2 BULLETIN 928, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
FUNCTION OF SUGAR IN CURING MEAT. 
Sugar is used in curing meat chiefly on account of its effect upon 
~the quality of the product. “Sugar-cured” hams and bacon are 
supposed to be of superior quality. A very large proportion of the 
fancy hams and bacon on the American market has been cured with 
the use of sugar or sirup. 
Sugar is not used in curing meat on account of its preservative 
action; in fact, it is probable that the quantity of sugar ordinarily 
used exerts but very little, if any, preservative action. Meat can be 
cured in entire safety without the use of any sugar, and large quan- 
tities are so cured. 
SUBSTITUTES FOR SUGAR. 
The sugar generally used in curing meats is sucrose in the form 
of granulated, clarified, or plantation-raw sugar. In addition, a 
considerable quantity of second-grade refiners’ sirup is also used. 
This grade of refiners’ sirup is not suited to replace granulated sugar 
in the household. 
The essential requirements for sugar substitutes used in curing 
meats are: (1) The cured meat should be of as high quality as that 
cured with sucrose; (2) there should be practically no spoilage of 
meat during the curing process; (3) the substitute should be avail- 
able in sufficient quantities and at a price comparable with that of 
sucrose. The following products were investigated as to their suit- 
ability for the purpose. 
REFINERS’ SIRUP. 
Refiners’ sirup, second grade, is a dark-colored, strong-flavored 
product resulting from the refining of cane sugar. It is variable in 
composition and quality and is usually purchased on specifications 
as to sugar and ash content. ‘The total domestic production of first- 
and second-grade refiners’ sirup in 1918 is estimated by one of the 
large sugar-refining companies to have been 345,000,000 pounds, 
which is equivalent to approximately 210,000,000 pounds of sugar. 
Data on the production of second-grade sirup could not be obtained. 
It appears that the total supply of refiners’ sirup is about ten times 
greater than the amount required to meet the sugar needs of the 
meat-packing industry. First-grade refiners’ sirup is much higher in 
price than the second-grade product, and for that reason is ordinarily 
not used in curing meats, and if the production of second-grade sirup 
is estimated as half the total production, then the lower-grade sirup 
would supply approximately five times as much sugar as is needed in 
curing meats. However, the total supply of this grade of sirup is 
not available for the purpose. 
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