Sugar

Sugar, commonly know as Sucrose, has a chemical fourmal of media type="custom" key="221973", Which is 12 Carbon atoms 22 Hydrogen and 12 Oxygen

__**Naturally or Artificial**__ Sugar is naturally made by most plants during the process of photosynthesis.The sugar produced in photosynthesis is called glucose, which has a formula of media type="custom" key="228537". The sugar used in most foods comes from Sugar cane and Sugar beats. The plants are harvested and sent to factories to be crushed and filtered into the powered substance most people associate sugar with.

1 Plant the plants that normally are used to create sugar such as sugarcane and sugerbeats. Let the plants grow for 8 months so they can mature. 2 Harvesting. The sugarcane is cut off by its roots and it is stripped of its leaves. Then it is sent to a factory where the top of the plant is cut, and the stalks of the sugarcane are bound together and sent to the factory. 3 Cleansing. The cane is washed and ground into tiny little bits and sent along a conveyor belt. 4 Juicing. The cane is then sent along the conveyor belt where it is rolled down by a large machine separating the juices from the stalk. 5 Clarifying. Carbon dioxide and the milk of a lime is then added to the raw juices where it draws the non-sugar things out of the sugar. The juice is now a light brown color. 6 Evaporating. The sugar juices are then heated in a vacuum under a low heat until most of the water in the juices is evaporated. After the process, the juices become a thick brown syrup. 7 The molasses like syrup is again boiled in a vacuum until crystals begin to form. These crystals and remaining syrup is called masscult. 8 The mix is then sent to centrifuges to separate the crystals from the syrup. The syrup that is separated is further processed to produce more crystals. 9 Clean water is used to wash the sugar. It is then dried by fans. 10 The sugar is then separated by size, cured, and packaged and shipped to stores and other food manufacturing plants There are many national manufacturing companies that produce sugar. On the international level Brazil is the leader in manufacturing and sales of sugar. Other sugar growing countries are Cuba and India. On the national level ther are many producers of sugar such as:
 * __Process of Making Sugar__**
 * __Producers:__**

Hawiian Commercial & Sugar Company, Maui American Crystal Sugar Company, Minnesota Michigan Sugar Company, Michigan Imperial Sugar Company

Sugar has three different sub groups of which it can be classified they are fruits, sucrose and, starches. The sugar standards are based off of guidelines set by the FDA which require them to run tests to test the pH of the sugar and the purity of the sugar. The FDA also requires that labels warnings of health risk are placed on the packaging, The labels can warn of certain ingredients such as sorbite and mannitol that were used in making the sugar and they must cover if the juices were pasteurized or not.
 * __Quality control:__**

Sugar is rarely 100% surcose; it is often combined with water glucose and fructose when it is beging made into sugar. To make caramelized sugar you add heat which cause the water to evaporate from the sugar which makes it hard and liquidiy. Calcium hydroxide is also sent through the sugar to clean out and fats or dirts that are left in it.
 * __Sugar Chemistry:__**

Sugar is in almost everything that is edible. There are too many products to list but to give a fiew examples:
 * __Foods Containing Sugar:__**
 * 1) pop
 * 2) candy/goodies
 * 3) sports drinks
 * 4) fruit
 * 5) vegetables


 * __Interesting Facts:__**
 * 1) It was nationally reported that Americans eat about 150 lbs of sugar a year. This was very far from the truth. Most americans only eat about 40 lbs of sugar a year.
 * 2) Sugar contains about 4 calories per gram
 * 3) Traditionally, the whiter the sugar, the more pure it was.
 * 4) The demand for brown sugar has increased because it is said to be more natural.
 * 5) Other sugar facts: http://www.crystalsugar.com/products/products5.sfacts.asp

__**Sources:**__ __[|Wikipedia-Sugar] [|Manufacturing-ACSC] [|HCSC] [|Michigan Sugar Company]__ [|Imperial Sugar] [|Sugar Process] [|Sugar Standards] [|Sugar Chemistry] [|Sugar Association]