Unit 14. Sugar Production

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Describe the main stages of sugar production
- Identify the two main sources of sugar
- Use Sequence words correctly

Theory

Sugar is one of the most widely used food products in the world. There are two main sources of sugar: sugar cane and sugar beet.

The process of sugar production from sugar cane includes several stages. First, the cane is harvested and transported to the factory. Then it is washed, cut and crushed to extract the juice. The juice is purified, filtered and evaporated to form a thick syrup. After that, the syrup is crystallized and the sugar crystals are separated by centrifugation. Finally, the sugar is dried, cooled and packaged.

Sugar beet processing is similar, but the beets are first sliced into thin strips called cossettes before the juice is extracted.

Refined sugar is white and pure. Brown sugar contains some molasses, which gives it colour and flavour. Sugar is used in the production of sweets, beverages, bakery products and many other foods.

Key Terms

sugar cane, sugar beet, harvesting, crushing, juice extraction, purification, evaporation, crystallization, centrifugation, refined sugar, molasses, cossettes

Exercise

1. Answer the questions:
1. What are the two main sources of sugar?
2. What are the main stages of sugar production from sugar cane?
3. What is the difference between refined sugar and brown sugar?
4. Where is sugar used in the food industry?

2. Put the stages in the correct order:
a) Crystallization
b) Harvesting
c) Evaporation
d) Crushing
e) Packaging
f) Purification

Mini Quiz

1. The two main sources of sugar are sugar cane and ________.
a) corn
b) sugar beet
c) rice

2. Sugar crystals are separated by ________.
a) drying
b) centrifugation
c) washing

3. Brown sugar contains some ________.
a) salt
b) molasses
c) flour