250 years ago, Marggraf discovered sugar in beet

On 17 November 1747 the chemist, Andreas Sigismund Marggraf, reported to the session of “Königliche Akademie der Wissenschaften und Schönen Künsten zu Berlin” (Royal Academy of Sciences and Fine Arts in Berlin) on his “chemical experiments to find a true perfect sugar from the different native plants which grow in our countries”. His discovery of the sugar (sucrose) in beet was based on research at the Berlin Academy of Sciences, originally established in 1700 and which was reactivated by Frederick the Great (II) after his inauguration in 1740. Andreas Sigismund Marggraf was born on 3 March 1709 in Berlin as the son of the Royal Pharmacist and owner of the pharmacy “Zum goldenen Bären” (At the Golden Bear). Under guidance by his father and famous professors in Berlin he learned the art of pharmacy and analytical chemistry. In Frankfurt am Main and Strasbourg he continued his education and this be followed by studies of chemistry and medicine in Halle/ Saale. He finished his education at the Bergakademie (University) in Freiberg (Saxony) and in 1735 he returned to his father’s pharmacy. From the late-Middle ages until in the 18th Century and the beginning of the early-industrial age, sugar was regarded as a medicine, with a wide variety of applications. Many medicines were prepared from plant-juices containing sugar. At the time sugar was manufactured from sugarcane, grown in the Caribbean area and transported as raw sugar to Europe, where it was further purified in refineries. Because of its high price, sugar only gradually moved into the area of the culinary art. People had the notion of sugar being a luxury item and consumption was mainly restricted to adding it to beverages such as coffee, tea and cocoa and in certain confectionery items. On the basis of his education Marggraf had been brought up to believe the