Talk:Molasses

Understanding Molasses.. Ferd Kinneth

Understanding Molasses

Do you know the difference between types of molasses? We often hear the term "blackstrap molasses," but what does that mean?

The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane, the amount of sugar extracted, and the method of extraction. There are three major types of molasses: unsulphured, sulphured and blackstrap.

Unsulphured molasses is the finest quality. It is made from the juice of sun-ripened cane and the juice is clarified and concentrated.

Sulphured molasses is made from green sugar cane that has not matured long enough and treated with sulphur fumes during the sugar extracting process. Molasses from the first boiling is the finest grade because only a small amount of sugar has been removed. The second boil molasses takes on a darker color, is less sweet and has a more pronounced flavor.

Blackstrap molasses is from the third boil and only has a commercial value in the manufacture of cattle feed and other industrial uses. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 210.1.91.129 (talk) 15:14, 30 January 2006 (UTC)

Black Treacle

I removed a clause in the lede that claims that black treacle is the same as molasses. This is untrue; black treacle is a mixture of invert sugar and molasses. Its taste, colour and viscosity are not the same as molasses. See, for example, Tate & Lyle's own web-page on Black Treacle:

https://www.lylesgoldensyrup.com/our-range/our-classic-tin/product-black-treacle — Preceding unsigned comment added by MrDemeanour (talk • contribs) 11:29, 20 June 2022 (UTC)

So what is it, really?

The first sentence tells me that molasses is a viscous substance; that's not very helpful. Farther on the sentence says it "varies in the amount of sugar. Apparently, it contains sugar. That could be my morning coffee: dark, sweet, and viscous.

What is it, really? In the nutrition section almost at the end of the article there's a breakdown: roughly 75% carbohydrates and 25% water. Of those carbohydrates, roughly 30% is "sugar". What about the rest? In any case, the numbers are from the USDA, a US-centric source. There is no indication of the scope of those limited figures.

I still don't know what it is. I'm sorry for being sarcastic, but I really think the first paragraph should give the reader that vital piece of information. It sounds as if molasses is very roughly a mixture of 25% water, 25% sugar, and other "stuff", possibly carbohydrates whatever they are. I will leave it to the experts to figure out exactly what the first sentence should say to answer the question "what is molasses?" Humpster (talk) 02:40, 3 March 2024 (UTC)

I'm afraid I don't share your confusion; the lede explains it satisfactorily to me, at least. While the later-described proportions of types of sugars doesn't 'add up' within the narrative text, it's not a significant matter; the bottom line is that it's mostly some water and a lot of sugar - a blend of assorted sugars, likely from the Maillard reaction or carmelization converting sucrose into other sugars. I think the reality is that molasses simply hasn't been subjected to very much study; a google search actually yields more information about it than here, e.g. the history of molasses. I guess molasses just isn't that interesting a topic for most readers (or editors). cheers. anastrophe, an editor he is. 05:26, 3 March 2024 (UTC)

Sugar beet molasses ≠ sugar beet syrup

I've removed the following sentence from the article:

Sugar beet molasses is widely consumed in Europe (for example Germany, where it is known as Zuckerrübensirup).

For the following reason:

The section about sugar beet molasses is conflating two different products: sugar beet molasses vs. sugar beet syrup (Zuckerrübensirup). Sugar beet molasses is a byproduct of sugar production from sugar beets. Sugar beet syrup on the other hand is the result of cooking sugar beets which were specifically grown for syrup production (the syrup is not a byproduct, it's the product). Sugar beet molasses is not used for human nutrition in Germany.

https://www.atco.de/produkt/melassen/zuckerruebe/

https://www.rewe.de/lexikon/melasse/

https://www.grafschafter.de/service-kontakt/faq

To quote the last link (which is the most prominent sugar beet syrup vendor in Germany, if I'm not mistaken):

Ist Zuckerrübensirup das gleiche wie Melasse? Nein. Zuckerrübensirup ist der naturreine, konzentrierte Saft erntefrischer Zuckerrüben ohne deren Pflanzenfasern und ohne jeglichen nachträglichen Zusatz. Er entsteht durch Eindicken von Rübensaft, der aus den gekochten Rübenschnitzeln abgepresst wird und damit alle wertvollen Inhaltsstoffe der Rübe enthält. [...] Melasse ist ein Nebenprodukt aus der Kristallzuckergewinnung. Es muss allerdings zwischen der Zuckerrüben- und Zuckerrohrmelasse unterschieden werden. Die Zuckerrübenmelasse wird vorwiegend als Futtermittel verwendet, wohingegen Zuckerrohrmelasse auch für Ernährungszwecke angeboten wird.

And in a different section the same site says:

Kristallzucker wird zwar auch aus der Zuckerrübe hergestellt, durchläuft jedoch ein anderes Herstellungsverfahren [als Zuckerrübensirup], bei dem ausschließlich die Saccharose gewonnen wird.

Nakonana (talk) 15:43, 5 May 2024 (UTC)

More links in English:

http://www.sustainablesugar.eu/molasses

https://www.atco.de/en/produkt/melassen/zuckerruebe/ (same as the German atco link above just in English)

https://www.pfeifer-langen.com/en/products/sugar-beet-syrup-details/

https://www.sugar.org/blog/molasses-all-you-need-to-know/

https://www.liquid-energy.ch/wp/wp-content/uploads/A-1-Sugar-Beet-Molasses-General-information-EN-LQS-INT1alle.pdf

https://www.medicinenet.com/what_is_molasses_made_of/article.htm says:

Sugar beet molasses is unusable in food because it is extremely bitter.

https://www.atamanchemicals.com/molasses_u25075/ says:

The sugar beet variety [of molasses] has a strong, foul taste, and is usually not considered palatable for human consumption.

Nakonana (talk) 16:11, 5 May 2024 (UTC)

Nutrition section

The table should probably specify that it is (I assume) referring to sugar cane molasses. The values would likely look different for sugar beet molasses. Nakonana (talk) 17:06, 5 May 2024 (UTC)