A composition and process for treating sugar solutions that includes one or more sources of ammonium that obtain a pH in water solution above pH 7.0, such as ammonium bicarbonate (NH4HCO3), ammonium phosphate dibasic (NH4)2HPO4, and ammonium sulfite (NH4)2SO3. The composition can also include a particulate sulfur reagent, an amorphous silica, a particulate aluminum reagent, a particulate phosphorous reagent, a particulate filter aid selected from diatomaceous earth and perlite, a particulate activated carbon, a particulate bleaching earth, a polymer decolorant, or combinations thereof. The individual materials can be pre-mixed before addition to the sugar solution, added individually to the sugar solution, or added as a combination of one or more singular ingredients and one or more pre-mixed ingredients. The invention can stabilize the pH of the sugar solution, reduce the calcium, magnesium or related ash constituents of the sugar solution, achieve color reduction of the sugar solution, or some combination of these effects.
