Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Refined sugar is made from raw sugar that has undergone a refining process to remove the molasses. Raw sugar is sucrose which is extracted from sugarcane. While raw sugar can be consumed, the refining process removes unwanted tastes and results in refined sugar or white sugar. As a sweetener or ingredient in food processing, this product is used in a wide range or food and beverage preparations.

In water treatment, sugar is added into the fermentation process as a carbon and energy source for microbial cell culturing, helping it to grow bacteria population faster than others.