Is all raw cane sugar made using bone char?

Question

I thought that all raw cane sugar wasn't vegan so have been avoiding it but I've just been reading the ingredients of tofutti's icecream which states that it's vegan and it has raw cane sugar in.

Does this mean I've been avoiding some foods which are actually vegan-friendly?

Also If the sugar is only filtered through bone char and not directly a part of it does that mean it can be classified as vegetarian?

If not it would be a lot easier to find out if it's vegan because I could take it the products which say they are vegetarian would use sugar that is also vegan.

clerksgirl513.... I've just taken a look at the biscuits my dad was eating and they say they are suitable for vegetarians but they're covered in white sugar. So does this mean vegetarians can eat sugar filtered through bone char?

God this is so confusing!!

Answer 1

No, vegetarians could not eat white sugar filtered with bone char. Also not some brand use oyster shells to wash the sugar...not veggie either.

i thought veggies just used raw cane sugars, i do.

Although we did have one of the more knowledgable contributors here say they had a letter from Tate and Lyle saying they didn't use bone char.

It is possible to clean and bleach sugar with vegetable products, maybe these were used in the biscuits ?

confusing, yep.

There is no middle ground though, if bones are used in the processing then its not veggie, similar to the wine/isinglass situation.

Answer 2

About half of refined cane sugar goes through a carbon-filtering process involving bone char. Refined beet sugar, however, does not involve bone char in the processing. If you want to know whether a company uses sugar that has gone through the bone char processing stage, simply email the company and ask. There is a 25% chance that you are consuming sugar that has gone through the bone char filtering process, so never hesitate to email the company. Companies that sell bone-char-free sugar: American Crystal Sugar Company (brand: Crystal Sugar) uses beet sugar Florida Crystals Refinery uses naturally milled sugar cane Imperial Sugar Company (brands: Spreckles , Holly Sugar, Pioneer Sugar) uses beet sugar Irish Sugar Ltd. (brand: Siucra) uses beet sugar Monitor Sugar Company (brand: Big Chief) uses beet sugar Refined Sugars Incorporated (brands: Jack Frost, Country Cane, 4# Flow-Sweet) uses granular carbon filter instead of bone char Sucanat is an organic sugar that is not very refined but some is made with honey Supreme Sugar Company (brands: Supreme, Southern Bell, Rouse's Markets) Sugar in the Raw is less processed and doesn't need very much filtering Companies that DO use bone char: Domino, Savannah Foods, California and Hawaii Sugar Company (C&H) with exception of Washed Raw Sugar

Answer 3

Bone char is used to refine sugar to make it white. It doesn't become part of the final product, but still....ewwww.

If you buy turbinado (raw) sugar, that's just fine, as it's packaged before it's ever been refined. If you the label says evaporated cane juice, that's fine also. Both products will have a pretty golden color, although some turbinado sugars may be a little darker.

Some foods aimed at vegans will actually say the sugar is non-bone char filtered.

Beet sugar is never filtered through bone char either.

Answer 4

Not all refined sugar is processed with bone char.

Only 1/2 of all sugar cane sugars are processed that way.

All other sugars (Muscovado/Beet sugars) are refined with activated carbon, so vegan.

Technically, all raw/brown/unrefined is vegan, however, if the same factory uses bone char in their processing for the refinery stage, they cannot guarantee their brown sugars are vegan.
(Like the nut allergy warning we get on plain chocolate.)

In the UK, Tate and Lyle and Billingtons sugars are free of animal substances.
British Sugar, trading as Silver Spoon (the largest UK supplier) state that their white sugar is vegan.

Here's a link about sugar processing:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarcane

After any remaining solids are filtered out, the clarified syrup is decolorized by filtration through a bed of activated carbon; bone char was traditionally used in this role, but its use is no longer common.

Added:
Please don't thumbs down me. Unlike my replies to Ashley posts, I take the time to do the research before posting answers to serious questions such as these.

I've moved around a lot and in the process, I've had to do alot of research abt food availabilty and their production methods.
Some countries where I've lived, it's really difficult to get information.

Answer 5

Sorry I'm not God but even God is Confusing.
Things will get even more confusing when the genetics foods come about. Canola is the first one. It is binded with a chemical that comes from the pigs thyroid. That's why it can bind with another wheat perhaps its couch grass but I'm not sure. Who knows whats really in Canola?
Some sugars are made without bone char techniques but they are twice or three times as costly! Seems like all the healthy stuff costs too much! Organic veggies and Organic fruits same problem. We have to watch out about that Organic food was it grown with cow manure or plant fibre called mushroom manure?

Answer 6

Good question, i never knew that. I use Rapadura sugar which i believe to be vegan as it is evaporated off the cane by the sun and undergoes no other process (apparently). It is the only sugar I understand to have any nutritional goodness in it.

Answer 7

Silver Spoon Raw

Answer 8

I would suggest that you use agave nectar. You can be rest assured that it is 100% vegan. As far as sugar in ingredients, if it is bright white, then it was whitened some way. Most food manufacturers change sugar suppliers like they would change anything else to reduce cost. You just never know about white sugar used as an ingredient. If you buy the raw turbinado sugar, then that is fine. Thanks for being so concerned about not harming animals. I have a lot of respect for you.

Answer 9

Raw sugar cane doesn't have the whole bone char thing going on it it - it's only used to make white sugar. You're safe with good old fashioned brown sugar cane.

Answer 10

Was surprised years ago to discover that bone was used in sugar industry in America, as in Australia it isn't used at all. Guess, world wide ,we have to read the labels on everything to see not just what ingredients are in things, but how they are processed !! Life is getting more complicated food wise, vegan or meat eaters, to know exactly what is happening to what we put in our mouths. Hope you have more pleasant surprises that you can enjoy!!