Food Chemistry

19.1 Sugars, Sugar Alcohols and Sugar Products 865

Table 19.2.continued

Sweetener Resorption Utilization Effect on blood Other properties
in metabolism sugar level and
insulin secretion

Palatinit Partial hydrolysis Probably slight Side effects unknown
to glucose, sorbitol,
and mannitol
Galacto- Active after Partial hydrolysis Moderate Bifidogenic, slightly
oligosaccharides hydrolysis cariogenic
Lactosucrose Active after Partial hydrolysis Moderate Bifidogenic, slightly
hydrolysis cariogenic
Fructo- Active after Partial hydrolysis Slight
oligosaccharides hydrolysis
Glucosyl- Active after Partial hydrolysis Slight Slightly cariogenic
sucrose hydrolysis
Malto- Active after Hydrolysis in the High Reduction of undesirable
oligosaccharides hydrolysis small intestine bacteria in intestine
Isomalto- Active after Slight hydrolysis Low Bifidogenic
oligosaccharides hydrolysis
Gentio- None None Bifidogenic
oligosaccharides
Xylo- None No change None Bifidogenic
oligosaccharides

Fig. 19.2.Viscosity of aqueous saccharose solutions as
a function of (a) saccharose concentration (20◦C) and
temperature (40% saccharose) (according toShallen-
bergerandBirch, 1975)

curs at higher pH’s. Reducing sugars are unsta-
ble in mildly alkaline solutions, while nonreduc-
ing disaccharides, e. g., sucrose, have their stabil-
ity maxima in this pH region.
The thermal stability of sugars is also quite vari-
able. Sucrose and glucose can be heated in neutral

Fig. 19.3.Viscosity of some sugar solutions. Glu-

cose syrup DE40: 78 weight-%; glucose syrup DE60:

77 weight-%; all other sugar solutions: 70 weight-%

(according toKoivistoinen, 1980)

solutions up to 100◦C, but fructose decomposes

at temperatures as low at 60◦C.

Sugar alcohols are very stable in acidic or alka-

line solutions. Relative taste intensity values for

various sweeteners are found in Table 19.1. Taste

intensity within a food can depend on a series

of parameters, e. g., aroma, pH or food texture.