Glucose syrup

Glucose syrup on a black surface

Glucose syrup,also known asconfectioner's glucose,is asyrupmade from thehydrolysisofstarch.Glucoseis asugar.Maize(corn) is commonly used as the source of the starch in the US, in which case the syrup is called "corn syrup",but glucose syrup is also made frompotatoesandwheat,and less often frombarley,riceandcassava.^{p. 21}

Glucose syrup containing over 90%glucoseis used inindustrial fermentation,but syrups used inconfectionerycontain varying amounts ofglucose,maltoseand higheroligosaccharides,depending on the grade, and can typically contain 10% to 43% glucose.Glucose syrup is used in foods to sweeten, soften texture and add volume. By converting some glucose in corn syrup intofructose(using anenzymaticprocess), a sweeter product,high fructose corn syrupcan be produced.

Glucose syrup was first made in 1811 in Russia byGottlieb Kirchhoffusing heat andsulfuric acid.

Types

Depending on the method used tohydrolysethe starch and on the extent to which the hydrolysis reaction has been allowed to proceed, different grades of glucose syrup are produced, which have different characteristics and uses. The syrups are broadly categorised according to theirdextrose equivalent(DE). The further the hydrolysis process proceeds, the morereducing sugarsare produced, and the higher the DE. Depending on the process used, glucose syrups with different compositions, and hence different technical properties, can have the same DE.

Confectioner's syrup

The original glucose syrups were manufactured byacid hydrolysisof corn starch at high temperature and pressure. The typical product had a DE of 42, but quality was variable due to the difficulty of controlling the reaction. Higher DE syrups made by acid hydrolysis tend to have abittertaste and a dark colour, due to the production ofhydroxymethylfurfuraland other byproducts.^{p. 26}This type of product is now manufactured using a continuous converting processand is still widely used due to the low cost of acid hydrolysis. The sugar profile of a confectioner's syrup can also be mimicked byenzymatic hydrolysis.A typical confectioner's syrup contains 19% glucose, 14% maltose, 11%maltotrioseand 56% highermolecular masscarbohydrates.^{p. 464}A typical 42 DE syrup has about half the sweetness of sugar,^{p. 71}and increasing DE leads to increased sweetness, with a 63 DE syrup being about 70%, and puredextrose(100 DE) about 80% as sweet as sugar.^{p. 71}

High-maltose glucose syrups

Main article:High-maltose corn syrup

By usingβ-amylaseor fungalα-amylase,glucose syrups containing over 50% maltose, or even over 70% maltose (extra-high-maltose syrup) can be produced.^{p. 465}This is possible because these enzymes remove two glucose units (i.e. one maltose molecule) at a time from the end of the starch molecule. High-maltose glucose syrup has a great advantage in the production ofhard candy:at a given moisture level and temperature, a maltose solution has a lowerviscositythan a glucose solution, but will still set to a hard product. Maltose is also lesshumectantthan glucose, so candy produced with high-maltose syrup will not become sticky as easily as candy produced with a standard glucose syrup.^{p. 81}

Commercial preparation

Irrespective of the feedstock or the method used for hydrolysis, certain steps are common to the production of glucose syrup:

Preparation

Before conversion of starch to glucose can begin, the starch must be separated from the plant material. This includes removing fibre and protein (which can be valuable by-products, for example wheat or maizegluten^{p. 22}). Protein producesoff-flavoursand colours due to theMaillard reaction,and fibre isinsolubleand has to be removed to allow the starch to become hydrated. The plant material also needs to be ground as part of this process to expose the starch to the water.

Soaking

The starch needs to be swelled to allow the enzymes or acid to act upon it. When grain is used,sulfur dioxideis added to prevent spoilage.

Gelatinization

By heating the ground, cleanedfeedstock,starch gelatinizationtakes place: the intermolecular bonds of thestarchmolecules are broken down, allowing thehydrogen bondingsites to engage more water. This irreversibly dissolves the starchgranule,so the chains begin to separate into anamorphousform. This prepares the starch for hydrolysis.

Hydrolysis

Glucose syrup can be produced byacid hydrolysis,enzyme hydrolysis, or a combination of the two. Currently, a variety of options are available.

Formerly, glucose syrup was only produced by combining corn starch withdilutehydrochloric acid,and then heating the mixture under pressure. Currently, glucose syrup is mainly produced by first adding theenzymeα-amylaseto a mixture of corn starch and water. α-amylase is secreted by various species of thebacteriumBacillus;the enzyme is isolated from the liquid in which the bacteria are grown. The enzyme breaks the starch intooligosaccharides,which are then broken into glucose molecules by adding the enzymeglucoamylase,known also as "γ-amylase". Glucoamylase is secreted by various species of thefungusAspergillus;the enzyme is isolated from the liquid in which the fungus is grown. The glucose can then be transformed into fructose by passing the glucose through a column that is loaded with the enzymeD-xylose isomerase,an enzyme that is isolated from thegrowth mediumof any of several bacteria.

Clarification

After hydrolysis, the dilute syrup can be passed throughcolumnsto removeimpurities,improving its colour and stability.

Evaporation

The dilute glucose syrup is finally evaporated under vacuum to raise the solids concentration.

Uses

Its major uses in commercially prepared food products are as a thickener, sweetener, andhumectant(an ingredient that retains moisture and thus maintains a food's freshness).Glucose syrup is also widely used in the manufacture of a variety of candy products.

In the United States, domestically produced corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) are often used in American-made processed and mass-produced foods, candies, soft drinks and fruit drinks to increaseprofit margins.

Glucose syrup was the primary corn sweetener in the United States prior to the expanded use of HFCS production. HFCS is a variant in which other enzymes are used to convert some glucose into fructose. The resulting syrup is sweeter and more soluble. Corn syrup is also available as a retail product.

Glucose syrup is often used as part of the mixture that goes into creatingfake bloodfor films and television. Blood mixtures that contain glucose syrup are very popular among independent films and film makers, as it is cheap and easy to obtain.

See also

• High-fructose corn syrup
• List of syrups
• Mizuame
• Molasses

External links

• How corn is turned into corn syrup.
• Oregon State University Food Resource: Corn Syrup