ABSTRACT

European developments in sucrochemical technology have made pure crystalline fructose available for industrial use. In the creation of specialty foods, this new technology facilitates use of the unique monosaccharide, fructose, to achieve specific sweetening objectives. Fructose is the most water-soluble of all sugars, a property advantageously utilized in dry mixes that must be rapidly dissolved in limited volumes of cold water prior to consumption. For processors of reduced calorie foods, undoubtedly the most interesting attribute of fructose is that it is the sweetest of the natural sugars. Temperature is an important factor in fructose sweetness development. The ability of fructose to exert a synergistic effect on other sweeteners is also an important consideration when evaluating fructose applicability in reduced calorie foods, particularly those where the sweetener is the major ingredient and cost is a paramount issue.