Brazilian sugar manufacturers produce ICUMSA 150 sugar, a refined white sugar widely traded by Brazilian sugar exporters. While not as refined as ICUMSA 45, ICUMSA 150 is still food-grade and used by Brazilian sugar suppliers for food production requiring lower refining levels. This sugar is highly refined compared to higher ICUMSA-rated sugars, such as ICUMSA 4600, which are unsuitable for consumption due to contamination. ICUMSA (International Commission for Uniform Methods of Sugar Analysis) Ratings standardize sugar refinement levels, ensuring Brazilian sugar wholesalers can trade across international markets with confidence.

What Does ICUMSA 150 Mean?

All sugar is tested based on whiteness, even raw sugar. The whiter the sugar, the more refined it is, meaning fewer contaminants and chemicals remain, leading to higher quality. ICUMSA ratings follow a ‘reverse scale,’ where lower numbers indicate higher quality, a system used by Brazilian sugar exporters under the SGS rating. However, in Europe, this system is inverted, and ICUMSA 42 sugar refers to raw, unrefined sugar. To simplify transactions, international buyers often request Brazilian SGS-rated sugar.

But how can one verify whether sugar is Brazil ICUMSA 45? This is determined through the ICUMSA test using a colorimeter, which measures light absorption by sugar samples.

As mentioned, sugar quality is judged by whiteness. A substance appears white when it absorbs fewer wavelengths of light. In color theory, an object’s color depends on the wavelengths it reflects. A red sweater, for instance, absorbs all wavelengths except red, which is reflected. While the human eye can detect over 7 million colors, it cannot provide precise numerical values, making a colorimeter necessary for accurate ICUMSA ratings.

The ICUMSA test is conducted with a tristimulus colorimeter, which measures readings across the visible light spectrum. Human eyes perceive light within a specific frequency range—ultraviolet light has a higher frequency, while infrared light has a lower frequency.

During testing, sugar samples are inserted into the colorimeter, and various light wavelengths are projected onto them. If little light is absorbed, the sugar is high quality (such as ICUMSA 45); if more light is absorbed, the sugar is lower quality.

How Is ICUMSA 150 Sugar Created?

ICUMSA sugar is derived from either sugar beet or sugar cane, regulated by the Brazilian sugar association. While chemical tests can determine sugar origins, it makes little practical difference whether ICUMSA 150 sugar comes from sugar beet or sugar cane. In sugar cane processing, cane is crushed through rollers, releasing sugary liquid for further refinement.

Processing sugar beet is more complex. Beets are sliced and placed in a diffuser, where hot water extracts sugar, similar to how tea steeps in water. The extracted sugar solution is then processed.

At this stage, manufacturers have raw sugar juice containing sugar, water, and impurities. To produce raw sugar, the juice is evaporated, yielding dark brown sugar.

Refining starts with “affination,” where raw sugar is mixed with heavy sugar syrup to prevent crystal dissolution. This mixture, called “magma,” helps remove molasses, the thick layer around sugar crystals. The mixture is spun in a centrifugal chamber, removing liquid and leaving mostly sugar crystals.

Next, the sugar crystals are washed and dissolved into a 50/50 sugar-liquid solution.

The refining process continues with either carbonation or phosphation, depending on market needs. In carbonation, lime (milk of lime) is added to the sugar juice, forming calcium carbonate (chalk), which absorbs non-sugar impurities. These are removed via sedimentation. Phosphation follows a similar process but uses phosphorus instead of calcium carbonate. This stage lasts 20 minutes to an hour, depending on the desired refinement level.

At this stage, the sugar is further purified. Its brown color is removed, leaving it white. Fructose and glucose are eliminated, leaving only sucrose. Any remaining contaminants are filtered out, maximizing purity.

After carbonation or phosphation, the refined sugar juice undergoes boiling to remove excess water and initiate sugar crystal formation. Sugar dust may be added to encourage crystallization. Once crystals form, they are spun in a centrifuge to extract sugar and remove ‘mother liquor.’ The final sugar crystals are dried, packaged, and shipped worldwide by Brazilian sugar suppliers.