Sugar beet processing

Sugar beet processing involves several steps to extract sugar from the root of the sugar beet plant. First, beets are harvested and cleaned to remove dirt. Next, they are sliced into thin strips called cossettes and soaked in hot water to dissolve the sugar. This liquid is then treated with lime, which helps to clarify it by removing impurities. The clarified juice undergoes evaporation to concentrate the sugar, and eventually is crystallized through cooling. The sugar crystals are separated from the remaining syrup, resulting in raw sugar, which can be further refined for culinary use.