Sugar

Sugar, also known as sucrose, is the water-soluble substance obtained by processing sugarcane, sugar beets, and sorghum. Although the most commonly used sugar comes from cane and beets, it is also available in other forms, such as glucose or dextrose (corn or grape sugar), fructose or levulose, maltose (malt sugar), and lactose (milk sugar); it is also found in maple sap. Not only does sugar add sweetness to products, but it can preserve foods, caramelize the surfaces of cooked or baked foods, delay coagulation in egg-based mixtures, and add stability to, strengthen, and tenderize doughs and other mixes. Sugar also aids in the retention of moisture, which prolongs a product’s shelf life.