Abstract
For case in refining and low cost of production, high grade raw sugar is require& Factors of prime importance from refuter's point of view for quality assessment of raw sugar are moisture, ash, reducing sugar, sucrose and starch contents. In addition polari-zation. colour and grain size constitute important criteria. Raw sugar samples obtained from four sugar mills in Punjab were found to be of desired quality as for as polarization and sucrose were concerned. except for one tbat had tower sucrose. All samples ex-ceeded the prescribed limits for moisture, ash aad starch' coutents. Except for the sample of oat sugar mill, rest had higher reducing sugar.
INTRODUCTION
Raw sugar is the fro duct of sugar factories prozessing eith2r cane or beet, but predominantly cane and which is purchased by sugar re5-ilt for conversion into refined sugar. In a sugar rerioery, the quality of raw sir is evaluated besides polarization on a number of other para niters. Price str u-,.ture is deter-mined by scarcity and fluctuation in dem lad whereas the quality component relates to the processing &faculties and colt of converting the raw sugar invol-ves essentially the removal of ro.31a3ses fro.n the surfacz of raw sugar crystals, followed by melting, decolourizing and fz.:-.rystallizat!on of raw sugar to a desired refined form.
The need to judge refining quality of raw s.u.gar produced by different sugar mills in Paihjab led to this study. In pA3t n. re.narkable work done On quality assessment in Pakistan.
MATERIALS AND METHIsIDS The raw sugar samples Rj, R2, R.3, and R4 were collected randomly from the four sugar mills in the Punjab, during session, 198142.
