Glucose-fructose syrup: composition, production, use, benefits and harms

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Currently, the media pays a lot of attention to the topic of a he althy lifestyle. Many people are aware of the importance of this issue and are trying to make changes in their habitual way, while others still perceive it as a complete prohibition and deprivation. A he althy lifestyle is not magic and everyone can follow it, because it consists of a balanced diet, regular exercise and effective stress management. Following these simple rules can greatly improve the quality of our lives by extending our lives and providing us with physical and mental he alth.

He althy eating

The most important part of a he althy lifestyle program is nutrition, because as a result of unhe althy habits in the choice of products, not only weight increases, but also he alth problems worsen. By making he althy food choices, we can protect ourselves from these problems and get the nutrients our bodies need to stay he althy, active, and strong.

Dietary habits learned in childhood often carry over into adulthood, so it's important to educate children from the start on the importance of making he althy food choices that will help them stay he althy throughout their lives. And since we are talking about children, let's remember which products, so loved by children, cause the greatest concern among parents and raise a lot of questions about the safety of their use and composition, of course, these are products containing sugar and its substitutes. Increasingly, the content of glucose-fructose syrup is mentioned in the composition of products, and today we will try to figure out what it is and what effect it has on our body.

What are glucose and fructose?

Glucose, or grape sugar, is a simple sugar, the so-called monosaccharide, represented by the molecular formula C6H12O6.

This organic compound is found in many fruits and berries and serves as the most important source of energy for the life of the human body.

Fructose, often referred to as fruit sugar, is also a simple sugar, an isomer of glucose and has the molecular formula C6H12O6. Fructose, as the name suggests, is found in fruits (such as oranges and apples), berries, some root vegetables (such as beets, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and onions), and honey. Fructose is the sweetest of all naturally occurring sugars.

Glucose and fructose joined together inequal amounts create another type of sugar - sucrose - a disaccharide (C12H22O11) known as table sugar.

What is glucose-fructose syrup (HFS)

This is a natural sweetener made from starch extracted from grains and vegetables. Glucose-fructose syrup has a similar composition to table sugar derived from sugar cane or beets - they are both made up of glucose and fructose, albeit in different proportions.

Unlike sucrose, which consists of linked chains of glucose and fructose in a 50:50 ratio, the molecules in syrup are not linked to each other and HPS can have a different ratio of two simple sugars. The composition of glucose-fructose syrups made in the EU usually has 20, 30 or 42% fructose, with the rest being glucose. The attraction of syrups is that when starch is extracted, makers can adjust the amount of fructose in it to make the syrup as sweet as sugar or less sweet if desired.

If HFS is similar in sweetness to sugar, it can be used as an alternative. Glucose-fructose syrups are easier to use in some products because they are liquid unlike table sugar and are easier to mix with other ingredients in creams, ice creams, drinks and other liquid or semi-liquid products.

In the EU, GFS are marked on the ingredients list on the product packaging.

Production of glucose-fructose syrups

SFS usuallymade from starch. The source of starch depends on the local availability of the raw product used for extraction. Historically, corn has been the preferred choice, while wheat has become a popular source for its production in recent years. Starch is a chain of glucose molecules, and the first step in the production of HPS is the release of these glucose units. Bound molecules in starch are hydrolyzed into free molecules. Then, using enzymes, some of the glucose is converted to fructose in a process called isomerization.

What is starch?

Starch is a carbohydrate naturally found in many grains and vegetables such as wheat, corn and potatoes, rice, peas, legumes, sweet potatoes, bananas, etc. Starch is the main source of energy for human body, and it is very important to consume foods containing it daily (grains and vegetables). It can be used as a separate high-quality food product, as well as for the preparation of other ingredients. Starch-based components have many useful properties that make it indispensable in the preparation of everyday food. Natural and modified starch is good for thickening foods and binding some of the liquid in them, which is important when making soups, sauces and pastries.

What are GFS used for

The main reasons for using fructose-glucose syrup in foods and drinks are its sweetness and ability to blend well with other ingredients. Interestingly, it can also be used in place of food preservation additives. In addition to better stability, syrup can improve texture, prevent crystallization, and help achieve the desired consistency (crispy or moist). In Europe, sucrose is still the main nutritive sweetener used in the food and beverage industry. Until 2017, HFS production in the EU was regulated and limited to 5% of total sugar production, however, there is now a strong trend to replace sucrose with syrups in certain products, mainly in liquid or semi-solid products such as drinks and ice cream.

It will continue to be used for confectionery, jams and preserves, baked goods, cereals, dairy products, condiments and canned and packaged goods. In the US, HFS is more commonly used than in Europe, usually in soft drinks. In addition, glucose-fructose syrup is an essential component of dietary products for people with diabetes. It is also used by athletes.

What is the difference between glucose-fructose syrup and fructose-glucose syrup

We have already mentioned that sugar (sucrose) has a fixed proportion of glucose and fructose (50/50), and in syrups, the percentage of glucose and fructose may vary. A syrup containing more than 50% fructose is called "fructose-glucose". If the fructose is less than 50%, it will be "glucose-fructose syrup". Typical fructose content inof such syrups produced in Europe is 20, 30 and 42%. In the US, the most commonly used fructose content is 55% and these syrups are called high fructose corn syrups (HFCS). Syrups with a fructose content of 42% to 55% have a similar sweetness to table sugar, which is why they are often used as an alternative. 1 gram of corn syrup has the same amount of calories as any other type of sugar (4 kcal per 1 gram).

Effect on the human body

Many are concerned about the question: can glucose-fructose syrup be harmful. Its use is often associated with weight gain. Is there a direct link between HFS consumption and obesity? Some reports have suggested that excess HFS consumption is responsible for the current obesity crisis in the US.

However, obesity rates have also risen sharply across Europe in the absence of a parallel increase in consumption, making it impossible to argue that obesity is caused by HFS alone. Excess calories can enter the human body through fat, protein, alcohol, or carbohydrates, including sugar.

Some studies have shown that fructose may not be as satiating (feeling full) as other sugars because it does not stimulate the hormones responsible for hunger and food intake (such as insulin). This can make people eat or drink more. However, a 2007 review concluded that evidence that fructose is lesssatiating than glucose or HPS less satiating than sucrose are not conclusive. Also, manufacturers of glucose-fructose syrup guarantee that it does not contain artificial or synthetic substances, as well as food additives.

Therefore, there is no scientific evidence to support that consuming HFS products leads to unhe althy weight gain and that its he alth effects are worse than those of other sugars.

WHO recommendations

In 2015, WHO published a guideline that recommends reducing your daily sugar intake. For an active adult who needs 2,000 kcal per day, this equates to less than 200 kcal from free sugars, which is about 50 grams or 12 teaspoons of sugar.

According to the WHO, data show that this reduction reduces the risk of being overweight, obese and caries. As the World He alth Organization has explained, the main cause of obesity is an energy imbalance between consumed and expended calories. Consuming more calories than our bodies require can lead to unhe althy weight gain. As with any food, foods containing HFS or other types of sugars should be consumed in moderation.