Evaluation of the physicochemical characteristics of brown sugar with added very high polarization raw sugar

Abstract In Brazil, the only quality standard required for brown sugar by specific legislation is the polarization value. However, this value (90% polarization) does not represent the reality of the products found for sale on the market. In addition, procedures such as the addition of very high polarization (VHP) raw sugar has become commonplace, since this changes the final quality of the product and its processing. The development of new quality standards for brown sugar is essential, thus this work evaluated the quality of brown sugar produced with and without the addition of VHP, both with and without pH correction, in order to provide subsidies that could aid in updating the quality standards for brown sugar in Brazil. The results obtained demonstrated there was no interaction between the raw material (sugarcane juice with different initial soluble solids contents) and the process used (addition of VHP with and without pH correction) influencing the analyzed physicochemical characteristics, except the humidity, in which the process of addition of VHP sugar accompanied by pH correction resulted in products with lower moisture content.

摘要 在巴西，针对红糖的专项立法中，唯一强制要求的质量指标为旋光值（polarization value）。但该标准中规定的90%旋光值，并未反映当前市场在售红糖的实际品质现状。此外，添加超高纯度（Very High Polarization，VHP）原糖的操作已日渐常见，此类操作会改变产品的最终品质及其加工特性。制定红糖新质量标准已迫在眉睫，为此本研究对添加与未添加VHP原糖、且分别进行pH校正与未校正工艺制备的红糖品质展开评估，以期为巴西红糖质量标准的更新提供支撑依据。研究结果表明：除水分含量外，原料（不同初始可溶性固形物含量的甘蔗汁）与所采用的加工方式（添加VHP原糖与否、是否开展pH校正）之间，未对所分析的理化特性产生交互影响；其中，伴随pH校正的VHP原糖添加工艺所制备的产品，水分含量更低。