What did ancient people use to make sugar?

Ancient people used grains to brew sugar. Early sugar was mainly caramelized sugar, a kind of sugar made from rice (starch) and malt by saccharification and boiling, which was sticky and commonly known as maltose.

As far back as the Western Zhou Dynasty, there has been caramel, is considered to be the world's first manufactured sugar. Since its creation in the Western Zhou Dynasty, it has been commonly circulated among the people and widely consumed. The Northern Wei JiaSiFu written by the "qimin yaojutsu" is the most detailed description, the book on caramel production methods, steps, points, etc. have made a narrative for posterity for a long time to follow.

China's sugar cane sugar history is also very long. Sugar cane is produced in the south, from the Warring States to the end of the Han Dynasty, has planted sugar cane, and drink its pulp. Han Dynasty, people have been able to use sugar cane pulp boiled sugar paste molded into the shape of a variety of animals, although the product is still relatively low-grade, but compared to the era of the Warring States people consume sugar cane pulp, has been a great progress.

From the Eastern Han Dynasty to the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, China's sugar quality is not good, so the Tang Emperor Taizong sent people to India to learn sugar technology, the introduction of new sugar method, from then on, China's sugar production has entered a new stage.

According to "Tang Hui Yao" records, white sugar production began in the Tang Dynasty. Song Yingxing of the Ming Dynasty, "Tian Gong Kaifu" has a detailed record of handmade sugar, this handmade sugar production method, has been used until the establishment of new China. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, sugar production with sugar beet began in the northeast of China.

Expanded Information

Common Sugar Classification

Based on the degree of refinement of the sugar, the source, the form and color, it can be roughly can be divided into the following categories:

1, refined white sugar: referred to as sugar, for granular crystals, according to the size of the crystals, there are coarse sand, medium sand, fine sand three. Characterized by high purity, low moisture, less impurities. Domestic sugar content is higher than 99.45%, moisture is less than 0.12%, and according to the standard is divided into superior, first class, second class three grades, are suitable for bread and pastry production.

2, coarse sugar: unrefined raw sugar, low purity, impurities, moisture, light yellow color, such as domestic sugar and imported Brazilian sugar, Cuban sugar, No. 2.

3, white sugar: fine and uniform crystals, white color, soft texture, purity is lower than white sugar, sugar content of about 98%, less than 2% moisture, due to the high cost, used for high-grade food.

4, red sugar: granular crystals, brownish-yellow color, high impurities, but can be used for special purposes.

5, brown sugar (sheet sugar, yellow sugar): generally squeezed by the local method of production, the most impurities, the lowest purity, but has its own special flavor and its coloring in the baking fast, but also has some applications.

6, brown sugar powder: purity is higher than brown sugar, and the scale is convenient, than the use of brown sugar.

7, rock sugar and ice sugar: not convenient to scale, high cost, less application, and limited to high-grade food.

8, glucose powder and glucose syrup: glucose syrup obtained from starch through enzyme-catalyzed or hydrolysis in the presence of acid and then spray-dried powdered glucose, generally containing 8% water.

9, malt block and maltose syrup: from barley, wheat by maltase action of water, our production of finished products generally called caramel.

10, transformed syrup: from sucrose and water in the presence of hydrochloric acid, heating. It is characterized by low viscosity and good transparency. It is a necessary raw material for making Cantonese moon cakes.

11, fructose glucose syrup (isomerized syrup): part of the glucose in the conversion syrup under the action of glucoamylase, into fructose. Industrial production of fruit glucose syrup isomerization conversion rate of 42%, the sweetness of this time and sucrose equal. If the conversion rate is increased, a higher sweetness can be obtained.

12, honey: the secretion of the plant nectar, sweetness, 60% to 80% is easily absorbed by the body of simple sugar, and has a special flavor.

13, molasses: sugar factory sugar, syrup by the concentration of the remaining mother liquor, the most impurities. But has a special flavor, the production of whole wheat bread is often used.

14, caramel is a kind of sugar, close to or over 115 ℃ temperature boiling sugar, so that a light yellow almost coffee color, and with a burnt flavor, that is, caramel. Generally used to make pudding only when used. It is harmful to eat more.

Baidu Encyclopedia - Sugar