What is functional monosaccharides
Crystalline Fructose
(I) Characteristics
Crystallized fructose is a new type of sweetener, a natural sugar widely found in fruits, and is very rich in fruits such as apples, bananas, strawberries, pears, and mangoes, as well as honey. Crystalline fructose is converted from starch by enzymatic method and is a glucose isomer. It is a colorless crystal in appearance and 1.3 to 1.8 times sweeter than sucrose. It can be used to replace sucrose in food processing to reduce the sugar content of the product. It can be used alone or mixed with other sweeteners as a sweetener to play a synergistic role.
Crystalline fructose has a cold sweet characteristic, and its sweetness changes with temperature, making it suitable for the processing of refrigerated or frozen foods. As a monosaccharide, crystalline fructose also has the following obvious functional characteristics:
① It will not be used by oral microorganisms and is not easy to cause tooth decay, so it can protect tooth health;
② It is absorbed slowly when passing through the intestines. Once absorbed, it will be converted into glycogen. The metabolic rate is faster than glucose, and the metabolic process does not depend on insulin. Therefore, it can be used as a fast energy supply;
③ It is a low glycemic index (GI) raw material with a GI value of 19. It will not cause blood sugar to rise after consumption, so it can be used in the processing and production of food for diabetics.
(II) Application
The high sweetness and excellent taste of crystalline fructose make it a substitute for sucrose in many countries, used in household sugar, beverages, dairy products, candies, and health products. In addition to being a sweetener in dairy products, it can also be used as a browning sugar source to develop brown yogurt and brown lactic acid bacteria beverages.
Crystalline fructose can be metabolized quickly and can provide energy quickly, so it is often used in the development of sports drinks and sports foods; crystalline fructose has a small molecular weight and a high osmotic pressure and can be used in candied foods such as preserved fruits, candied fruits, jams, and canned fruits to achieve a faster pickling effect and improve product processing stability.
When used in baked foods, crystalline fructose is prone to the Maillard reaction, which can give the product an attractive color. At the same time, due to its strong hygroscopicity, it can slow down the rate of water loss in the product, which plays a positive role in inhibiting starch aging and maintaining shelf-life stability. In China, Europe, the United States, and Japan, crystalline fructose has been included in the pharmacopeia and can be used as an oral or injectable nutrient, especially for diabetic patients.
2. Allulose
(I) Characteristics
D-allulose, also known as D-ribose-2-hexulose, has a molecular formula of C6H12O6 and a relative molecular mass of 180.16. Allulose is one of the rare sugars and has a low content in nature. Allulose appears as a white crystal with high solubility and a sweetness of 70% of sucrose. It tastes similar to sucrose. Due to its low sweetness, it is often used in combination with stevioside and mogroside. In addition to being a sweetener, D-allulose can also be used as a food filler to improve volume and texture.
In addition, allulose also has the characteristics of low viscosity, easy browning, acid resistance, and heat resistance, and has a wide range of applications in the food field. About 70% of the D-allulose ingested by the human body is absorbed into the blood from the small intestine and then excreted in the form of urine or feces. Although part of it is absorbed by the body, the energy conversion rate is extremely low.
In 2011, D-psicose received GRAS certification, confirming the safety, application scope, and maximum usage of allulose. In 2019, the FDA issued a draft guideline on nutrition labeling, which clearly stated that allulose is not included in the scope of added sugars, and the product calories are marked as 0.4kcal/g.
(II) Application
Allulose is mainly sold as a sweetener raw material in the form of monomers or compound sugars in a few countries such as North America, Japan, and South Korea. It can be used in the development of sugar-free beverages, candies, baked goods, and dairy products.
Allulose used in baked goods can not only reduce the sugar content and calories of the product and improve the color of the product, but also improve the foaming performance of egg white, improve the toughness and tensile strength of starch film, and improve the expansion and taste of the product.
Studies have found that after adding allulose to the development of gelatin soft candy, the water content of the soft candy increases, the elasticity is higher, the crystallinity decreases, the product calories are low, and the texture changes little during the storage period. Allulose has obvious effects in lowering blood sugar, lowering blood lipids, and preventing diabetes and obesity. It is a very good raw material for the development of functional foods, health products, and medicines for people with diabetes and obesity.
In addition, allulose can be used as a raw material for neuroprotective drugs, and it also shows great potential in preventing dental caries and coping with diseases caused by oxidative stress.
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