Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel process for manufacturing a sugar acid for the use in the agricultural market as an adjuvant wherein the process includes the following steps of providing a reactor and introducing a source of nitric acid, water and a source of starch into the reactor to form a mixture and further includes introducing an external heat source to the mixture to ascertain a mixture temperature of at least 70° C. and discontinuing the external heat source once the mixture reaches about 70° C.; and further enabling an internal heat source in the form of an exothermic reaction to occur between the reagents for at least two (2) hours. The invention also relates to the use of the product as obtained from the process.