Identification of origin of sugar samples in Turkey by determination of carbon isotope ratio

Since the cost of cane sugar is much lower than that of beet sugar, although both have the same qualities, beet sugar production can only be sustainable where high tariff barriers are applied. Therefore Sugar smuggling is attractive for Smugglers for those countries in which sugar is produced from sugarbeet like Turkey. The fact that using conventional analysis to make a distinction between cane Sugar and beet sugar is very difficult, because they have the same quality parameters in international white sugar standards, encourages the smuggling activities. The Turkish Sugar Authority started a study to control Sugar smuggling by means of distinguishing beet sugar and cane sugar by carbon isotope ratio (CIR) with regard to difference between sugarbeet's and sugarcane's carbon fixation process. This study showed that CIR determination is a very successful tool for determining whether a sugar sample is produced from sugarbeet or sugarcane with the assistance of law-enforcement officers who take sample from suspicious sugar parties to control sugar smuggling activities in those countries in which sugar is only produced from sugarbeet.