High Fructose Corn Syrup
The commercial value of high fructose corn syrup is based on the increased sweetness of the High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) compared to the starting material glucose obtained from starch.
On sweetness comparison basis glucose is only about 70% as sweet as sucrose whereas fructose is sweeter compared to sucrose to the extent of 20–60% depending conditions used.
The abundant supplies of cheap corn in USA, as well as efficient processing techniques and valuable by-products such as corn oil and protein provide the basis for the low cost manufacture of HFCS.
Typical syrups made from starch contain a mixture of glucose, fructose, and other saccharides.
The equilibrium limitation of the enzymatic conversion of glucose to fructose, as well as sweetness and manufacturing cost restrictions, led to the development of fructose syrups containing 42% fructose on a dry basis to replace liquid sucrose in many food applications.
High Fructose Corn Syrup
