Abstract: A crystallized sugar product containing a heat-sensitive, acidic, or high invert sugar substance is prepared by admixing the heat-sensitive, acidic, or high invert sugar substance with a dry sugar base to form a premix, concentrating a sugar syrup containing at least about 85% by weight sucrose to a solids content of about 95% to about 98% by heating to a temperature of about 255.degree. F. to about 300.degree. F., mixing the premix with the concentrated sugar syrup to form a mixture, subjecting the mixture to impact beating within a crystallization zone until a dry crystallized sugar product is formed, and recovering the sugar product from the crystallization zone. The resulting sugar product comprises aggregates of fondant-size sucrose crystals intimately associated with the heat-sensitive, acidic, or high invert sugar substance. The sugar product is dry, granular, free-flowing, non-caking, and readily dispersible in water.

Abstract: A crystallized sugar product containing a food ingredient is prepared by concentrating a sugar syrup at a temperature in the range of about 250.degree. F. to about 300.degree. F. to a solids content of about 90 to 98% by weight, the sugar syrup containing no more than about 20% by weight non-sucrose solids, admixing the concentrated sugar syrup with a predetermined amount of the food ingredient, subjecting the admixture to impact bearing within a crystallization zone until a crystallized sugar product made up of aggregates of fondant-size sucrose crystals and the food ingredient is formed, the crystallized sugar product having a moisture content of less than 2.5% by weight, and recovering the crystallized sugar product from the crystallization zone. The resulting sugar product is dry, granular, free-flowing, non-caking, and readily dispersible in water.

Abstract: A transformed, crystallized maple sugar product comprising aggregates of crystals having a crystal size in the range about 3-50 microns is prepared by concentrating a maple syrup containing at least about 63% sucrose to a solids content of about 93-98%. The concentration may be carried out in several ways depending upon the color of the final product which is desired. The concentrated syrup is subjected to impact beating within a crystallization zone for transformation and crystallization. The resulting transformed, crystallized maple sugar product comprising aggregates of sucrose crystals having a size in the range about 3-50 microns and having a moisture content of 2-4% is then recovered from the crystallization zone and dried to a moisture content below about 1% by weight. Subsequently, the maple sugar product may be cooled, milled and/or screened to a size range suitable for one of several desired end uses.