Glucose syrup (not high-fructose corn syrup, HFCS)
Description
Concentrated solution of starch hydrolysis sugars (primarily from corn, also wheat or tapioca), composed of glucose (dextrose), maltose, and glucose oligosaccharides.
It is not HFCS: in standard glucose syrups the fructose content is absent or minimal; if fructose is present at relevant levels, the product is an isomerized syrup (different category).
Appearance: clear, viscous liquid (colorless to pale straw), sweet, neutral flavor; typical solids ~70–85 °Brix.
Caloric value (per 100 g)
~280–340 kcal/100 g (depends on solids).
Example composition at 75 °Brix: carbohydrate ~75 g, protein ≈0 g, fat ≈0 g, water ~25 g.
Key constituents
D-glucose (dextrose), maltose, maltotriose, and longer glucose oligomers; the distribution is governed by degree of hydrolysis (DE).
Fructose: negligible in non-isomerized glucose syrups; declare any isomerized fractions if used.
Typical quality markers: DE, pH (~4.0–6.0), color (ICUMSA), HMF (increases with heat load), viscosity, system aw.
Production process
Starch (corn/wheat/tapioca) → liquefaction with α-amylase → saccharification with glucoamylase (no isomerase for “glucose syrup”) → refining (decolorization/deionization) → evaporation to target °Brix → filtration and packing.
Managed under GMP/HACCP with CCP on enzyme inactivation, microbiology, solids/moisture, and seal integrity.
Sensory and technological properties
Sweetness increases with DE; viscosity/body decrease as simple sugars rise.
Excellent anti-crystallizing agent (confectionery), humectant, and freezing-point depressant (ice creams).
Higher DE grades are more hygroscopic and brown more readily (Maillard/caramelization).
Food uses
Bakery (moisture retention, crust color), confectionery (caramels, toffees, fondants), ice cream/frozen desserts (body, anti-crystallization), beverages (solids and sweetness), sauces/glazes, meat processing (surface browning), instant dry mixes.
Typical use levels: 2–25% of formula solids, tuned to DE and process.
Nutrition and health
Source of added, rapidly digestible carbohydrates; GI generally high (higher at higher DE).
Not HFCS: free fructose exposure is low/absent in non-isomerized glucose syrup; concerns tied to fructose relate to HFCS or blends with crystalline fructose, not to standard glucose syrup.
Dental caries risk similar to other sugars → portion control and oral hygiene.
Gluten/allergens: glucose syrups from wheat are typically gluten-removed by process; confirm regulatory/labeling requirements.
Quality and specifications (typical topics)
DE (e.g., 28/42/63/90), solids (°Brix), pH, color (ICUMSA), HMF, viscosity at defined T, ash ≤0.5%.
Microbiology: low total counts; pathogens absent/25 g; control osmophilic yeasts.
Contaminants: metals/mycotoxins within limits for the maize chain; residual enzymes inactivated.
Labeling: source starch (corn/wheat/tapioca), non-isomerized status where relevant, allergens.
Storage and shelf-life
Store cool/dry, in closed containers, protected from heat and light; avoid uncontrolled dilutions (micro risk).
Typical shelf-life 12–24 months; maintain tank/line hygiene to prevent osmophilic yeast growth.
Allergens and safety
Gluten-free by process when from corn/tapioca or highly purified wheat syrups; verify labeling per jurisdiction.
Not suitable for low-GI diets; take care in diabetes management.
Conform to GMP/HACCP with critical CCP on enzyme kill, pH, and sealing.
INCI functions in cosmetics
Related raws: Glucose, Maltodextrin, Hydrolyzed Starch (roles: humectant, viscosity-increasing, film-forming, masking).
Troubleshooting
Undesired crystallization/texture in confectionery → select appropriate DE or blend with maltodextrin; control moisture.
Excess browning in baking → DE too high or excessive time/temperature → choose lower DE, reduce thermal load.
Caking in powder form → improve barrier packaging, add desiccant, use coarser granulation.
Micro instability in diluted syrups → keep high solids, sanitize lines, limit hold times.
Sustainability and supply chain
Impacts from maize cultivation, enzyme/energy use, and evaporation; improve via energy/water recovery, effluent control to BOD/COD targets, recyclable packaging, and full traceability under GMP/HACCP.
Conclusion
Glucose syrup is a versatile functional carbohydrate delivering sweetness, body, anti-crystallization, and cold-stability. It should not be confused with HFCS: in the non-isomerized form, fructose is minimal/absent. Proper DE selection and control of solids/process drive performance and stability in application.
Mini-glossary
DE — Dextrose equivalent: percentage of reducing sugars as dextrose; higher DE → higher sweetness, lower viscosity, greater hygroscopicity.
GI — Glycemic index: relative blood-glucose response; typically high for high-DE glucose syrups.
HMF — Hydroxymethylfurfural: heat/acid degradation marker of sugars; rises with harsh processing/storage.
aw — Water activity: fraction of “free” water; lower aw improves microbial stability.
ICUMSA — Standard color scale for sugars/syrups.
GMP/HACCP — Good Manufacturing Practice / Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points: hygiene/preventive safety systems with defined CCP.
CCP — Critical control point: step where control prevents/reduces a hazard (e.g., enzyme kill, pH, sealing).
BOD/COD — Biochemical/Chemical oxygen demand: indicators of wastewater impact.
Studies
Glucose syrup is a composite solution that combines various sugars such as glucose, maltose and various others. It is obtained from corn starch.
It is used as a sweetener in the food sector to be added to:
Chocolate
- Dark sugar
- Candies
- Bakery products
- Ice creams
There is growing evidence that consumption of added sugars play a role in the recent increase of metabolic diseases: 1) The intake of derived caloric sweeteners has increased in conjunction with rising prevalence of obesity; 2) Epidemiologic data and experimental studies show a positive correlation between sugar, fructose or sweetened beverages consumption and component of the metabolic syndrome (1).
Studies in animals have documented that, compared with glucose, dietary fructose induces dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. To assess the relative effects of these dietary sugars during sustained consumption in humans, overweight and obese subjects consumed glucose- or fructose-sweetened beverages providing 25% of energy requirements for 10 weeks. Although both groups exhibited similar weight gain during the intervention, visceral adipose volume was significantly increased only in subjects consuming fructose. Fasting plasma triglyceride concentrations increased by approximately 10% during 10 weeks of glucose consumption but not after fructose consumption. In contrast, hepatic de novo lipogenesis (DNL) and the 23-hour postprandial triglyceride AUC were increased specifically during fructose consumption. Similarly, markers of altered lipid metabolism and lipoprotein remodeling, including fasting apoB, LDL, small dense LDL, oxidized LDL, and postprandial concentrations of remnant-like particle–triglyceride and –cholesterol significantly increased during fructose but not glucose consumption. In addition, fasting plasma glucose and insulin levels increased and insulin sensitivity decreased in subjects consuming fructose but not in those consuming glucose. These data suggest that dietary fructose specifically increases DNL, promotes dyslipidemia, decreases insulin sensitivity, and increases visceral adiposity in overweight/obese adults (2).
Chronic sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption is associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Hyperglycaemia contributes to metabolic alterations observed in T2DM, such as reduced oxidative capacity and elevated glycolytic and lipogenic enzyme expressions in skeletal muscle tissue. We aimed to investigate the metabolic alterations induced by SSB supplementation in healthy individuals and to compare these with the effects of chronic hyperglycaemia on primary muscle cell cultures. The major finding of this work is that 4 weeks of periodic high glucose availability can induce metabolic alterations in skeletal muscle in vivo comparable to adaptations of muscle cells towards chronic hyperglycaemic conditions in vitro. Because of the limited duration of the SSB supplementation, for evident ethical reasons and its periodic nature, 2 drinks per day, in vivo skeletal muscle metabolic changes were visible mainly at mRNA level. However, a clear metabolic shift towards carbohydrates was detectible at a protein level in vitro (3).
48 healthy people of normal weight and age between 25 and 47 years were administered daily, 75 grams of glucose equal to 300 calories, 33 grams of cream equal to 300 calories and orange juice equal to 300 calories. At the end of the study, orange juice had not produced any change in inflammatory indexes, while glucose had increased some indexes and cream had increased all of them (4).
Glucose, in essence, should be taken with caution, while the consumption of fructose should be reduced to a minimum.
Molecular Formula: C6H14O7
Molecular Weight: 198.171 g/mol
CAS: 8029-43-4 77029-61-9
EC Number: 232-436-4
Synonyms:
- Hydrolyzed starch syrups
- D-Glucopyranose, monohydrate (9CI)
- Corn syrup
- D-Glucopyranose, monohydrate
- Syrups, hydrolyzed starch
- Corn sugar syrup
- Syrups, corn
References_________________________________________________________________
(1) Tran C, Tappy L. Sucrose, glucose, fructose: quels sont les effets des sucres sur la santé métabolique? [ucrose, glucose, fructose consumption: what are the impacts on metabolic health?. Rev Med Suisse. 2012 Mar 7;8(331):513, 515-8.
(2) Kuzma JN, Cromer G, Hagman DK, Breymeyer KL, Roth CL, Foster-Schubert KE, Holte SE, Weigle DS, Kratz M. Consuming glucose-sweetened, not fructose-sweetened, beverages increases fasting insulin in healthy humans. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2019 Mar;73(3):487-490. doi: 10.1038/s41430-018-0297-5.
(3) Sartor F, Jackson MJ, Squillace C, Shepherd A, Moore JP, Ayer DE, Kubis HP. Adaptive metabolic response to 4 weeks of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in healthy, lightly active individuals and chronic high glucose availability in primary human myotubes. Eur J Nutr. 2013 Apr;52(3):937-48. doi: 10.1007/s00394-012-0401-x.
(4) Deopurkar R, Ghanim H, Friedman J, Abuaysheh S, Sia CL, Mohanty P, Viswanathan P, Chaudhuri A, Dandona P. Differential effects of cream, glucose, and orange juice on inflammation, endotoxin, and the expression of Toll-like receptor-4 and suppressor of cytokine signaling-3. Diabetes Care. 2010 May;33(5):991-7. doi: 10.2337/dc09-1630.
Glucose syrup 
