Fructose

Fructose (CAS 57-48-7), also known commercially as levulose or fruit sugar, is a monosaccharide sweetener sourced primarily from corn, sugar beets, and fruit.

Where is Fructose used?

• Food and beverage: sweetener in reduced-calorie products, sports drinks, and confectionery where high sweetness intensity and low crystallization tendency are priorities
• Pharmaceutical: sugar substitute in oral syrups, chewable tablets, and pediatric formulations for diabetic-friendly or low-glycemic labeling
• Personal care: humectant for moisture retention in leave-on skin and hair products
• Fermentation industries use it as a readily metabolized carbon source in microbial and yeast-based production processes.
• Used in baked goods to maintain moistness and tender textures for longer.
• Used in beverages to intensify sweet and acidic flavors and mask bitter taste of high-intensity sweeteners.
• Used in a wide variety of sugar exfoliants.

Good to know: With approximately 1.2 to 1.8 times the sweetening power of sucrose, it allows formulators to achieve target sweetness at lower use levels.

Typical specification

• Typical particle-size range is 30–80 mesh.
• Moisture content is less than 0.5%.
• Offered based on corn or wheat starch with 42%, 46% and 95% fructose content.
• Appearance is white crystalline powder.

Regulatory status

• Can be labelled as E420 in various foodstuffs.

Frequently asked questions about Fructose

How does fructose affect freezing point and texture in frozen applications?

In ice cream and other frozen applications, fructose influences the freezing point and can thereby help adjust the desired texture and processability. It also performs technological functions such as moisture binding and crystallization inhibition depending on the recipe.

What is the effect of combining glucose and fructose in sports drinks?

In sports drinks, a mixture of glucose and fructose can increase carbohydrate oxidation by 40% compared to glucose alone, due to different transport and metabolism pathways. Fructose is also used in frozen dairy products to increase sweetness and inhibit crystallization.

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