Molasses

Not to be confused with molasse.

"Black treacle" redirects here. For the Arctic Monkeys song, see Black Treacle.

Blackstrap molasses

Molasses, or black treacle (British, for human consumption; known as molasses otherwise), is a viscous by-product of the refining of sugarcane or sugar beets into sugar. The word comes from the Proto-Indo-European *mélid". Cognates include Ancient Greek μέλι (méli) (honey), Latin mel, Spanish melaza (molasses) and miel (honey), Portuguese melaço. Molasses varies by amount of sugar and method of extraction, and age of plant.

Sweet sorghum syrup may be colloquially called "sorghum molasses" in the southern United States.

Cane molasses

A bottle of molasses

Cane molasses is a common ingredient in baking and cooking.

To make molasses, sugar cane is harvested and stripped of leaves. Often the fields of cane are set on fire to burn off the leaves and drive out the snakes that seem to enjoy this habitat. Its juice is extracted usually by cutting, crushing or mashing. The juice is boiled to concentrate it, promoting sugar crystallization. The result of this first boiling is called "first syrup", and it has the highest sugar content. First syrup is usually referred to in the Southern states of the US as "cane syrup", as opposed to molasses. "Second molasses" is created from a second boiling and sugar extraction, and has a slight bitter taste.

Blackstrap molasses

The third boiling of the sugar syrup yields dark, viscous blackstrap molasses, known for its robust flavor. The majority of sucrose from the original juice has been crystallised and removed. The calorific content of blackstrap molasses is mostly due to the small remaining sugar content. Unlike highly refined sugars, it contains significant amounts of vitamin B₆ and minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese; one tablespoon provides up to 20% of the recommended daily value of each of those nutrients. Blackstrap is also a good source of potassium. Blackstrap molasses has long been sold as a dietary supplement.

Blackstrap molasses is significantly more bitter than "regular" molasses. It is sometimes used in baking. This residual product of sugar refining is used for producing ethanol and as an ingredient in cattle feed and as fertilizer.

The term "black-strap" or "blackstrap" is an Americanism dating from 1875 or before. Its first known use is in a book by detective Allan Pinkerton in 1877. In North India it is known by Urdu word Raab.

Sugar beet molasses

Molasses made from sugar beets differs from sugarcane molasses. Only the syrup left from the final crystallization stage is called molasses; intermediate syrups are called high green and low green, and these are recycled within the crystallization plant to maximize extraction. Beet molasses is 50% sugar by dry weight, predominantly sucrose, but contains significant amounts of glucose and fructose. Beet molasses are limited in biotin (vitamin H or B₇) for cell growth; hence, it may be supplemented with a biotin source. The non-sugar content includes many salts, such as calcium, potassium, oxalate, and chloride. It contains betaine and the trisaccharide raffinose. These are as a result of concentration from the original plant material or chemicals in processing, and make it unpalatable to humans. Hence it is mainly used as an additive to animal feed (called "molassed sugar beet feed") or as a fermentation feedstock.

It is possible to extract additional sugar from beet molasses through molasses desugarization. This exploits industrial-scale chromatography to separate sucrose from non-sugar components. The technique is economically viable in trade-protected areas, where the price of sugar is supported above market price. As such, it is practiced in the US and parts of Europe. Molasses is also used for yeast production.

Unsulphured molasses

Many kinds of molasses on the market come branded as unsulphured (using the original British spelling of sulfur). Many foods, including molasses, were treated with sulfur dioxide as a preservative, helping to kill off molds and bacteria. Sulfur dioxide is also used as a bleaching agent, and helped to lighten the color of molasses. Most brands have veered away from sulphured molasses, due to its relatively stable natural shelf life, the off flavor that can arise from using sulfur dioxide, and the fact that sulfur dioxide in high doses can be toxic.

Other forms

Yomari - rice flour breads filled with chaku

In Middle Eastern cuisine, molasses is produced from carob, grapes, dates, pomegranates, and mulberries. In Nepal it is called chaku (Nepal Bhasa: चाकु) and used in the preparation of Newari condiments such as yomari.

Other uses

Food products and additives

File:Bhapa Pitha Bangladeshi Style, 3 February, 2013.jpg

Bhapa Pitha, a popular Bangladeshi style rice cake, is often sweetened with molasses.

Molasses can be used:

• In dark rye breads
• In some cookies and pies
• In barbecue sauces
• In beer styles such as stouts and porters
• The principal ingredient in the distillation of rum
• As a humectant in jerky processing
• An iron supplement
• An additive in livestock feeds
• An ingredient in fishing groundbait
• A source for yeast production
• The main ingredient in the production of citric acid
• An additive in tobacco smoked in a hookah, shisha, or narghile (found in the brands The King, Al Fakher Tobacco, Cedars Tobacco, Mazaya, Nakhla, Tangiers, Salloum, and Hookafina Blak)

Chemical

• The carbon source for in situ remediation of chlorinated hydrocarbons
• Blended with magnesium chloride and used for de-icing
• A stock for ethanol fermentation to produce an alternative fuel for motor vehicles

Industrial

• As a minor component of mortar for brickwork
• Mixed with glue to case ink rollers on early printing presses

Horticultural

• As a soil additive to promote microbial activity

Nutritional information

Molasses

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	1,213 kJ (290 kcal)
Carbohydrates	74.73 g
Sugars	74.72 g
Dietary fiber	0 g
Fat	0.1 g
Protein	0 g
Vitamins
Thiamine (B1)	(4%) 0.041 mg
Riboflavin (B2)	(0%) 0.002 mg
Niacin (B3)	(6%) 0.93 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)	(16%) 0.804 mg
Vitamin B6	(52%) 0.67 mg
Choline	(3%) 13.3 mg
Minerals
Calcium	(21%) 205 mg
Iron	(36%) 4.72 mg
Magnesium	(68%) 242 mg
Manganese	(73%) 1.53 mg
Phosphorus	(4%) 31 mg
Potassium	(31%) 1464 mg
Sodium	(2%) 37 mg
Zinc	(3%) 0.29 mg
Link to USDA Database entry
Units μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams IU = International units
Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database

Molasses contains no protein or dietary fibre and close to no fat. Each tablespoon (20 g) contains 58 kcal (240 kJ), 14.95 g of carbohydrates, including 11.1 g of sugar divided among:

• Sucrose: 5.88 g
• Glucose: 2.38 g
• Fructose: 2.56 g

Important minerals

Minerals in Meridian/Organic/Pure blackstrap - per 100 g (equivalent to 5 tablespoons):

• Calcium: 400 mg (50% RDA)
• Iron: 13 mg (95% RDA)
• Magnesium: 300 mg (38% RDA)

See also

• Anadama bread
• Brown sugar
• Caramelization
• Great Molasses Flood
• Maillard reaction
• Pekmez
• Shoofly pie
• Syrup
• Treacle

External links

Media related to at Wikimedia Commons