Over the past few decades, consumers have become increasingly aware of what goes into their food and drink and have been seeking out organic alternatives to highly processed foods and ingredients. Sugar has not been immune to this reappraisal and in response to consumer demands some forward-thinking beverage producers like Rocky Mountain Soda have heard the call and responded with delicious and refreshing craft soda pop that uses only USDA-certified organic cane sugar instead of its highly processed counterpart. But just what is organic sugar and what is the process used to produce it? That's what we'll look at below.
What is Organic Sugar?
The term organic sugar applies to sugar that is grown and processed in accordance with well-established organic farming standards. In the United States, these standards are set by the USDA and specify every aspect of the growing and production processes. Mind you there are two sources for this type of sugar - cane and sugar beets - but since the sugar that comes from both is identical we're going to confine the discussion to sugar from sugar cane for the sake of simplicity.
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.
Only if a sugar satisfies these criteria without exception can it be certified and sold as organic.
How Organic Sugar is Made
Organic sugar is crafted through a meticulous process that ensures sustainability and purity from start to finish. By adhering to USDA organic standards, this process guarantees a natural, environmentally friendly sweetener free from synthetic chemicals. We've outlined the steps of the organic sugar production process below.
Growing the sugar cane
The first step in producing USDA organic sugar is, of course, growing the sugar cane. 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.
Harvesting the sugar cane
Once the sugar cane has reached maturity it is harvested. In many cases, the harvesting is done by hand but not always. Some growers use machinery specifically designed 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.
Extracting the juice from the sugar cane
Following harvesting the sugarcane is taken to a processing facility. There it is washed before being crushed in order to extract the juice that contains the actual sugar. Rollers are used to squeeze out the liquid. If the rollers have been used to extract juice from non-organic cane they must be thoroughly cleaned before they are used on organic sugar cane.
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.
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.
Separating the sugar crystals
During the next step in the process, the large crystals are separated from the molasses base via centrifuge. 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.
Drying the sugar
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.
“Most sugar refineries utilize an industrial drying system to draw moisture out and create a high-quality sugar. Rotary dryers used in sugar production traditionally employ a counter-current air flow configuration to dry the sugar while it tumbles through the long, cylindrical drum of the dryer...a long retention time in the drum is required to effectively remove moisture from the sugar."
—Shane Le Capitaine, Thermal Processing Expert
FEECO International Inc.
Why Choose Beverages that Use USDA Organic Sugar?
There are a number of benefits to choosing Rocky Mountain soda pop with certified organic sugar. Here are just some of them:
- It's Environmentally Responsible — As you can see from the detailed description we provided of the process used to create organic sugar, the potential environmental impact is kept front and center at all times and steps are taken to ensure the cultivation and refinement process is carried out in accordance with USDA guidelines.
- It's Vegan-Friendly — One of the little-known aspects of creating white table sugar is that bone char is used during the refinement process to make the sugar crystals as white as possible, thereby making it off-limits to vegans. Organic cane sugar completely bypasses that part of the refinement process thereby making it suitable for both vegetarians and vegans.
- It's Ethically Made — In most cases, organic cane sugar is produced in accordance with the highest ethical standards including fair compensation for the grower and fair wages for their workers, enhanced labor practices and an environmentally aware production process. When you drink a can of Rocky Mountain pop you can rest easy knowing the sweetener used is produced in an ethical and sustainable fashion.
The Bottom Line
Whether you have always been aware of the health, environmental and ethical issues surrounding the ingredients in soda or you are just now becoming aware of them and want to adjust your purchasing habits accordingly, you'll find Rocky Mountain Soda to be just what the doctor ordered.
By insisting on using only USDA organic cane sugar we ensure the clean, sparkling taste of each one of our delicious flavors shines through from the first sip to the last.
