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.