Sugar and available types

SUGAR

Sugar which is an important part of our diet occurs naturally in almost all plant structures. However, for general and commercial purposes, it is obtained from two major sources:

·         Sugarcane

·         Sugar Beet

CLASSIFICATION OF SUGAR

Sugar may be classified under one or a combination of the following:

A.     The source, sugarcane or sugar beet

B.     The country of origin

C.     The method of processing which in turn will determine the type of sugar produced, e.g: cube sugar, powdered sugar

D.     Its uses e.g. specific sugars are bought for certain purposes like icing sugar is meant basically for icings.

E.      The chemical group – sugars may be classified into two chemical groups

1. Mono saccharides &
2. di saccharides

TYPES AVAILABLE IN MARKETS

Commercially, sugar is available in two forms:

A.     Solid form

B.     Liquid form

SOLID FORMS

Granulated sugar: 

By far the most important sugar product on the market and is also known as sucrose. Granulated sugar is marketed as fine (the type most commonly used) or ultra fine (used in the making of cakes and instant beverages).

Powdered sugar:

This is obtained from granulated sugar, through the process of pulverization. It is available in various degrees of fineness depending on the purpose it is used for.

Brown sugar:

It is composed of sugar crystals which are suspended in a flavored and colored molasses syrup and is often referred to as demerara sugar. Demerara sugar is brown sugar that comes from Demerara in the West Indies.

Cube sugar:

This is ultra-fine granulated sugar which is compressed into small individual portion sized cubes. Very popular in fine dining restaurants. Sometimes is made out of powdered sugar as well.

Icing sugar:

This is powdered sugar which has a small percentage of corn flour worked into the mixture. It gives a much smoother texture to the final product and as the name suggests, it’s used to produce various icings.

 Maltose:

 Also known as malt sugar is used as a sweetener, flavoring and coloring agent. It is also used in the manufacture of beer besides being used in malt beverages, instant beverages, milk shakes and candy.

Lactose:

Lactose is commercially extracted from solutions of whey, by crystallization. It is added to bakery products because its presence contributes to the surface browning of baked products.

Invert sugar:

 Invert sugars are desirable in baked products and in candies because they resist crystallization and also retain their moisture.

LIQUID FORMS

Liquid sugars are available in the form of syrups. These syrups are liquid containing large amounts of sugar. Syrups can have a variety of flavors that make them a useful addition to other foods. The most frequently used syrups are:

Molasses:

Popular commonly in India as jaggery (gur), but in the liquid form. It is a by-product of the sugar industry (sugarcane). However, black jaggery is obtained from the date palm and is also referred to as palm jaggery. In the manufacture of sugar from cane, the sugar goes thru various stages of crystallization and refinement. The left overs and by products are used to produce molasses.

Maple syrup:

 Maple syrup is obtained from the sap of mature sugar maple trees. The characteristic flavor of maple syrup is obtained from the volatile oils in the sap that is then concentrated by boiling. Maple syrup is very popular in USA where it is popularly served with flapjacks (American pancakes). It is also popular in Canada and the maple leaf even figures on the Canadian flag.

Honey:

Honey is made by bees from the nectar of flowers and is stored for future use in cell like structures called honeycombs. One property of honey that is very useful in cookery and bakery is its ability to retain water. Cakes and cookies that have honey as an ingredient will retain their moisture for a fairly longer time.

Corn syrup:

Is used mainly to sweeten foods in the commercial production of foodstuffs. Corn syrup is a liquid sweetener consisting mainly of glucose or dextrose. It is made by converting cornstarch into simple sugar compounds by the use of enzymes.

High fructose corn syrup:

This product is being used increasingly in commercial food production because of its intense sweetness. It is used in the manufacture of soft drink concentrates, fruit squashes, candy and some bakery products.

Glucose:

Glucose is present in fruits in the natural form but commercially is sold as dextrose. It is used extensively in the commercial production of candy. It is also used widely in making Icings like gum paste, pastillage and such products.

USES OF SUGAR

·         A sweetener in products such as cakes, cold drinks and commonly in tea and coffee.

·         Softening gluten in flour and to make baked products tenderer to eat and lighter in texture.

·         To color baked products such as the crust of bread.

·         Retaining moisture and prevent baked products in particular from drying out quickly.

·         Preservative in jams, marmalades and canned fruit.

·         To help as an activator. Sugar helps yeast to grow faster by providing it with a readily available source of food and nourishment.

·         As an anti-coagulant, sugar helps to delay the coagulation of protein in egg.

·         It is used as the main ingredient in icings and candies.

Effects of heat on food components

Effects of Heat on Food Nutrients

Food commodities are composed of protein, fats, carbohydrates and water plus trace elements like minerals, vitamins, pigments and flavor elements. It is important to understand how these elements react when heated and when mixed with each other. You must understand why foods behave as they do and then you can get them to behave, as you want them to.

PROTEINS

·         Protein is a major component of meat, fish, poultry, egg and milk. It is present in smaller amounts in nuts, beans and grain.

·         As proteins are heated, they become firm and coagulate. As the temperature increases, they shrink, become firmer and lose more moisture. Exposure of proteins to excessive heat toughens them and makes them dry. Most proteins complete coagulation at 160-185F (71-85C).

·         Connective tissues are special proteins that are present in meats. Meats with a great deal of connective are tough, but some connective tissues dissolve when cooked slowly with moisture.

·         Acids such as lemon juice, vinegar and tomato help to speed coagulation and also help dissolve some connective tissues.

CARBOHYDRATES

·         Starches and sugars are both carbohydrates. Both compounds are present in foods in many different forms. They are found in fruits, vegetables and grain plus in beans and nuts. Meats and fish contain only very small amount of carbohydrates.

·         For a chef, the two most important changes in carbohydrates caused by heat are caramelization and gelatinization.

·         Caramelization is the browning of sugars. The browning of seared meats and the golden crusts of bread loafs are forms of caramelization.

·         Gelatinization occurs when starches absorb water and swell. This is a major principle in the making of sauces and the production of bread and pastries.

·         Acids inhibit gelatinization.

FRUITS & VEGETABLE FIBER

·         Fiber is the name of a group of complex substances that give structure and firmness to plants. This fiber cannot be digested.

·         The softening of fruit and vegetables in cooking is the part breakdown of this fiber.

·         Sugar makes fiber more firm. Fruits cooked in sugar remain more firm.

·         Baking soda and other alkalis make fiber softer. Vegetables should not be cooked with baking soda because they become mushy and also lose their color and the vitamin content.

FATS

·         Fats are present in meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk products nuts and whole grain and to a lesser extent in vegetables and fruit. Fats are also important as a cooking medium and for frying.

·         Fats could either be solid or liquid at room temperature. Liquid fats are called oils. Melting points of solid fats vary.

·         When fats are heated, they begin to breakdown. When hot enough, they deteriorate rapidly and begin to smoke. The temperature at which this happens is called the smoke point and it varies for different fats and oils.

MINERALS, VITAMINS, PIGMENTS

·         Minerals and vitamins are important to the nutritional quality of the food. Pigments are important to a food’s appearance.

·         All these components may be leached out, or dissolved away from foods during cooking.

·         Vitamins and pigments may also be destroyed by heat, by long cooking and by other elements present during cooking.

·         It is important, then, to select cooking methods that preserve, as much as possible, a food’s nutrients and appearance. These will always be a consideration when cooking techniques are involved.