Very raw sugar is raw sugar extracted directly from sugar cane or sugar beet that has undergone the minimum possible amount of processing to turn it into sugar crystals. Very raw sugar has a deep brown appearance, a sticky texture, and an ICUMSA rating of anywhere between 1600 and 4600. Very raw sugar is not suitable for human consumption, but is often purchased by refineries seeking low grade sugar for refining into other types of sugar.
ICUMSA Ratings For Very Raw Sugar
ICUMSA ratings are internationally accepted ratings used to describe the purity of sugar. Regulated by the International Commission For Uniform Methods Of Sugar Analysis, ICUMSA ratings offer a standardized system by which sugars can be classified. These ratings are standardized across the globe, so that buyers and sellers seeking to trade sugar have an easy reference system which makes sense and is accurate no matter where the buyer or seller may hail from.
ICUMSA ratings are colormetric values, determined by analysis with a device called a colorimeter. In order to determine the ICUMSA rating of a sugar, a sample of the sugar is inserted into the colorimeter, and various wavelengths of light are fired at it. A colorimeter works by detecting the amount of light absorbed by a material, and generating a reading based on that.
ICUMSA ratings are an effective means of measuring the quality of sugar because the level of purity of sugar is directly proportional to its color. For example, highly refined sugar is a sparkling white color. This type of sugar absorbs very little light, instead it reflects back most of the light fired at it, resulting in a low rating of ICUMSA 45. Very raw sugar, on the other hand, is full of contaminants and colorants, and is generally a very dark color, which is why it can return readings of anywhere between ICUMSA 1600 to ICUMSA 4600.
Extracting Very Raw Sugar
Very raw sugar can be extracted from sugar cane or sugar beet. The most plentiful sugar source, and therefore the most common, is sugar cane, which is grown extensively in Brazil, India, Thailand, and Australia. Sugar cane is a crop that requires a nice topical or sub tropical climate to grow well, and these countries all boast such climates. Once planted,sugar cane takes around twelve to eighteen months to mature enough to be harvested. It is when harvesting begins that the process of sugar extraction also starts, because the way that cane is harvested, and how quickly it is processed after harvesting are both significant factors in the quality and quantity of the resulting sugar. It is important that cane be harvested low to the ground in order that the maximum amount of sucrose can be extracted from it, and also that harvested cane be processed within two days at the longest if sucrose content within the cane is not to be lost.
Sugar cane is usually harvested by hand. In some cases the leaves may have been burned off prior to harvesting, and in other cases they must be removed at the mill before the cane is processed. Once the cane has been harvested, it is taken to the sugar mill, where it is washed to remove any dirt, before being chopped up and shredded thoroughly.
The chopped and shredded cane is fed through rollers and mills, and is crushed heavily. The crushing causes the sugar juice inside the cane to leak out, and this juice is collected for processing into raw sugar.
Sugar from sugar beets is collected in an entirely different fashion. Sugar beets grow underground, so when harvested they have a great deal of dirt clinging to them. This dirt must be thoroughly washed away, and the top leaves removed before any sugar extracting processes can begin. Unlike sugar cane, sugar beets are not suitable for crushing, so instead the washed beets are sliced very finely to maximize their surface area. Maximizing surface area makes the sugar extraction process much more efficient.
Once the beets are sliced, they are then put in a hot water diffuser, a device which forces hot water around the sugar beets. The hot water flows over them and breaks down the sugar, dissolving it into the liquid. The bulk of the sugar content of the beet is extracted this way, but before the beets are discarded for processing into animal feed, they are normally pressed and squeezed in order to remove the last of the juice.
Processing Very Raw Sugar
Very raw sugar undergoes very little processing, however some steps do need to be taken in order to turn raw sugar juice into very raw sugar. The actual procedures can vary greatly from mill to mill, but generally speaking, the juice will first be steam evaporated, and sometimes slaked lime is added to the mixture to remove excess contaminants. This step is not always taken however. Once the juice has been steam evaporated, it is then boiled to concentrate the sugar in the mix. The boiled juice is then allowed to cool, and as it does, it slowly crystallizes into very raw sugar.
Very raw sugar is a dark brown color, has a high moisture content and is quite sticky. This sugar is not recommended for human consumption, as it quite often contains bacteria and contaminants which give it an unpleasant taste. In some areas of the world, this sugar is consumed however, and it does have one advantage over refined sugar, that being the fact that it has not been separated from the liquid molasses, and therefore contains significant amounts of magnesium, potassium, calcium and iron.
Buying Very Raw Sugar
We export Very Raw Sugar directly from Brazilian sugar mills. Very raw sugar is traded on the global sugar market quite extensively. Be aware that a great deal of sugar, especially Brazilian cane sugar, which dominates global sugar exports, is often sold ahead of time, sometimes even years ahead of time. Unsold surpluses are often available however, and 2008 is an excellent year for purchasing surplus sugar, as the global surplus looks set to be in excess of ten million tons.
Please contact us and let us know your detailed requirements. We will get back to you with a price quotation shortly