On 2011-02-28, Mark Thorson > wrote:

> Agreed. It's just sucrose. If it were as simple as
> determining water content to differentiate cane from
> beet sugar, the EU wouldn't be using isotope analysis
> to distinguish between the two.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucrose#Cane_versus_beet

Also, some sugars are just better quality than others. I bought a
cheap house brand of brown sugar. Damn stuff turn rock solid within
three months without even opening the package (plastic). I later
bought some C&H cane brown sugar. Two and half mos later, half a pkg
is still nice and soft. I have to assume some significant difference.

nb