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Classification and Uses of Sugar
Types of Sugar
The process of extracting and purifying sugars from sugar cane
and sugar beet allows for the production of a large variety of sugars.
Sugars may differ in colour, flavour, sweetness and crystal size.
Each of these characteristics allows sugar to perform a variety
of functions in food products, in addition to providing a sweet
taste. Some types of sugar are listed below.
| Sugar |
Description |
Alternative Names |
Uses |
| Brown Sugar |
White moist granulated sugar blended with small quantities
of pure sugar syrups (molasses) selected for colour and taste
The differences in colour and flavour between brown sugar
depend on the amount of molasses present. The more molasses,
the stickier the crystals, darker the colour and stronger
the flavour.
Sugar refiners can produce brown sugar from boiling refinery
cane syrups until brown sugar crystals form, or by blending
molasses syrup with white sugar crystals. |
Brilliant Yellow Sugar
Dark Brown Sugar
Demerara-style Sugar
Golden Yellow Sugar
Light Yellow Sugar
Muscovado Sugar
Plantation Raw Sugar
Soft Sugar
Yellow Sugar
|
Used in baked goods as dry mixes, meat glazes, and condiments. |
| Burnt Sugar |
Sugar caramelized by cooking at a high temperature.
Not available for purchase, but can be made at home. |
Caramelized Sugar |
Prepared in specialty foods requiring a special flavour
and colour (e.g.. crème caramel dessert) |
| Caramelized Sugar |
See Burnt Sugar |
|
|
| Caster (Castor) Sugar |
See Superfine Sugar |
|
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| Sugar |
Description |
Alternative Names |
Uses |
| Coarse Sugar |
Granulated sugar having a larger crystal size.
Highly resistant to colour change and breakdown (into glucose
and fructose) at high temperatures. |
|
Used in making fondants, confections and liquors. |
| Confectioner's Sugar |
See Icing Sugar |
|
|
| Demerara-style Sugar |
Very moist granulated sugar having a heavy molasses coating
(golden brown crystal sugar).
A specialty light brown sugar, with large golden crystals
which are slightly sticky. |
Brown Sugar |
Used as a specialty item for household baked goods.
Often used in tea, coffee or on top of hot cereals. |
Evaporated Cane
Sugar |
Lightly golden, granulated cane sugar with a slight molasses flavour. Produced from milled sugar cane through a single-crystallization process. The filtered, clarified sugar cane juice is evaporated into a syrup, crystallized and dried.
Used as a sweetening agent similar to light brown sugar, golden yellow sugar, turbinado sugar and other specialty sugars that retain more molasses.
Contains trace minerals and vitamins which are not significant in relation to nutrition requirements; has the same number of calories as table sugar. |
Dried cane syrup
Cane syrup solids
Turbinado sugar
Evaporated cane juice (misleading term as this is a sweetening syrup, not a juice.) |
Used in baked goods, on top of hot cereal, and to sweeten beverages, smoothies, or plain yogurt. |
| Fondant
Sugar |
See Icing Sugar |
|
|
| Fruit Sugar |
See Superfine Sugar |
|
|
| Golden Syrup |
Table syrup containing sucrose and invert sugar (sucrose
broken down into its two component sugars, glucose and fructose).
Made from selected blended refinery cane syrups, which are
thickened by evaporation. |
Refiner's Syrup
Refined Sugar Syrup |
Used in recipes as a syrup topping. |
| Golden
Yellow Sugar |
See Brown Sugar |
|
|
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| Sugar |
Description |
Alternative Names |
Uses |
| Granulated Sugar |
Pure sucrose
The most common form of refined sugar, made from sugar cane
and sugar beet.
Sold in varying crystal or granule sizes including: Coarse,
Medium, Fine, Extra Fine (or Special Fine, Verifine), Ultrafine,
Superfine (or Fruit Sugar, Fruit Powder, Powdered Sugar, Instant
Dissolving Sugar). |
Refined Sugar
Sucrose
Table Sugar
White Sugar |
General household use.
Used in bread, pastries, candy & processed foods. |
| Icing Sugar |
Finely ground granulated sugar, which contains approximately 3% cornstarch (gluten-free), an anti-caking agent to prevent clumping. |
Confectioner's Sugar
Fondant Sugar
Fondant Icing Sugar
Powdered Sugar
Pure Icing Sugar
Super Icing Sugar |
Used in special glazes, icings for cakes and donuts, and
some sweet pastries. |
| Liquid Invert Sugar |
Mixture of glucose and fructose when sucrose is broken
down in solution. |
|
Mainly used in soft drinks.
Also used in confectionery, canning and baking.
Used by food industry; not available for purchase by consumers. |
| Liquid Sugar |
Granulated white sugar dissolved in water |
Liquid Sucrose
Sucrose Syrups |
Used in beverages, jams, candy, ice cream, syrups, and
cooked fondants (i.e. fudge)
Used by food industry; not available for purchase by consumers. |
| Molasses |
By-product of sugar cane and sugar beet refining processes.
Dark coloured syrup.
Generally, molasses from refineries requires further processing
to meet the food grade standard (to be packaged and sold in
the grocery store. |
Table or Fancy Molasses
Refiner's or Blackstrap or Cooking Molasses
Syrups |
Baking, yeast production
Rum or other alcohol production as a fermentable carbohydrate.
Animal feeds and related applications. |
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| Sugar |
Description |
Alternative Names |
Uses |
| Muscovado Sugar |
Dry crystal sugar made by crystallization of dark syrups
(similar to Demerara-style)
Crystals are slightly coarser and stickier in texture than
regular brown sugar.
Produced at an early stage of the refining process where
not all plant pigments and flavours are removed.
Ranges from light to dark brown and has a strong molasses
taste. |
Barbados Sugar |
Specialty product used on cereal, in puddings & fruit
cakes, in marinades & sauces, or in coffee or tea. |
| Organic Sugar |
Grown where sustainable agriculture is practised, for
example, crop rotation, effective soil conservation and natural
biological pest control (no pesticides or artificial fertilizers).
Made from cane syrups that are filtered and cleaned using
only natural herbal extracts and vegetable purifiers. |
|
Used in place of granulated white sugar.
For example, in cooking, baking, or on cereal and in coffee,
tea and other beverages. |
| Pearl Sugar |
Lumps of refined sugar particles |
Decorative Sugar
Sanding Sugar |
Used mainly in the baking and confectionery industries
to sprinkle on top of baked goods. |
| Plantation 'Raw' Sugar |
See Turbinado-style sugar |
|
|
Powdered Sugar |
See Icing Sugar |
|
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| Raw Sugar |
Raw sugar is a sticky brown sugar produced at a sugar
mill by extracting cane juice from sugar cane, then partially
purifying the sugar through boiling, evaporation and re-crystallization.
It looks like soft brown sugar but contains impurities that
require it to be refined before meeting local health standards.
Not to be confused with "sugar in the raw", which is a specialty
refined sugar. |
|
This product is not sold to consumers because it does
not meet Canadian Standards for health and hygiene. |
| Refined Sugar syrup |
See Golden Syrup |
|
|
| Refiner's
Syrup |
See Golden Syrup |
|
|
| Sanding
Sugar |
See Pearl Sugar |
|
|
| Soft Sugar |
See Brown Sugar |
|
|
| Sugar |
See Granulated Sugar |
|
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| Sugar |
Description |
Alternative Names |
Uses |
| Superfine Sugar |
Crystal size is the finest of all the types of granulated
sugar |
Bar Sugar
Berry Sugar
Castor Sugar
Extra Fine Sugar
Fruit Sugar
Instant Dissolving Sugar
Ultrafine Sugar |
Excellent for sprinkling over fruit or cereals, or in
creamed mixtures, meringues and baking.
Superfine Sugar is used commercially in powdered preparations
and dissolves easily in cold beverages.
Used in the preservation of fruits. |
| Table Sugar |
See Granulated Sugar |
|
|
| Turbinado-style Sugar |
A semi-refined specialty brown sugar.
It is a raw sugar that has been processed (double washed)
for human consumption.
Its molasses coating gives it a golden colour and mild caramel
taste.
Found in restaurants and specialty shops |
Plantation Sugar
Sugar in the Raw
Washed raw sugar |
Used for hot beverages.
Can be used as a finishing touch for cookies, pastries and
cobblers. |
| White Sugar |
See Granulated Sugar |
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©
Canadian Sugar Institute
10 Bay Street, Suite 620 - Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2R8
Tel: 416-368-8091 - Fax: 416-368-6426 | info@sugar.ca
| www.sugar.ca |
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