Sugar: How is it produced from beet? (Infographic)

The EU is the world’s leading producer of beet sugar. Globally, 20% of sugar is produced from sugar beet; the other 80% is produced from sugar cane.¹

The process varies slightly to produce different types of sugar, for example:

• BROWN SUGAR: As sugar produced from sugar beets is naturally white, brown sugar produced from sugar beet is the result of either leaving the white sugar crystals in contact with the brown syrup, or re-adding the brown syrup to the white sugar crystals.
• ICING SUGAR: Icing sugar is made by grinding granulated sugar, using a mill (like a coffee grinder).
• CASTER/CASTOR SUGAR: Caster or castor sugar (a British term given to sugar fine enough to fit through a sugar “caster” or sprinkler) is made by sieving granulated sugar to give fine sugar crystals which dissolve quickly. Granulated sugar has a mean particle size of 500-600 µ while caster sugar has a mean particle size of 300-500 µ.

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Reference

1. European Commission website, Agriculture and Rural Development section, “Sugar”. Last updated 11 February 2014.

For more information

Sugar - how is it produced from cane?