Organic cane sugar is produced from sugarcane grown without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, or genetically modified seeds, following organic certification standards (e.g., USDA Organic or EU Organic).

​

Even organic cane sugar provides empty calories without nutritional benefits, and small amounts in savory products like this can add up in a diet. 

 

In order to obtain an "organic" certification the sugar must meet the following criteria:

• It was grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers.

• GMOs, or Genetically Modified Organisms, cannot be present at any stage of the growing process.

• Organic sugar cannot be subjected to bleaching agents or other chemicals at any time.

• The growing process must prioritize environmental sustainability.

​

Cultivation and Harvesting: Organic sugarcane is grown in compliance with organic standards, using natural fertilizers (e.g., compost) and pest control methods (e.g., biological controls). Mature cane stalks are harvested by hand or machine, typically after 12–18 months of growth. It must be grown in fields that are certified to have been free of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and herbicides for at least three years. Only organic fertilizers (such as manure and compost) are allowed. If the grower wishes to exercise pest control, they must do it using techniques such as crop rotation or the introduction of insects that will eliminate pests without harming the crop.

​

Cleaning and Preparation: Once the sugar cane has reached maturity it is harvested. The stalks are washed to remove dirt and debris, then cut into smaller pieces to prepare for juice extraction. In many cases, the harvesting is done by hand but not always. Some growers use machinery specifically designed to avoid chemical treatments and to minimize any environmental impact. What you will never see during the harvesting of organic sugar cane is the burning of the plants to remove excess leaves, as is often done with non-organic cane.

​

Juice Extraction: The sugarcane is crushed or pressed using rollers or mills to extract the sweet juice. In organic production, equipment is thoroughly cleaned to avoid contamination with non-organic substances.

​

Clarification: The raw juice is heated and filtered to remove impurities like plant fibers or dirt. Organic-approved clarifying agents, such as lime (calcium hydroxide) or natural enzymes, may be used to settle solids, ensuring no synthetic chemicals are involved.

​

Evaporation: The clarified juice is boiled in evaporators to remove water, concentrating the juice into a thick syrup with high sugar content.

​

Crystallization: The syrup is boiled further in vacuum pans to encourage sugar crystal formation. The mixture is seeded with sugar crystals to promote uniform crystallization, yielding a mix of sugar crystals and molasses (called "massecuite").

​

Removing Impurities: All raw juice contains impurities including plant material, dirt, and fibers from the stalks. Before the process of creating the organic sugar can move forward these impurities must be removed. That said, clarifying agents often used to purify non-organic juice cannot be used. Instead, natural agents such as lime, vegetable-based flocculants and other substances are employed to remove impurities.  The raw sugar crystals are dried to remove residual moisture. For organic white sugar, minimal refining may occur using natural methods (e.g., filtering through activated carbon) to remove remaining molasses and impurities. Unrefined organic cane sugar (e.g., turbinado or demerara) retains more molasses for a darker color and richer flavor.

​

Creating the Concentrate: Once the juice has been properly purified it is allowed to evaporate and become a thick concentrate. Tiny sugar crystals are added to the concentrate that promote the formation of larger sugar crystals. During this process, the juice takes on the characteristic molasses-like texture and caramel-like flavor.

​

Centrifugation: The massecuite is spun in centrifuges to separate the sugar crystals from the molasses. With non-organic sugar the process would continue until all of the molasses was removed, leaving only the white sugar crystals. With organic sugar, however, trace amounts of molasses are typically allowed to remain, and they give the sugar its characteristic off-white color and enhanced flavor. The molasses may be reused for further extraction or processed separately (e.g., for organic molasses).

​

Drying: The last step in the process of creating USDA-certified organic sugar is drying the sugar crystals. When the drying process is complete organic cane crystals may - unlike refined sugar - have a clumpy texture due to the remaining molasses. The completed sugar is then packaged in biodegradable or recyclable bags in keeping with the sustainability ethos.

​

Packaging: The sugar is tested for purity and adherence to organic standards, then packaged in eco-friendly, biodegradable, or recyclable bags to align with sustainable practices, typically labeled with organic certification details.

​

Organic Standards: The process avoids synthetic chemicals, uses organic-approved additives, and ensures sustainable practices, such as crop rotation and soil health management, to maintain certification.

​

The final product is organic cane sugar in forms like granulated, raw, or minimally refined, used as a sweetener in food and beverages.​​​​​