Molasses
Molasses suppliers and sourcing guide
Molasses is the dark, viscous syrup that comes from sugarcane processing. Fancy molasses is made by evaporating and partly inverting clarified cane juice without first removing sugar, while table and blackstrap molasses are what remains after sugar is crystallized out in raw or refined sugar production, with blackstrap the most exhausted and highest in ash. Food brands buy cane molasses in pails, drums or totes for baking, sauces, marinades and color, and as dried molasses powder on a carrier.
- Category
- Sweeteners
- Also known as
- Blackstrap molasses · Cane molasses · Fancy molasses · Treacle · Melasse
- Facts checked
- November 2026
Forms and grades of molasses
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Fancy molasses
Light, sweet molasses made from whole cane juice, used where a mild flavor and color are wanted.
Table or cooking molasses
Molasses from sugar production with more color and a stronger, less sweet flavor than fancy molasses.
Blackstrap molasses
The final, most concentrated residue of sugar extraction, dark and bitter, with the highest ash content.
Dried molasses powder
Molasses dried onto a carrier such as maltodextrin or wheat starch for dry mixes; the carrier belongs on the specification.
Organic and unsulfured
Molasses from organic cane or made without sulfur dioxide treatment, with the claim tied to the lot's certificate or specification.
What to check on the COA
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
- Brix or moisture
- Soluble solids by refractometer or moisture by drying, which sets viscosity and stability.
- Total sugars
- Sucrose, glucose and fructose by HPLC, often reported as total sugars as invert.
- Sulfated ash
- Sulfated ash, which separates fancy, table and blackstrap grades.
- Sulfite
- Sulfur dioxide by Monier-Williams or an equivalent method, needed to back an unsulfured claim and sulfite labeling.
- Heavy metals
- Lead and arsenic by ICP-MS, since molasses concentrates minerals from cane and processing.
- Microbiology
- Yeast and mold, including osmophilic yeast, and total plate count.
Storage, lots and expiry
Storage and shelf life
Store molasses closed at moderate temperature; cold storage makes it very thick to pump, while prolonged heat can darken it, develop off-flavors and cause foaming as sugars slowly break down. Keep containers sealed to avoid moisture pickup at the surface, which can allow yeast fermentation. Shelf life follows the supplier's specification, with Brix and micro checked on older stock.
Lots and expiry dates
Color, flavor, ash and sugar content vary with cane origin, season and how much sugar was extracted, so record Brix, total sugars and ash for each lot. Keep lead and sulfite results with the lot record when finished products are sold into markets with limits.
Regulatory status
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
FDA's Substances Added to Food inventory lists molasses (Saccharum officinarum L.), also named melasse, with the technical effect "nutritive sweetener".
Source: hfpappexternal.fda.gov (opens in a new tab)Canada's Food Compositional Standards define fancy molasses as the syrupy food obtained by evaporation and partial inversion of sugar cane juice from which sugar has not been previously extracted.
Source: inspection.canada.ca (opens in a new tab)The same standards define refiners', blackstrap or cooking molasses as the residual liquid food from manufacturing raw or refined sugar, with not more than 25% moisture and 12% sulphated ash.
Source: inspection.canada.ca (opens in a new tab)
This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Molasses suppliers
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
We are checking molasses suppliers now
Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.
Sell molasses? Request a listingFrequently asked questions
What forms of molasses can brands buy?
Common forms include fancy molasses, table or cooking molasses, blackstrap molasses, dried molasses powder and organic and unsulfured. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
What should the COA for molasses include?
Expect brix or moisture, total sugars, sulfated ash, sulfite, heavy metals and microbiology, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
How should molasses be stored?
Store molasses closed at moderate temperature; cold storage makes it very thick to pump, while prolonged heat can darken it, develop off-flavors and cause foaming as sugars slowly break down. Keep containers sealed to avoid moisture pickup at the surface, which can allow yeast fermentation. Shelf life follows the supplier's specification, with Brix and micro checked on older stock.
What is the regulatory status of molasses?
FDA's Substances Added to Food inventory lists molasses (Saccharum officinarum L.), also named melasse, with the technical effect "nutritive sweetener". Canada's Food Compositional Standards define fancy molasses as the syrupy food obtained by evaporation and partial inversion of sugar cane juice from which sugar has not been previously extracted. The same standards define refiners', blackstrap or cooking molasses as the residual liquid food from manufacturing raw or refined sugar, with not more than 25% moisture and 12% sulphated ash.
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