Sweeteners from Starch: Production, Properties and Uses

Publisher Summary In 1811, G.S.C. Kirchoff, a Russian chemist, discovered that acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of starch produced a sweet substance. The pathways for production of the various sweeteners share many common steps. A generalized sweetener process is shown in this chapter. Production of each of the sweeteners discussed utilizes one or more steps in this process. A number of maltodextrin production methods using multiple enzyme treatments have also been described. Either an acid or an acid–enzyme process may manufacture glucose/corn syrups. Acid-catalyzed hydrolysis was the traditional method of corn syrup production and is still the most common method for producing sweeteners. Using immobilized enzyme technology, it is possible to produce high-fructose syrups. Subsequent advances in enzyme technology and the proliferation of syrups based on the carbohydrate profile diminished the importance of Dextrose equivalence ( DE) in describing the nature of the syrup. Rapid and inexpensive methods of analysis, such as liquid chromatography, have allowed producers to focus on the carbohydrates present in sweeteners and how they impact the physical properties of the syrup. The compositions and the properties such as carbohydrate profiles, viscosity, fementability, and so on have been elaborated. Selection of sweeteners for food applications is driven by cost, availability, and consideration of the functional properties.