Sugar processing involves extracting sugar from plants, primarily from sugarcane and sugar beets. The process begins with harvesting the plants, followed by crushing them to release their juice. This juice is then purified and concentrated through evaporation, resulting in a thick syrup. Next, the syrup undergoes crystallization, where sugar crystals form as the syrup cools. These crystals are separated from the remaining liquid, known as molasses. Finally, the sugar is refined to remove impurities, resulting in the white granulated sugar commonly used in cooking and baking.