Corn Syrup - Wikipedia

Syrup made from corn used as food additive

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Corn syrup

Cookbook: Corn Syrup   Media: Corn syrup

Corn syrup is a food syrup that is made from the starch of corn/maize and contains varying amounts of sugars: glucose, maltose and higher oligosaccharides, depending on the grade. Corn syrup is used in foods to soften texture, add volume, prevent crystallization of sugar, and enhance flavor. Most table syrups are typically based with corn syrup. It can be processed into high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) by using the enzyme D-xylose isomerase to convert a large proportion of its glucose into sweeter fructose.

The more general term glucose syrup is often used synonymously with corn syrup, since glucose syrup in the United States is most commonly made from corn starch.[1][2] Technically, glucose syrup is any liquid starch hydrolysate of mono-, di-, and higher-saccharides and can be made from any source of starch: wheat, tapioca and potatoes are the most common other sources.[3][4][5]

History

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Corn syrup was available at grocery stores in the 19th century, as a generic product sold from a barrel.[6] In 1902, the Corn Products Refining Company introduced clear, bottled corn syrup under the brand name of Karo Syrup.[6] In 1910, the company launched one of the largest advertising campaigns ever seen. This included full-page advertisements in women's magazines and free cookbooks full of recipes that called for Karo brand corn syrup.[6] In the 1930s, they promoted a new pecan pie recipe that featured corn syrup, followed by a similar, nut-free chess pie recipe, in a bid to drive sales.[6] Later, they promoted it as an alternative to maple syrup for waffles.[6] As cooking in the home declined in the 21st century, so that fewer people made candies or pies at home, commercial sales of Karo tended to dominate over the retail sales.[6]

Commercial preparation

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Historically, corn syrup was produced by combining corn starch with dilute hydrochloric acid, and then heating the mixture under pressure. The process was invented by the German chemist Gottlieb Kirchhoff in 1811. Currently, corn syrup is obtained through a multi-step bioprocess. First, the enzyme α-amylase is added to a mixture of corn starch and water. α-amylase is secreted by various species of the bacterium genus Bacillus and is isolated from the liquid in which the bacteria were grown. The enzyme breaks down the starch into oligosaccharides, which are then broken into glucose molecules by adding the enzyme glucoamylase, known also as "γ-amylase". Glucoamylase is secreted by various species of the fungus Aspergillus; the enzyme is isolated from the liquid in which the fungus is grown. The glucose can then be transformed into fructose by passing the glucose through a column that is loaded with the enzyme D-xylose isomerase, an enzyme that is isolated from the growth medium of any of several bacteria.[7]

Corn syrup is produced from number 2 yellow dent corn.[8] When wet milled, about 2.3 litres of corn are required to yield an average of 947 g of starch, to produce 1 kg of glucose syrup. A bushel (25 kg) of corn will yield an average of 31.5 pounds (14.3 kg) of starch, which in turn will yield about 33.3 pounds (15.1 kg) of syrup. Thus, it takes about 2,300 litres of corn to produce a tonne of glucose syrup, or 60 bushels (1524 kg) of corn to produce one short ton.[9][10]

The viscosity and sweetness of the syrup depends on the extent to which the hydrolysis reaction has been carried out. To distinguish different grades of syrup, they are rated according to their dextrose equivalent (DE). Most commercially available corn syrups are approximately 1⁄3 glucose by weight.[citation needed]

Two common commercial corn syrup products are light and dark corn syrup.[11]

• Light corn syrup is corn syrup seasoned with vanilla flavor and salt. It is a nearly clear color.
• Dark corn syrup is a combination of corn syrup and refiner's syrup, caramel color and flavor, salt, and the preservative sodium benzoate. Its color is dark brown.

Uses

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Major uses of corn syrup in commercially prepared foods are as a thickener, a sweetener, and a humectant (an ingredient that retains moisture and thus maintains a food's freshness).[12] The primary ingredient in most brands of commercial "table syrup" is either regular corn syrup or high-fructose corn syrup, both of which are less expensive than maple syrup.[13]

In the United States, tariff-rate quotas for cane sugar imports raise sugar prices;[14] hence, domestically produced corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup are less costly alternatives that are often used in American-made processed and mass-produced foods, candies, soft drinks, and fruit drinks.[12]

Glucose syrup was the primary corn sweetener in the United States prior to the expanded use of high fructose corn syrup production in 1964.[15] HFCS is a variant in which other enzymes are used to convert some of the glucose into fructose.[16] The resulting syrup is sweeter and more soluble.[citation needed]

If mixed with sugar, water, and cream of tartar, corn syrup can be used to make sugar glass.[17]

See also

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• Candy corn
• High-maltose corn syrup
• List of syrups

References

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1. ^ Structure of the world starch market, European Commission - Directorate Agricultural and Rural development, Evaluation of the Community Policy for Starch and Starch Products, Final report 2002, Chapter 1, page 3 [1]
2. ^ "Sugar Association Alternative Carbohydrate Sweeteners". Archived from the original on 23 September 2006.
3. ^ Wheat starch, Application, International Starch Institute Denmark
4. ^ Global casave outlook; Guy Henry, Andrew Westby; 2007; page 600 Archived 5 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
5. ^ "International Starch Association Starch and Glucose Glossary". Archived from the original on 16 July 2002.
6. ^ a b c d e f Weinstein, Jay (2007). "Karo Syrup". In Smith, Andrew F. (ed.). The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 339. ISBN 978-0-19-530796-2. OCLC 71833329.
7. ^ Martin Chaplin and Christopher Bucke, Enzyme Technology (Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1990), pages 146–154. Available on-line at: London South Bank University: Enzyme Technology. See "Chapter 4: The Large-Scale Use of Enzymes in Solution", sections:
   • The use of enzymes in starch hydrolysis
   • Production of glucose syrup
8. ^ "Dent corn" (Zea mays var. indentata) is so called because the tops of its kernels are slightly indented. See Merriam-Webster dictionary.
9. ^ "Enzymatic Starch Hydrolysis: Background". Wageningen University & Research. Archived from the original on 4 October 2008.
10. ^ Trends in U.S. production and use of glucose syrup and dextrose, 1965-1990, and prospects for the future. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Economic Research Service report.
11. ^ "Karo Syrup - FAQ". Karo. ACH Food Companies, Inc. Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
12. ^ a b Knehr, Elaine. "Carbohydrate Sweeteners". Food Product Design. Virgo Publishing. Archived from the original on 2 January 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2008.
13. ^ "5 Things You Need to Know About Maple Syrup". Retrieved 29 September 2016.
14. ^ "U.S. Sugar Import Program". USDA. Archived from the original on 22 March 2009. Retrieved 21 March 2009.
15. ^ Rippe, James M., ed. (2014). Fructose, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sucrose and Health. New York: Humana Press. doi:10.1007/978-1-4899-8077-9. ISBN 978-1-4899-8077-9. OCLC 876051670.
16. ^ Hobbs, Larry (2009). "Starch: Chemistry and Technology". In BeMiller, James; Whistler, Roy (eds.). Sweeteners from Starch: Production, Properties and Uses (PDF) (3rd ed.). Elsevier Inc. pp. 808–813. ISBN 978-0-12-746275-2. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
17. ^ Annual Report - National Confectioners' Association of the United States. 1956.

v t e Maize and corn
Varieties	Amylomaize Baby Blue Dent Field Flint Flour Genetically modified List MON 810 MON 863 Purple Quality Protein Maize Shoepeg Sweet Varieties Visayan white Waxy Lagkitan By origin Bolivia Ecuador Italy Peru
Parts	Cob Kernel Stover
Processing	Corn construction Maize milling Nixtamalization Wet-milling Popcorn maker
Pathology	BBCH-scale Corn allergy Corn smut Maize streak virus
Production	Biofuel Corn crib Cornstalk fiddle By country United States Tanzania International corn production statistics List of popcorn brands Three Sisters (agriculture)
Culture	Corn Palace Corn School Field of Corn (1994 sculpture) National Cornbread Festival Sweet Corn Festival Zea (film)
Maize dishes	Ingredients Cornmeal Masa Mielie-meal Oil Samp Starch Steep liquor Syrup Glucose syrup High-fructose Public perception High-maltose Soups, stews, and porridge Banku Binte biluhuta Bulz Cocoloși Corn chowder Corn crab soup Corn pudding Corn soup Corn stew Cou-cou Creamed corn Fufu Ginataang mais Grits Hasty pudding Kačamak Mămăligă Mămăligă în pături Mush Pashofa Polenta Pozole Sagamite Suam na mais Ugali Xarém Tamales Acaçá Tamale Binaki Guanime Hallaca Humita Nacatamal Pamonha Pasteles Breads and cakes Arepa Bollo Broa Cachapa Chipa guasu Cornbread Corn cookie Corn tortilla List of tortilla-based dishes Johnnycake Makki ki roti Pastel de choclo Piki Proja Pupusa Sloosh Sope Sopa paraguaya Spoonbread Talo Tortilla Totopo Wotou Fried dishes Battered sausage Corn chip Corn dog Corn fritter Corn nut Cornick Corn schnitzel Hushpuppy Milho frito Nachos Sorullos Tostada Tortilla chip Other foods Alivenci Binatog Conkies Corn flakes Corn on the cob Corn relish Corn sauce Gofio Hominy Huitlacoche Kenkey Kuymak Maíz con hielo Maja maíz Maque choux Mote Pinole Popcorn Succotash Beverages Atole Bourbon whiskey Cauim Champurrado Chicha Chicha de jora Chicha morada Colada morada Corn beer Corn tea Corn whiskey Mazamorra Pinolillo Pozol Tejate Tejuino Tesgüino

v t e Sugar as food commodity
List of sugars and sugar products
Chemistry	Monosaccharide Fructose Galactose Glucose Xylose Disaccharide Lactose Maltose Sucrose Trehalose Added sugar Reducing sugar
Sources	Sugar beet Sugarcane Agave syrup Birch Coconut Date Honeydew Maple Palm Malt
Products	Syrups List of syrups Agave syrup Barley malt syrup Brown rice syrup Cheong Maesil-cheong Mogwa-cheong Yuja-cheong Corn syrup High-fructose High-maltose Glucose syrup Golden syrup Honey Inverted sugar syrup Kuromitsu Maple syrup Mizuame Molasses Pine honey Steen's cane syrup Table syrup Treacle Yacón syrup Solid forms Brown Peen tong Candi sugar Chancaca Crystalline fructose Gelling Gula melaka Jaggery Misri Molasses sugar Muscovado Nib Non-centrifugal cane sugar Panela Plantation Reserve Powdered Preserving Sucanat Sugar candy Barley sugar Butterscotch Candy Hard Rock candy Toffee Sugar glass Sugarloaf Wasanbon White Other forms Caramel Cotton candy floss Maple sugar foods Rum Sugar alcohol Sugar confectionery Sugarcane juice Tuzemák Unrefined sweeteners
Industry	Production Boilery Plantation Casa-grande Refinery Sugar bush Sugarcane mill Engenho Batey Zafra Sugar marketing By region Current Australia Bundaberg Sugar CSR Wilmar Sugar Cuba Caribbean Kenya India Mauritius Philippines Rwanda Sri Lanka South Africa Illovo Sugar Tongaat Hulett Tanzania Uganda United Kingdom British Sugar Tate & Lyle United States Sugar Association U.S. Sugar Program Historical Danish West Indies Fiji Hawaii
History	1811 German Coast uprising Amelioration Act 1798 Blackbirding Colonial molasses trade Demerara rebellion of 1823 Holing cane Leith Sugar House Molasses Act Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 Slavery in the British and French Caribbean Sugar Act Sugar Duties Acts 1846 Sugar Intervention Taiwan Sugar Railways Triangular trade
Culture	Added sugar Crop Over Sugar shack Sugaring Sugar nips Sugar packet Sucrology Sugar people Sugar tit Sugar sculpture Treacle mining
Related	Australian Aboriginal sweet foods Bagasse Blood sugar level Cane knife Flavored syrup Fruit syrup Date honey Grape Jallab Health effects Nectar Sugar addiction Sugars in wine Residual sugar Sugar substitute Sweetened beverage Sweetener Sweetness Vinasse
Research	Robert Lustig John Yudkin Pure, White and Deadly (1972)
Category Production