CHAPTER XX11 

 MOLASSES 



MOLASSES is the material from which sugar has been removed in the course 

 of manufacture. The terms " first molasses," " second molasses," etc., 

 thus result, though generally molasses without any qualification refers to 

 the final product from which it is not possible or convenient to extract any 

 more sugar ; the terms " final," " exhausted," " waste," and " refuse " are, 

 however, used to specify this by-product. In French practice " melasse " 

 refers to the final product, the terms " sirop " or " egout " being used for 

 the intermediate materials. The term molasses does not occur in refinery 

 practice, " barrel syrup " being the phrase used. In Louisiana the term 

 *' black strap " is employed to specify the product obtained when making 

 96 test crystals for refining purposes, " table syrup" being used when the 

 molasses are intended for consumption, as obtained when making yellow 

 sugars. 



Since molasses is a residue obtained by the continual removal of sugar, 

 it at once follows that the composition of the molasses is determined by the 

 composition of the juice, modified by such changes as occur in the process 

 of manufacture. Thus, the same relative proportions of reducing sugars 

 and non-sugars must occur in the molasses as are present in the juice, except 

 in so far as reducing sugars are destroyed or non-sugars are removed inde- 

 pendently of concurrent removal with raw sugar. 



Very detailed analyses of waste molasses have been made by Geerligs, 1 

 as they occur in Javan factories, and others in less detail of Hawaiian 

 molasses have been made by Peck and Deerr. 2 From these analyses a num- 

 ber of typical results have been selected and are given in the annexed 

 schedules, wherein will be found examples covering the extreme variations 

 ever likely to occur. Comparing the results, the higher percentage of ash 

 in the Hawaiian molasses is to be noted, together with instances of a very 

 low content in reducing sugars ; these examples are afforded by juices 

 from very ripe irrigated Lahaina cane, which often contains only 0-2 to 

 0-3 per cent, of reducing sugars. The low optical activity of the reducing 

 sugars in carbonation molasses is to be noted,* and in this material the 

 activity is positive as often as negative. 



* This peculiarity is not confined to molasses from carbonation factories. Demerara molasses frequently 

 exhibit it. Two samples analysed by Peck and Deerr gave 36.5 and 35.0 polarization, and 38.3 and 34.9. sugar per 

 cent. 



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