Regular Granulated Sugar

Regular granulated sugar is also called fine or extrafine sugar. In Canada, granulated sugar is mostly purified from sugarcane; in Europe, it is mostly purified from sugar beets; in the United States, about half is from sugarcane, the other half from sugar beets.

Regular granulated sugar from either cane or beets is typically greater than 99.9 percent pure sucrose, meaning that both are extremely pure and highly refined. For most practical applications, sugar refined in North America from either source can be used interchangeably. However, even very small amounts of impurities can cause undesirable crystallization and browning in sugar confectionery. When this occurs, it is often necessary to add a small amount of cream of tartar. Cream of tartar and other acids prevent both crystallization and browning by lowering pH.