Molasses

Molasses or treacle is a thick syrup by-product from the processing of the sugarcane or sugar beet into sugar. (In some parts of the U.S., "molasses" also refers to sorghum syrup.) The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which is in turn the Greek mellas — honey. The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or beet, the amount of sugar extracted, and the method of extraction.

Cane molasses

Sulphured molasses is made from young green sugar cane and is treated with sulfur dioxide fumes, which act as a preservative, during the sugar extraction process. The sugar cane plant is harvested and stripped of its leaves. Its juice is then extracted from the canes, usually by crushing or mashing. The juice is boiled to concentrate and to promote the crystallization of the sugar. The results of this first boiling and removal of sugar crystal is first molasses, which has the highest sugar content because comparatively little sugar has been extracted from the juice. Second molasses is created from a second boiling and sugar extraction, and has a slight bitter tinge to its taste.

The third boiling of the sugar syrup gives blackstrap molasses. The majority of sucrose from the original juice has been crystallized but blackstrap molasses is still mostly sugar by calories; however, unlike refined sugars, it contains significant amounts of vitamins and minerals. Blackstrap molasses is a source of calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron. One tablespoon provides up to 20 percent of the daily value of each of those nutrients. Blackstrap is often sold as a health supplement, as well as being used in the manufacture of cattle feed, and for other industrial uses.

Sugar beet molasses

Molasses that comes from the sugar beet is different from cane molasses. Only the syrup left from the final crystallisation stage is called molasses; intermediate syrups are referred to as high green and low green and these are recycled within the crystallisation plant to maximise extraction. Beet molasses is about 50% sugar by dry weight, predominantly sucrose but also containing significant amounts of glucose and fructose. Beet molasses is limited in biotin (Vitamin H or B₇) for cell growth, hence it may need to be supplemented with a biotin source. The non-sugar content includes many salts such as calcium, potassium, oxalate and chloride. These are either as a result of concentration from the original plant material or as a result of chemicals used in the processing. As such, it is unpalatable and is mainly used as an additive to animal feed (called "molassed sugar beet feed") or as a fermentation feedstock.

It is possible to extract additional sugar from beet molasses through a process known as molasses desugarisation. This technique exploits industrial scale chromatography to separate sucrose from non-sugar components. The technique is economically viable in trade protected areas where the price of sugar is supported above the world market price. As such it is practised in the US and parts of Europe.

Substitutes

Cane molasses is a common ingredient in baking, often used in baked goods such as gingerbread cookies. There are a number of substitutions that can be made for molasses; for a cup of molasses the following may be used (with varying degrees of success): 1 cup honey, or ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar, or 1 cup dark corn syrup, 1 cup granulated sugar with 1/4 cup water, or 1 cup pure maple syrup.

Other forms

In the cuisines of the Middle East, molasses is produced from several other materials: carob[1], grape[2], date[3], pomegranate[4], and mulberry.[5]

Trivia

• Molasses is a chelating agent. A rusty object placed for two weeks in a mixture of one part molasses to nine parts water will lose its rust due to the chelating action of the molasses.
• A famous incident involving molasses was the Boston Molasses Disaster on January 15 1919, in which a large molasses storage tank burst and flooded a neighborhood of Boston, killing 21 and injuring 150. The flood advanced as fast as 35 mph. Ironically, "slow as molasses in January" is a (US English) adage for someone or something that is very slow. Due to the high viscosity of commonly available molasses at room temperature, the liquid pours quite slowly.
• The British dessert treacle tart does not use any treacle but golden syrup.
• Molasses is the base material for fermentation into rum.
• Molasses is the key ingredient in Shoofly pie, a mostly Pennsylvania Dutch dessert in the Southeastern region of Pennsylvania. The pie also includes large quantities of plain and brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and eggs.
• Molasses can be used as carbon source for in situ remediation of chlorinated hydrocarbons. See biostimulation.

• Boston Molasses Disaster
• Molasses Gang
• Golden syrup
• Rapadura
• Sweet sorghum
• Treacle mining
• Rum
• Shoofly pie
• Jaggery

External links

• Molasses Information

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