• About Sugar
• Products
• How Sugar is Made
  • In the Canefield
  • At the Sugar Mill
  • At the Sugar Refinery
• Types of Sugar
• Sugar and the Environment
  • Carbon Dioxide Gas Recovery
  • Chelsea and the Environment
  • Recovery of Good Carbon from Waste Water
  • Waste Management
  • Water Treatment
  • Energy Reduction Projects
  • Chelsea Heritage Estate
  • Chelsea Ponds
• Health and Wellbeing
• Common Questions About Sugar

About Sugar

Sugar, a Versatile Ingredient In Food Production

No alternative ingredient can match the positive and varied characteristics of sugar. In addition to its use as a sweetener, sugar is a natural preservative and preserves the texture and original colours of jams and bottled fruit. It extends the shelf life of many products and enhances the texture of cakes and biscuits. It helps set jellies and jams.

In a wide range of foods, the "clean" taste resulting from sugar’s purity enhances the flavour of many food ingredients, adding sweetness without disguising the natural flavour of other ingredients. On one hand, sugar stops the growth of bacteria in preserves while on the other hand it provides food for yeast used in the baking of bread. As it caramelises, sugar adds colour and flavour to the crust and retains moisture so the food stays fresh. Sugar is also used in brewing, other yeast-raised products and in many medicines.

Sugar provides necessary functional properties in cooking and baking:

• Absorbs water and provides texture in baked goods (less sugar = dense texture like a bread roll; more sugar = fluffy texture like a cake).
• Preserves jam and marmalade by stealing the water from bacterial cells, which kills them – this prevents spoilage.
• Sugar sprinkled over your biscuits and cakes can help the baking keep moist and fresh for a longer time.
• Sugar is a catalyst, it provides nourishment for yeast, to assist bread to rise.
• Adds flavour and balances acidic elements in marinades and dressings.
• Lowers the freezing point, this is essential for recipes such as ice cream.
• Enhances smoothness, flavour and mouth feel in dairy products.

Other uses for sugar:

• Add a tablespoon of sugar to flower vase water, the sugar nourishes the stems and keeps the flowers fresh for longer.
• Sugar crystals can be used as a scrub, they can help remove elements such as oil, paint or grease. Sugar crystals can also be used as a body scrub simply by mixing with a little body cream.
• Sugar is used to slow down the setting of cement. It is also used in action stunts in the film industry – it is called sugar glass, and is used instead of glass panes.