Sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum) is a member of the Poaceae family and is common in tropical and subtropical countries. Its history probably began in New Guinea. Today’s main cultivation regions are India, Australia, Thailand, South Africa, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, and the Caribbean islands, such as Cuba and Jamaica. At 62 million tons per year, 55% of the world’s sugar production comes from sugar cane. Sugar cane was the only source of sugar until the chemist, Franz Carl Achard, developed an industrial process for extracting sugar from sugar beet.

Its appearance resembles bamboo or maize. Its stems can reach a diameter of up to 5cm and a height of up to 4m. Loose marrow fills up to two thirds of its stem. This is the edible part. Most sugar cane is still harvested by hand, even today.

This is done with the help of a large steel blade that is approximately 50cm long. Sugar cane stems are separated just above the ground and their leaves are removed. The cane is then stacked in rows. Harvest time depends on the sugar content and maturity of the cane. The sugar content of the stems lies between 7% and 20%. Up to 8 harvests per year can be brought in from one sugar cane field.

Sugar cane is not, however, only used for making sugar. Juice can be pressed from fresh sugar cane, which in Cuba and Spain is a popular, cooled beverage. Sugar cane also, of course, makes a great base ingredient for alcohol.

This kind of juice is not only liked by people. Sugar cane alcohol is, for example, widely used in Brazil as a car fuel. Sugar cane was also famous in the past for its dental care properties. Paradoxically, if you consider that this concerns a plant with such a high sugar content. However, travel logs from the 19th century repeatedly describe the excellent condition of plantation workers’ teeth. They chewed sugar cane, and the raw parts of sugar cane acted as a kind of brush.

Sugar cane is used on the Caribbean island of Jamaica to make highly aromatic Jamaican rum. We use this for our RITTER SPORT Rum Raisins Hazelnuts and RITTER SPORT Rum Crispy Pralines.