Refining can be defined as the purification or the removal of impurities from a substance. Sugar is obtained from a variety of plants, the most common of which are listed below. The refinement of sugar usually refers to the extraction of all of the plants ingredients to leave sugar sucrose.

• Sugar Cane - Sacharum. officinarum - click on sugar cane for more information.

• Sugar Beet - Beta vulgaris - click on sugar beet for more information.

• Palm Sugar - Arecaceae -Sugar made from the sap of various palm trees.

• Maple Sugar - Acer saccharum - Sugar is made by boiling down maple syrup.

• Watermelon - Citrullus lanatus - Originally an African Vine cultivated for its large fruit.

• Grape - genus Vitis - A vine producing clusters of edible berries.

Sugarcane and sugar beets are unusual in that not only do they manufacture sucrose in great quantities but they also store it unchanged.

The refining process of both sugar cane and sugar beet are described in the following sections: