The following points highlight the six main steps involved in manufacturing cane-sugar. The steps are: 1. Extraction of the Juice 2. Clarification of Juice 3. Concentration and Crystallization 4. Separation of Crystals 5. Refining of Sugar 6. Recovery of Sugar Molasses.

1. Extraction of the Juice:

The canes are thoroughly cleaned and cut into small pieces. These cane pieces are dropped over a continuous belt of steel plates called the cane-carrier, moving over roller chains. From the cane-carrier, these are conveyed to a crusher fitted with a set of revolving knives, and cut into very small pieces.

These small pieces in the form of a compact blanket are made to pass through two roller crushers and four sets of mills. After major quantity of the juice has been extracted by the crushers and the first two mills, cold or hot water is sprinkled over the bagasse whereby residual juice gets diluted and can be easily extracted by further milling.

About 90-95% of the juice is usually extracted. The juice extracted is weighed or measured as desired and sent for clarification.

In case sugar is to be extracted from sugar-beet, it is sliced and put in hot water when the sugar present in the beet diffuses out. A number of tanks are used and worked on the principle of counter currents—concentrated solution comes in contact with fresh slices and the exhausted slices come in contact with fresh water and lose last traces of sugar in them. The solution obtained is treated like cane-juice.

2. Clarification of Juice:

The raw juice is dark opaque liquid containing about 15% sucrose and small quantities of glucose, fructose, vegetable proteins, mineral salts, organic acids, colouring matter, gums