CANE SUGAR. 



Although sugars may be dry on storing, they may take up water after- 

 wards and in the presence of bacteria suffer loss. This deliquescence is due 

 entirely to the film of molasses and is connected with the following causes ; 

 to the presence of hygroscopic salts such as acetates occurring when stale or 

 damaged or diseased canes are worked up or when an excess of lime has been 

 used in the presence of much glucose ; to the presence of chlorides introduced 

 from the soil or irrigation water, as was noticed by Wray so long ago as 1848 ; 

 to decomposition products formed by overheating. 



Protection of the sugars can be partially obtained by the construction of 

 a close and tight warehouse, and the use of an interior proof paper bag is also 

 recommended in some quarters. 



In beet sugar districts stress is laid on packing the sugars only after 

 thorough cooling and on an alkaline reaction ; this last cause cannot affect 

 cane sugars since they are almost invariably acid as regards phenolphthalein. 



FIG. 216. 



Infection of Sugars. The studies of Lewton-Brain and Deerr 3 

 on Hawaiian sugars showed that the forms of bacteria met with are heat 

 resistant and are not destroyed in the usual process of manufacture ; hence a 

 juice originally infected will afford an infected sugar ; the possibility of 

 obtaining sterile syrups, &c., is one of the points (in the writer's opinion) in 

 favour of the use of superheat clarification. There are many other points of 

 infection, of which the most prominent are the return of low grade sugars 

 obtained from exposed coolers, and the use of dirty water at or about the 

 centrifugals ; the tin pail so often seen as a receptacle for water, into which a 

 filthy rag is dipped which then serves to wipe down the spindle and about the 

 machine, is a source of infection which may result in serious deterioration. 

 Here of all places absolute asepsis should be aimed at, an end approximately 

 obtained by the use of condensed water continually renewed and not allowed 

 to stand, combined with the application of formalin as a bactericide. 



384 



