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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Commodity Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #329613
Research Project: Developing Technologies that Enable Growth and Profitability in the Commercial Conversion of Sugarcane, Sweet Sorghum, and Energy Beets into Sugar, Advanced Biofuels, and Bioproducts

Location: Commodity Utilization Research

Title: Sugar and other sweeteners

Author
item Eggleston, Gillian
item LEGENDRE, BENJAMIN - Audubon Sugar Institute
item GODSHALL, MARY - Retired Non ARS Employee

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/9/2016
Publication Date: 8/1/2017
Citation: Eggleston, G., Legendre, B., Godshall, M.A. 2017. Sugar and other sweeteners. In: Kent, J.A., editor. Handbook of Industrial Chemistry and Biotechnology. 13th edition. New York, NY: Springer International Publishing. pp. 933-978.

Interpretive Summary: Sugar and starch are among the most abundant plant products available, and large industries exist worldwide to extract and process them from agricultural sources. This book chapter describes up-to-date world producton figures for sugar (sucrose from sugarcane and sugar beet). Sugar cane processing in a factory and refining of raw sugar is described, as well as, the processing of sugar beets into refined sugar. Starch and other sugar sweetener production and use are also discussed. Although, in some developed countries, there is currently unhealthy perception of sugar with associated campaigns to reduce sugar calories in foods, world sugar consumption continues to climb. Finally, sustainability and trace regulations are described.

Technical Abstract: Sugar and starch are among the abundant plant products available, and large industries exist worldwide to extract and process them from agricultural sources. The world production of sugar (sucrose from sugarcane and sugar beet) in 2015/2016 was approximately 176 million metric tons, raw value, with 19.6% being beet sugar and 80.4% cane sugar. The total production of world sugar has risen dramatically since 1971/1972, when it was 71.7 million tons. The proportion of beet sugar to cane sugar has fallen steadily since about 1971, when it constituted 42.8% of total sugar production. In 2015/2016, 37% (66.0 million metric tons) of world sugar production was exported, with Brazil being the largest exporter. China was the largest importer in 2015/2016 followed closely by Indonesia, the European Union, then the USA. Although, in some developed countries, there is currently an unhealthy perception of sugar with associated campaigns to reduce sugar calories in foods, world sugar consumption continues to climb. World sugar consumption was 182 million metric tons, raw value in 2015/2016, due mostly to Asia, Africa, and North and Central America. Per capita consumption of sugar in 2015/2016 was greatest in South America (51.3 kg, raw value) and lowest in Africa (17.8 kg. raw value).