Processing sugar cane involves transforming the tall stalks harvested from fields into usable sugar crystals through a series of steps primarily carried out at a sugar mill.
The Sugar Cane Processing Journey
The process begins in the fields and moves to a specialized facility where the raw material is broken down and refined.
From Field to Mill: Harvesting and Transport
Sugar cane stalks are harvested from agricultural fields. In the United States, common harvesting locations include Florida, Louisiana and Texas. After harvesting, the stalks are transported directly to a nearby sugar mill for processing.
At the Sugar Mill: Transforming Cane into Crystals
Once at the mill, the sugar cane undergoes several key transformations:
- Preparation: The delivered sugar cane stalks are thoroughly washed to remove dirt and debris. Following cleaning, the stalks are cut into shreds to prepare them for juice extraction.
- Juice Extraction & Purification: While not explicitly detailed as a separate step after shredding in the reference, the juice is extracted from the prepared cane. This raw juice is then clarified, which means impurities are removed, resulting in a cleaner liquid.
- Concentration: The clarified juice is then concentrated. This involves reducing the water content to create a thicker syrup.
- Crystallization: Finally, this concentrated juice is crystalized. Through controlled heating and cooling, the sugar molecules form crystals, separating from the remaining liquid (molasses).
These steps result in raw sugar crystals that can then be further refined into various sugar products.
