Fructose
Search our site
TRANSLATE:

 

Starch Index:
WEB PAGE

ONE-PAGE PDF


Potato starch
Fructose, also levulose or fruit sugar, monosaccharide with the formula C6H12O6 that occurs with glucose in sweet fruits and fruit juices. It is formed along with glucose in the splitting of sucrose and is produced in the hydrolysis of various carbohydrates, but it is best prepared by treating inulin with dilute acid. Fructose is crystallized with difficulty; the crystals melt in the range from 102 to 104 oC (216 to 219 oF). It is laevorotatory; that is, solutions of fructose rotate the plane of polarized light to the left. Fructose is fermented by yeast to yield ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide.

Fructose is generally refined from corn starch. It is claimed to be anywhere from 15 to 80% sweeter than sucrose, and tastes particularly sweet when cold or in solution. It is believed to be absorbed into the gastro-intestinal tract more slowly than glucose, and does not require insulin for entry into the liver. These features make it appealing to diabetics, but the advantages are somewhat offset by its higher tendency to be converted to fat rather than glycogen, thereby elevating blood triglyceride levels.

High Fructose Starch Syrup (HFSS) read more...