The usual amount of granulated sugar in a glass of tea or coffee, surprisingly, does not always make a hot drink familiar to taste. At the same time, the sweetness of sugar does not depend on the quality of the crop, as many are used to thinking.
Sugar is a substance called sucrose. It is obtained industrially from beets and reeds, purified from impurities and crystallized.
Beet sugar has a different degree of purification and sucrose content, and it is the percentage of sucrose to the total volume of granulated sugar that determines the brand of the product and its division into categories.
The technical conditions for sugar production are regulated by GOST 33222-2015, which clearly prescribes the content of sucrose and the degree of purification of each of the varieties.
The sweetest sugar is in the Extra category. Mass fraction of sucrose content in it is not less than 99.8%. This variety has a flawless white color, and the marking itself ensures that there are no lumps in the sealed bag.
Further, going down the quality ladder, are the PC1 and PC2 categories, the sucrose content of which should not be lower than 99.7%. This is also the highest category and these two varieties differ only in the degree of purification, in PC1 it is higher, respectively, and the sugar itself is lighter. GOST allows the presence of lumps in these two varieties, however, they should easily disintegrate after light pressing.
The lowest sucrose content, 99.5%, is in the PC3 category. Sugar has a yellowish tint, with the smell of molasses, there are lumps in the pack, the presence of hardly noticeable particles of debris is possible.
Unfortunately, in the case of sugar, the cost guideline will not help: the manufacturer may add to the cost the costs of advertising and making good, colorful packaging. The consumer, as the person most interested in the quality of the product, must always study the information on the package. The seller himself will always tell you what quality category of sugar sold by weight.
