Color Intensity and Particle Distribution of Japanese Traditional Refined Sugar (Wasanbo-to)

Abstract

Changes of color intensity during the refining steps of raw sugars were analyzed by a Nihon Denshoku digital color machine, model ND-101D using the white standard plate (X 83.7%, Y 82.1%, Z 94.8%). Whiteness was increased gradually by each refining step, and final sample showed 0.34 and 0.35 as x and y values, respectively, and 77-80% as whiteness.
Particle distributions were also analyzed by sieving method. While the larger particles (2.0-4.0 and over 4.0mm in diameter) were rapidly decreased with polishing mascuite with hand, the smallest particles (less than 0.25mm in diameter) were gradually increased. Under microscopic observation on each fractionated particle, there was no single crystal larger than 0.4mm even in raw mascuite. The bigger particles were clusters of small crystals to which decomposed with polishing. This is one of the characteristics of the traditional refining process. Final products were composed of mainly particles of less than 0.25mm and 0.25-0.50mm in diameter 41-65% and 21-33%, respectively.