes and meringues, as well as for sweetening fruits and iced-drinks since it dissolves easily. 

Confectioners or powdered sugar• This sugar is granulated sugar ground to a smooth powder and then sifted. It contains about 3% cornstarch to prevent caking. Powdered sugar is ground into three different degrees of fineness. • This is used in icings, confections and whipping cream.

Coarse sugar• As its name implies, the crystal size of coarse sugar is larger than that of “regular” sugar. Coarse sugar is recovered when molasses-rich, sugar syrups high in sucrose are allowed to crystallize. • The large crystal size of coarse sugar makes it highly resistant to color change or inversion at cooking and baking temperatures. These characteristics are important in making fondants, confections and liquors.

Sanding sugar•Another large crystal sugar, sanding sugar, is used mainly in the baking and confectionery industries as a sprinkle on top of baked goods. •The large crystals reflect light and give the product a sparkling appearance.

Cubes • Sugar crystals are added to water and mixed well. • This mixture is then placed on a tray and is pressed properly and left for cooling. Once cooled is cut into cubes.• It is often used for coffee or tea. • 1 cube is measured about 3/4 teaspoon each.

Rock Sugar•Rock sugar is a form of sugar composed of very large crystals.•It is also referred as rock candy. •It can be also used for garnishing dessert, swizzle sticks coated in it can be offered with tea or coffee.•It contains 25calories per teaspoon.

2. BROWN SUGAR

Turbinado sugar (evaporated cane sugar)• This sugar is raw sugar which has been partially processed, where only the surface molasses has been washed off. • It has a blond color and mild brown sugar flavor, and is often used in tea and other beverages.

Brown sugar (light and dark)• Brown sugar retains some of the surface molasses syrup, which imparts a characteristic pleasurable flavor. • Dark brown sugar has a deeper colour and stronger molasses flavor than light brown sugar. • Lighter types are generally used in baking and making butterscotch, condiments and glazes. • The rich, dark brown sugar makes it good for gingerbread, mincemeat, baked beans, and other full flavored foods.

Muscovado or Barbados sugar• Muscovado sugar, a British specialty brown sugar, is very dark brown and has a particularly strong molasses flavor.• The crystals are slightly coarser and stickier in texture than “regular” brown sugar.

Free-flowing brown sugars• These sugars are specialty products produced by a co-crystallization process. • The process yields fine, powder-like brown sugar that is less moist than “regular” brown sugar.

Demerara sugar• Popular in England, Demerara sugar is a light brown sugar with large golden crystals, which are slightly sticky from the adhering molasses. • It is often used in tea, coffee, or on top of hot cereals.

3. LIQUID SUGARThere are several types of liquid sugar. Liquid sugar (sucrose) is white granulated sugar that has been dissolved in water before it is used. Liquid sugar is ideal for products whose recipes first require sugar to be dissolved.

Invert sugar

• Sucrose can be split into its two component sugars (glucose and fructose). This process is called inversion, and the product is called invert sugar.

• Commercial invert sugar is a liquid product that contains equal amounts of glucose and fructose. Because fructose is sweeter than either glucose or sucrose, invert sugar is sweeter than white sugar.

•  Total invert sugar is half glucose and half fructose, while 50% invert sugar (half of the sucrose has been inverted) is one-half sucrose, one-quarter glucose and one-quarter fructose.

• Invert sugar is used mainly by food manufacturers to retard the crystallization of sugar and to retain moisture in the packaged food.

Making of invert sugar

SUGAR SYRUPSMolasses•Molasses is the dark colored syrup product resulting after the removal of crystalline sucrose by centrifugation from the concentrated clarified cane juice.• Generally, it contains about 35 per cent sucrose and 15 per cent invert sugar.

Chocolate syrup

•It is a chocolate flavored condiments. •It is often used as a topping for various desserts, such as ice cream, top puddings.•It can be made from unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar and water.

Barley Malt syrup• It is a unrefined sweetener produced from sprouted(malted) barley. • This contains 65% maltose, 30% complex carbohy-drates, 3% protein. • Is used in combination with other natural sweeten-ers to lend a malt flavor.• It can be added it to cake frosting for extra flavor, used it to sweeten bread.

Corn syrup• Corn syrup is prepared by hydrolyzing corn starch with hydrochloric or sulphuric acid with heat and pressure.• The syrup is a mixture of glucose, maltose and dextrin.• Glucose is the principal sugar and is present to the extent of 35 per cent.

High fructose syrup• A high fructose corn syrup is prepared from corn syrup by the use of the enzyme glucose isomerase.• High-fructose syrup contains about42 per cent fructose and is used in the manufacture of drinks, candies etc.

Maple syrup• Maple syrup is prepared by evaporating the sap of the maple tree (Acer saccharum).• The sap contains sucrose and the syrup has a sugar content of 64-68 per cent.

Cane syrup• Cane syrup is similar to molasses and is obtained by simply boiling sugarcane juice to a syrup consistency.

Artificial Sweeteners

•Saccharin•Aspartame•Acesulfame-K•Sucralose•Neotame

Artifical Sweeteners, Not Yet Approved by FDA

•Alitame•Cyclamates•Neohesperdine•Thaumatin

EnergyK. Cal

Carbohydrateg

CalciumMg

IronMg

Sugar 398 99.4 12 0.15

Jaggery 383 95.0 80 2.64

Honey 319 79.5 5 0.69

Nutritive value of sugar per 100g.

Sugar provides only energy to the body. Therefore, foods that contain relatively large amounts of sugar generally have low nutrient density-proportionately less protein, minerals and vitamins.

Molasses which contains the natural ash of the plant juices from which it is made, furnishes some nutrients other than carbohydrate such as a small amount of calcium and iron.

SUMMARY :

1. Sugar is a carbohydrate. 2. Sugarcane is the chief source of sugar. 3. There are three types of sugars, white

sugar, brown sugar and liquid sugar. 4. Another sugar form is sugar syrups. 5. The nutritive content of sugar per 100g is

398 energy K.cal, 12mg calcium and 0.5mg iron.

THANK YOU

BIBILOGRAPHYhttp://www.sugar.org/all-about-sugar/types-of-sugar/

http://www.sugar.org/all-about-sugar/the-other-26-sweeteners/

http://www.whathealth.com/sugar/

Foods- Facts and Principles by N Shakuntala Manay and M Shadaksharaswamy

Food science by B. Srilakshmi (M.Sc., M.Ed., M.Phil)