How Crystalline Fructose is Made

While high fructose corn syrup is either loved or despised across the world, the facts concerning crystalline fructose are not as well known. Bell Chem, your food ingredient distributor, stocks crystalline fructose because of its many benefits in both baking and consumption of quality foods.

Crystalline fructose is a monosaccharide naturally derived from a number of sources: corn and other vegetables, fruits, and honey all contain crystalline fructose. When compared with standard table sugar, crystalline fructose is approximately 1.5 times sweeter — it rates as the highest form of sweetness in natural sugars — which means consumption of sugar is diminished while maintaining the same level of flavor. The reaction of crystalline fructose in specific temperature ranges increases its flavor: the lower the temperature, the sweeter the flavor.

The manufacture of crystalline fructose depends on many factors, including the raw ingredient. When derived from sugarcane, glucose and fructose are condensed as water is removed, which breaks the chemical bond between glucose and fructose to create a crystal: crystalline fructose. The opposite reaction occurs when water is added as glucose and sucrose form from crystalline fructose.

Cornstarch is the second base for crystalline fructose. Starch is a carbohydrate formed of many individual glucose molecules. When it is separated into its individual elements (in this case, corn kernels), the result is corn syrup. Additional enzymes then convert the glucose molecules into fructose. At this point the result is high fructose corn syrup, which usually contains 42% fructose/58% glucose or 55% fructose/45% glucose. 

With both manufacturing processes, the final steps are basically identical: the end product is crystallized and dried, which greatly increases the purity of the sugar to at least 98% fructose. The final product is then milled to form different granulation sizes. By this stage, crystalline fructose is purified to its more familiar blindingly white form. These processes seem commonplace today, but have only been available for the past 35 years.  

Bell Chem is a food ingredient distributor based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including crystalline fructose. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.

Crystalline Fructose – A Valuable Sweetener

According to the Calorie Control Council, over 180 million people in the United States consume low calorie, sugar-free foods and beverages on a daily basis. Meanwhile, these people are requiring more natural sweeteners in the food and beverages they consume. Therefore, food companies are using crystalline fructose to meet these demands. Crystalline fructose is a processed sweetener derived from corn, similar to high fructose corn syrup. Extra processing steps result in this crystalline product, which is very close to 100% pure fructose. In fact, federal standards define crystalline fructose to be at least 98% pure fructose with the remaining 2% being water and trace minerals.

Crystalline fructose is used in many drinks including carbonated beverages, sports drinks, flavored waters, and energy drinks, as well as in foods like nutritional bars, reduced-calorie foods, and canned fruits. This chemical product can even be found in baked goods, breakfast cereals, and other confectionery foods.

Since crystalline fructose is sweeter than both high fructose corn syrup and table sugar, it is a valuable sweetener for low calorie, sugar-free foods and beverages because less must be used to achieve the same level of desired sweetness. In addition, crystalline fructose can be combined with other sweeteners (and starches) to not only boost sweetness, but also to improve cake height in baked goods, as well as improve the texture and taste of food products.

On top of a full line of food/reagent grade chemicals and nutritional products like crystalline fructose, Bell Chem offers a diverse blend of sanitation products, pharmaceutical chemicals, USP ingredients, and personal care raw materials. From our headquarters in Longwood, Florida, we have the ability to ship large volumes of bulk chemicals from our location, as well as from our suppliers’ terminals. To learn more, call our Florida chemical supply company at 407-339-2355 today.