Sugar

Most commonly processed sugar cane or sugar beet plant in granular form. From plant to granular form involves several chemical processes.

Sugar is a molecule called sucrose, a carbohydrate found mostly in plants, especially in sugarcane (produces 70% commercially) and sugar beets (produces remaining 30%). The plants produce sugars via photosynthesis.

Sugar is a simple, edible, crystalline carbohydrate. Sugar comes in many different forms; however, all types have a sweet flavour.

According to SKIL, the world\'s leading independent sugar technology organization, global food production is over 120 million tons a year; 70% of which comes from sugar cane. Sugar cane is mainly grown in tropical regions. 30% of global sugar production comes from sugar beet, which mainly grown in cooler parts of the planet. Brazil is the highest producer of sugar in the world.

Australia produces over 5 million tonnes of raw sugar each year, but very little of the sugar cane grown in Australia are coming to supermarket for your use at home.

About 85% of the raw of the raw sugar produced in Australia is sold overseas to be refined. The remaining raw sugar is sent to Australian refineries to be made into a variety of white and specialty sugar products.

Only 22% is made into retail packs for home use. The rest gets used in other ways such as: Alcoholic Beverages, Bakery Products, Beverages, Confectionery, Dairy Products, Preserved Food and Retail.