Non-centrifugal cane sugar

It also states that "the product contains only natural anhedral micro-crystals, of irregular shape, not visible to the naked eye, which are surrounded by molasses' residues and other constituents of sugar cane".

[4] It also contains minerals (up to 3%), mainly calcium, potassium, sodium, chloride and phosphates, but also a number of essential nutrients or oligo-elements including iron, zinc, magnesium, copper, cobalt, nickel and chromium.

[5][6] The particular chemical composition of NCS depends on the cane variety used, the soils on which it was grown, the fertilization applied and the processing methods.

[9] NCS production in Latin America reached an all-time high in 2011, surpassing the two million metric ton level for the first time.

In some countries (for example, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Costa Rica) solid NCS is being progressively replaced by user-friendly, branded, granulated presentations, often packed in plastic or paper bags for use at home and also as an industrial sweetener for the preparation of beverages and many other processed foods.

The introduction of the granulated presentation has permitted the development of a small specialty market in Europe, U.S. and Japan supplied by at least a few producers from India, Costa Rica, Colombia and Brazil.

Given the high sugar content of cane juice NCS is essentially made up of crystals of sucrose mixed with molasses, and many additional constituents of cane juice, like inverted sugars (glucose and fructose), minerals, vitamins, organic acids, and other trace substances, many still unknown.

With the aim of neutralizing the juice, which facilitates the formation of sugar crystals, lime or sulfur dioxide are added.