Somewhere around the third or fourth quote you get for refined sugar, someone mentions ICUMSA 100 instead of the ICUMSA 45 you’d been asking about, and it’s fair to wonder whether you’re being upsold, downsold, or just confused. Here’s the short version: ICUMSA 100 is a real, distinct white refined sugar grade, slightly less white than ICUMSA 45, and for a large share of buyers it’s actually the more sensible choice — you get sugar that’s clean, white, and food-safe, at a price point that doesn’t carry the premium of the whitest possible grade. This page walks through what ICUMSA 100 actually is, when it makes sense, and what we ship.
Understanding the ICUMSA 100 Colour Grade
The ICUMSA scale measures sugar colour in RBU (reference base units), and lower numbers mean whiter sugar. ICUMSA 100 sits just above ICUMSA 45 on the scale — still firmly in the “white refined” category, still well below the colour of raw or plantation white sugar, but not quite as bright-white as the premium ICUMSA 45 grade. In practical terms, most people looking at ICUMSA 45 and ICUMSA 100 sugar side by side in good lighting can tell the difference, but it’s subtle, and in most finished food products the difference isn’t something an end consumer would ever notice or care about.
Where the distinction becomes more visible is in applications with a clear or very light-coloured base — a completely transparent beverage, for instance — where even a slightly higher colour reading can show up. For anything with some colour of its own already (baked goods, most confectionery, dairy with flavouring, sauces), ICUMSA 100 does the job just as well as ICUMSA 45, generally at a better price.
Full Specification
| Parameter | Specification |
| ICUMSA colour | 100 RBU max |
| Polarization | 99.70° min |
| Moisture | 0.05% max |
| Ash content | 0.05% max |
| Sulphur dioxide | 20 ppm max |
| Reducing sugars | 0.05% max |
| Granulation | Fine to medium, per buyer request |
| Solubility | Complete, no visible sediment |
| Packaging | 50kg PP bags, jumbo bags, or bulk container loading |
| Shelf life | 24 months, dry storage |
You’ll notice the tolerances here are slightly looser than the ICUMSA 45 spec across a few parameters — that’s normal and expected for the grade, not a sign of lower quality control. ICUMSA 100 sugar is still a fully refined, food-safe product produced under the same quality management systems as our higher grades; the numbers simply reflect a different point on the refining spectrum.
Why Buyers Choose ICUMSA 100 Over ICUMSA 45
The main driver is cost efficiency without a meaningful quality tradeoff for most applications. If your product isn’t colour-critical — meaning a slightly higher ICUMSA reading wouldn’t be visible or noticeable in the finished item — there’s often no practical reason to pay the premium for ICUMSA 45. We regularly see buyers switch from ICUMSA 45 to ICUMSA 100 once they’ve run a side-by-side trial and confirmed the colour difference doesn’t affect their product, and the savings compound quickly at container-load volumes.
That said, we won’t push you toward the lower grade if your product genuinely needs the whiter spec — a clear beverage manufacturer switching to ICUMSA 100 to save money might end up with a visibly tinted product and unhappy customers, which costs a lot more than the price difference saved on sugar. We’re happy to talk through your specific application and give an honest opinion on which grade actually fits.
Common Applications for ICUMSA 100 Sugar
- Bakery and pastry production where colour isn’t the primary visual driver
- Confectionery with its own colour or flavouring already in the mix
- Sauces, condiments, and preserves
- General food manufacturing where sugar is one ingredient among several
- Institutional and food service bulk purchasing
- Repackaging and private label operations working to a cost-sensitive price point
Packaging, Volumes, and Shipping
Standard MOQ is one 20ft container, roughly 24–25 MT, scalable to multi-container or part-vessel volumes for larger buyers. We ship FOB, CFR, or CIF depending on your logistics setup, with typical lead time from confirmed contract to vessel departure running 15–25 days. Packaging defaults to 50kg PP bags, with jumbo bags or bulk container loading available depending on your intake infrastructure and volume.
Quality Documentation
Every batch ships with a certificate of analysis from the refinery, and we support independent third-party inspection (SGS, Intertek, Bureau Veritas) for buyers who want that additional verification layer written into the contract. Certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate, and food safety documentation (ISO 22000, HACCP, Halal or Kosher where applicable) are available — flag your specific requirements at the quotation stage so we can confirm what’s achievable for your order.
Storage and Handling
ICUMSA 100 sugar stores the same as any refined white sugar — dry conditions, pallets off the floor, away from strong odours and humidity sources. It’s hygroscopic like any refined sugar, so warehouse humidity control matters regardless of the exact colour grade you’re holding.
How ICUMSA 100 Fits Into a Multi-Grade Sourcing Strategy
Some of our buyers don’t source a single grade at all — they run ICUMSA 45 for one product line where colour is critical and ICUMSA 100 for everything else, splitting volume across both to optimize cost without compromising quality where it actually matters. If that’s a strategy that could work for your operation, we can quote both grades together and structure a combined shipping and contract arrangement, which is often more efficient than running two completely separate supplier relationships for what is, at the end of the day, two grades of the same underlying product.
Quality Control Process
Every production batch is tested at the refinery before approval for loading, with results documented on a batch-specific certificate of analysis. We keep records tied to production runs so any post-shipment question can be traced back to the source batch rather than relying on a general average. For buyers who want an additional layer of verification, independent surveyors can inspect container stuffing or vessel loading, and pre-shipment sampling is available as a standard part of the process so you can confirm the colour and specification match what you’re expecting before the balance payment and final loading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ICUMSA 100 sugar lower quality than ICUMSA 45?
No — it’s a different colour grade on the refining spectrum, not a lower quality tier. Both are fully refined, food-safe white sugars. If your application is colour-sensitive, ICUMSA 45 (covered on our white refined sugar ICUMSA 45 page) is the better fit; if it isn’t, ICUMSA 100 typically offers better value.
Can I get a sample to compare colour before ordering?
Yes. We recommend requesting samples of both ICUMSA 45 and ICUMSA 100 if you’re not sure which grade suits your product — running a side-by-side comparison in your actual application is the most reliable way to decide.
Is the price difference between ICUMSA 45 and ICUMSA 100 significant?
It varies with the market, but ICUMSA 100 is generally priced below ICUMSA 45 due to the lower refining input required. We’ll give you current pricing on both grades so you can compare directly for your specific volume.
Do you supply ICUMSA 100 in food grade and industrial grade versions?
Yes — the same distinction that applies to our ICUMSA 45 range applies here. Let us know your intended use so we can confirm the right documentation and packaging for your application.
Requesting a Quote
If ICUMSA 100 sugar looks like the right fit for your product, send us your destination port, target volume, and packaging preference, and we’ll turn around a firm quote. If you’re still deciding between grades, tell us about your application and we’ll give you a straightforward recommendation rather than just steering you toward whichever grade has better margins. For buyers who also need the whiter, more colour-critical grade for a different product line, our food grade ICUMSA 45 sugar page covers that option in full detail. For technical background on how ICUMSA colour grading is measured, the ICUMSA organization publishes the reference methodology used across the industry.
If you specifically need the unrefined grade, see our raw cane sugar page for full specifications and ordering details.
Related: see how the full ICUMSA scale compares across every grade we ship, including the ICUMSA 35 Coca-Cola grade.
