Part 6/9:
Once the beets reach their peak sweetness in late autumn, they are harvested en masse. A single ton of sugar beets can yield approximately 300 lbs of sugar. After being weighed at processing facilities, the beets undergo a thorough cleansing to prepare for further processing.
They are sliced into thin pieces, maximizing surface area to facilitate sugar extraction. The process resembles brewing tea, where hot water extracts the sugar from the beets, creating a rich juice. The leftover pulp is repurposed as animal feed, demonstrating the importance of recycling in food production.