From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Crystalline fructose is a processed sweetener derived from
corn that is almost entirely
fructose.
It consists of at least 98% pure fructose, any remainder being water and trace minerals. It is used
as a sweetener in the likes of beverages and
yogurts, where it substitutes for
high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
and
table sugar. Crystalline fructose is estimated to be about 20 percent sweeter than table sugar,
[1] and
5% sweeter than HFCS.
[2] Production
Crystalline fructose is created from
cornstarch, but other
starches such as rice and wheat can be used.
[3]
In this method, corn is first milled to produce cornstarch, then processed to yield
corn syrup which is almost
entirely
glucose. The glucose obtained is reacted with a series of enzymes to convert nearly all the glucose
into fructose. The fructose is then allowed to crystallize out, and is finally dried and milled to produce
crystalline fructose.
Health effects
There are studies for and against the health benefits of crystalline fructose.
[2]Crystalline fructose is generally considered safe, but concerns have been raised about health effects,
particularly
hepatotoxicity.
[1] As of January 2010, the FDA has not designated crystalline fructose to
be
generally recognized as safe.
[4]Because crystalline fructose is sweeter than the sugars it replaces, less sugar can be used to produce
a desired level of sweetness, resulting in a roughly 5-percent reduction in the amount of calories.
[2]
Fructose is also an isomer of glucose, carrying the same energetic value when burned.
Any positive health benefit of crystalline fructose consumption is fueled primarily by the fact
that fructose does have the same value as glucose when burned. However,
fructose is processed
by the body differently; fructose's causal relationship to hyperlipidemia, fatty liver disease,
cirrhosis, coronary arterial disease and obesity remain a concern for public health analysts.
[5]
