What is organic sugar?
In most cases, organic sugar is cultivated, harvested and processed without the use of any chemicals or artificial ingredients. However, different countries have different definitions of what is and is not "organic", but this will make it difficult to definition. In some places, such as the United States, the term "organic" is firmly inspected - but this is not everywhere. Organic sugar is almost always sugar that has been grown and processed under natural conditions, but the specifics can be somewhat vague when it comes to how chemicals have been used on the way.
Defining "organic"
The United States Agriculture Ministry (USDA) has one of the strictest certification processes in the world in terms of food products that hope to be "organic". In order to get a sought -after badge "USDA Organic" for sugar, growers must prove that no chemicals or human compounds come into contact with Sugar plant, be it caneOr beets, anywhere since it was just a harvest seed, refining and packaging.
Most European countries have comparable regulators that control how and when sugar can be mentioned as organic, but in other places there is something that manufacturers can often add to most types of sugar, which has some kind of "natural" component. It does not always ensure that sugar has been processed without chemical intervention. Most sugars that carry an "organic" label are without chemicals at the point of sale -e whether pesticides were used on crops or whether different persons created compounds were used in the processing is often something mysterious.
debate on genetically modified beets
One of the largest controversies in the organic sugar market concerns whether plants grown from genetically modified seeds can bring organic sugar if they never treated pesticides or never getinto contact with other chemicals. Experts descend on both sides of the problem, but the general consensus is "no". Genetic modification changes the internal structure of the seed that affects how the plant will grow and develop. Most people consider this to be a scientific intervention that violates the spirit of the organic movement.
The debate is mainly influenced by sugar, which comes from sugar beet. Many sugar beet seeds have been genetically created to help the plants develop the resistance of pesticides. This means that farmers do not have to spray their crops to maintain mistakes and weeds away-but it also means that it can be very difficult to find sugar derived from beet that is organic. Some smaller farms and more rural teams will create it, but few distributors in bulk markets. The vast majority of organic sugars today come from sugar cane.
Sign of organic sugar
organic sugar often has a goldier color than its more processed alternatives, but not always. AmberÍN is often simply evidence that sugar has not been subjected to extensive refining and does not necessarily say anything about chemical use. It is possible - although often expensive - to bleach sugar without the use of whites or other ingredients.
In most cases, it is very difficult to distinguish organic from non -organic sugar to appearance or taste itself. Organic sugars come in brown, white and powder varieties with some regularity. The product is the same, only the process is often connected.
How sugar is used and price
organically grown sugar can be used in the same way as chemically treated versions. For example, it is a conventional sweetener when baking and can be added to drinks such as coffee or tea to increase the taste.
In most places, organically grown sugar is slightly more expensive than the regular version due to the added work needed to launch it. Avoiding all chemicals often means more work for farmers and processors, which is usually reflected in the overall price.