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Molasses extract is a by-product of the sugar-refining process; the syrup or the “mother water” is separated from the grains of the raw sugar in the process of manufacture. The use of molasses dates back to 1493 when Columbus introduced it to the West Indies. Molasses became an important product in Colonial trade. It was the major sweetener used in America until after World War I because it was less expensive than sugar. The quality of molasses depends on the character and treatment of the cane juices from which it is obtained. Molasses is generally dark brown to bright amber. Blackstrap molasses is the final or exhausted molasses of raw sugar manufacture. Molasses extract is usually sweet; it can also taste burnt.

Because of its nature, molasses is expensive to export and is therefore mostly consumed where it is produced. Molasses is used as animal feed (for example in molassed beet pulp), as a food ingredient (where imported cane molasses is mostly used for reasons of taste) and as a raw material in the fermentation industries for the production of yeast, citric acid, vitamins, amino acids and lactic acid as well as for the production of ethanol.

The thick liquid remaining after the crystallization and removal of sugar from the mother liquor formed during sugar manufacture.

Molasses, first produced from sugarcane in China and India centuries ago and later in Europe and Africa, was introduced as the by-product of cane-sugar production into Santo Domingo by Columbus in 1493.

Total solids in molasses as determined by drying methods may vary from 75 to 85%, and the sucrose content may be from 25 to 40%. Reducing sugars as determined by copper reduction methods may be from 12 to 35%. The total sugar content, both sucrose and reducing sugars, is usually about 50%, but can be in considerable excess of this figure. Other important constituents: Klasonlignin (16.4% of which 16.3% total aldehyde, 5.3% vanillin, 9.0% syringa aldehyde); about 12 to 20% saccharose (located in the juice of the stem); about 0.1 to 0.25% wax.

Taste characteristics at 1%: sweet, molasses, brown, with sulfury, bready and malty nuances.

Molasses is the thick liquid left over after sucrose is removed from the mother liquid in sugar manufacture.
Blackstrap molasses is the syrup from which no more sugar can be obtained economically. It contains about 20% sucrose, 20% reducing sugars, 10% ash, 20% nonorganic sugars and 20% water. It is combustive and nontoxic.