Muscovado

Muscovado is a type of partially refined to unrefined sugar with a strong molasses content and flavour, and dark brown in colour.

The earliest known production of crystalline sugar began in northern India, after the introduction of sugarcane by Austronesian traders from Maritime Southeast Asia at around 1000 BCE.

[10] Around the 8th century, Muslim and Arab traders introduced sugar from medieval India to the other parts of the Abbasid Caliphate in the Mediterranean, Mesopotamia, Egypt, North Africa, and Andalusia.

[11] The early modern era, which saw the European colonization of the Americas and Asia, also led to a rapid increase in sugar production.

Sugar plantations were established in numerous places colonized by European nations, such as islands in the Indian Ocean, the West Indies and South and North America.

[16][17][18][2][1][19] Muscovado is today produced by three main methods:[20][21] Massecuite is also used in the production of jaggery, in which it is set into moulds directly (without shearing, centrifuging, or spray drying).

[5][6] In India, most khand (muscovado) is produced by 150 small to medium scale private manufacturers overseen by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission.

[23] When produced under regulated conditions muscovado is nutritionally richer than sugars,[24][better source needed] and retains more of the natural minerals in sugar cane juice, as shown in the following nutritional analysis (per 100g):[25] Muscovado is used as an ingredient in food and confectionery,[26][27] and as a sweetener in hot beverages.