Glucose

Glucose (CAS 50-99-7), commercially known as dextrose, is a simple monosaccharide sugar sourced primarily from corn or wheat starch hydrolysis.

Where is Glucose used?

• Food and beverage: fermentable sugar for baked goods and brewing
• Confectionery: contributes to browning, texture and shelf life
• Pharmaceuticals: IV infusion base, tablet excipient and diluent in oral solid dosage forms
• Personal care: humectant and skin-conditioning agent in moisturizers and cleansers
• Fermentation: primary carbon source for amino acids and organic acids
• Bioethanol production relies on it as a carbon source at industrial scale.
• Glucose syrup prevents crystallisation.
• In ice creams and sorbets, glucose lowers the freezing point, improving texture and preventing crystallisation problems.
• Glucose is often used to substitute part of the sucrose and/or glucose syrup in a recipe.
• Glucose syrup is used in depilatory creams.

Good to know: Grade compliance and endotoxin control are critical procurement considerations for medical applications. Technical grade is used in industrial fermentation where high purity is less critical.

Formulation notes

• Glucose is typically used at 3 to 10% in food applications.
• The general dosage is 2 to 5% relative to the total weight.

Typical specification

• Glucose Syrup DE-40 is balanced in sweetness and viscosity and is mostly used in the confectionery industry.
• Glucose Syrup DE-95 (Hydrolysate) is almost pure dextrose with a high dextrose content of minimum 92% and low ash content.
• Higher DE values indicate more completely hydrolyzed products, increased sweetness, and lower viscosity.
• It is supplied as a finely crystalline white powder with a low sweet taste.
• Glucose has a sweetening power 30% lower than sucrose from beet or cane.

Regulatory status

• In the EU, manufacturers are legally required to list each individual sugar type in the ingredient list.
• In the ingredient list, sugars are declared by their chemical name, such as glucose.
• The declared sugar content in nutrition labeling includes all mono- and disaccharides present in the food.

Storage, packaging and handling

• Glucose should be stored below 25°C and below 60% relative humidity.

Frequently asked questions about Glucose

What distinguishes the different glucose syrup qualities on the market?

Glucose syrup is available in different qualities defined by dry extract, dextrose equivalent and sugar profile.

What dextrose equivalent range characterises glucose syrups?

Glucose syrups have a Dextrose Equivalent (DE) above 20.

How does glucose function in sports and energy products?

Glucose is used in sports and energy products as a rapidly available and less sweet carbohydrate.

Technical content is compiled and updated by the SoleChem product team from public technical sources; the certificate of analysis (COA) governs product-specific specifications.