RAW sugar quality is a critical factor as it determines raw sugar value and affects
the performance of refineries. Refiners are increasingly demanding high quality
raw sugar to optimise their own operations. Raw sugar producers need to
understand the impact of quality issues on their customer’s (refiners) production.
This paper examines the significance of raw sugar quality characteristics and
their impact on sugar refining performance. The raw sugar quality criteria such
as pol, colour, ash, dextran, filterability, grist and starch are very important to a
refiner as they all have an effect on the efficiency and performance of the
refinery. Although not a specific quality item, the affining quality of raw sugar
and resultant impurities in the affined sugar are of particular interest to the
refiner as they are key components in maintaining optimum production rates.
Operational experiences on the affects of raw sugar quality at Manildra Harwood
Sugars refinery are discussed.