Sugar classes tell us about the sensory values and physical and chemical characteristics of white sugar. Does the sugar grade matter?
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I noticed that in the popular discount store I like, you can only get second-class sugar. I’ve never paid any attention to it before. Is it good sugar? How is it different from first grade sugar? Henryk, 58
Indeed, most stores do offer Grade 2 white sugar, although you can also find Grade 1 sugar. What are these grades all about? Well, the sugar class tells us about the sensory properties and the values of the physicochemical characteristics of white sugar. In simple terms, they refer to the degree of purification of ‘sugar’.
We have 4 categories of sugar:
Category one sugar
It is white in color, free from foreign smells and taste. The crystals of such sugar are free flowing, without lumps. If we are dealing with sugar in cubes, they should have even, smooth walls, and the damage to the cubes must not exceed 5%. The aqueous solution of such sugar is clear.
Second category sugar
It has a white color, but slightly cream shades are allowed. It should not have foreign smells and aftertastes.
Category three sugar
The third category sugar is light cream sugar, its crystals may stick together slightly and have a faint smell of the mother syrup, as well as adhesions and twin crystals. An aqueous solution of such sugar has an opalescent color.
Category four sugar
From the third category, sugar from the fourth category differs mainly in its darker color.
As you can see in the description above, the second category of sugar may only slightly differ in color from the first. Such sugar will still have no foreign tastes and smells.
The photo is from: seelensturm / Foter / CC BY
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