Definition:

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SWEETEST®Crystalline fructose Health Benefits:

SWEETEST®Crystalline fructose belongs to the hexose family of monosaccharides (sugars containing six carbon atoms) and is an isomer of glucose. Its chemical name is D-fructose and it is one of the sweetest natural sugars. As a sweetener with a high sweetness level and a low glycemic index, crystalline fructose is widely used in beverages, food and health products, and can also be used as a pharmaceutical excipient or an industrial raw material.

■ Source

SWEETEST®Crystalline fructose is widely found in nature, particularly in fruits, honey, and vegetables, where it is an important component of natural sugars. Honey contains the highest levels (30%-40%), followed by fruits such as apples, pears, and grapes (5%-10%). Smaller amounts are also found in vegetables such as beets and carrots. In natural sources, fructose often coexists with glucose and sucrose, and direct extraction is costly and unable to meet large-scale industrial demand. Artificial synthesis is currently the main source of crystalline fructose, which is produced from inexpensive carbohydrates using biological or chemical conversion methods.

Particularities of SWEETEST®Crystalline fructose:

Product Specifications:

SWEETEST®Crystalline fructose is available in the following specification and contents:

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☑ SWEETEST®Crystalline fructose crystal or crystalline powder 99%

Product quality standards:

● GB/T 20882.3, Food grade, In-house

▶ Maintaining stable blood sugar

▶ Highly efficient energy metabolism

SWEETEST®Crystalline fructose Applications:

SWEETEST®Crystalline fructose, with its high sweetness, low glycemic index, and easy metabolism, has been widely used in the food, health products, feed, and industrial sectors, becoming one of the core choices for natural sweeteners.

In the food industry, SWEETEST®Crystalline fructose is an optimal choice for both flavour and functionality. Adding 1-5% to fruit juices enhances sweetness, inhibits microbial growth and extends shelf life thanks to its high osmotic pressure properties.

In carbonated beverages, it can replace up to 50% of the sucrose, providing a refreshing sweetness without affecting the stability of the bubbles. Its high solubility prevents crystallisation, ensuring consistent product quality. In sports drinks, it is combined with glucose and oligosaccharides (as in Kangbite energy gels, which use "5-dimensional fast and slow sugar" technology) to provide a rapid (glucose) and a sustained (fructose) energy supply, thus meeting energy needs during exercise. Adding 2-5% crystalline fructose to baked goods promotes yeast fermentation, increasing bread volume by 15-20% and creating an appealing golden colour through the Maillard reaction. Its moisturising properties delay ageing and extend shelf life to over seven days. Adding crystalline fructose to yoghurt does not affect the survival of probiotics and can be used to develop innovative products, such as brown yoghurt, through the Maillard reaction. For instance, one of Danone's flavoured yoghurts uses crystalline fructose combined with whey protein to impart a caramel flavour and silky texture to the product. When added to gummies, SWEETEST®Crystalline fructose provides suitable sweetness (it is 1.5 times sweeter than sucrose) and its moisturising properties maintain the gummies' moisture content at 15%-20%. This keeps them elastic and soft, and prevents them from drying out.

It is precisely tailored to health needs in health products and dietary supplements. In diabetic foods, SWEETEST®Crystalline fructose is the main sweetener and has a low GI value (GI=23), which can reduce postprandial blood glucose peaks by 30-40%. In weight management products, crystalline fructose replaces sucrose at a rate of 50% to 70%, reducing calorie intake while maintaining sweetness (crystalline fructose contains 0.2 kcal less per gram than sucrose). In sports nutrition supplements, energy gels and bars are combined with glucose and maltodextrin to provide energy through multiple pathways. Adding crystalline fructose to electrolyte drinks improves the taste and promotes the absorption of water alongside electrolytes such as sodium and potassium. In one sports drink brand, crystalline fructose is combined with xylooligosaccharides to increase water absorption by 20%. In foods for special medical purposes to aid postoperative recovery, crystalline fructose provides rapid energy without insulin dependence, making it suitable for postoperative patients. In foods that regulate intestinal function, it acts as a prebiotic precursor that promotes the proliferation of Bifidobacteria, increasing their number by 1.8 times and improving the gut microbiota. In a certain probiotic solid beverage, crystalline fructose is combined with probiotics (Lactobacillus rhamnosus), increasing the survival rate of live bacteria to over 90%.

The low GI value reduces postprandial blood sugar fluctuations. SWEETEST®Crystalline fructose has a much lower GI value (23) than sucrose (65) and glucose (100). This results in a gradual rise in blood sugar after ingestion. Metabolism of crystalline fructose is insulin-independent. It can be directly absorbed by the liver and broken down for energy via the pentose phosphate pathway without requiring insulin-mediated transmembrane transport. This means that crystalline fructose does not stimulate excessive insulin secretion, providing energy without burdening the pancreas's beta cells. This makes it suitable for individuals with insufficient insulin secretion or decreased insulin sensitivity. SWEETEST®Crystalline fructose meets the sweetness requirements of diabetic patients. Type 2 diabetic patients can satisfy their sweet tooth by consuming an appropriate amount (≤20 grams) of crystalline fructose daily without significantly raising their glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels.

SWEETEST®Crystalline fructose can provides the liver with a rapid energy supply, making it ideal for replenishing energy stores. Fructose is metabolised faster in the liver than glucose, quickly converting into ATP for energy without easily accumulating in the blood. Athletes can benefit from consuming beverages containing crystalline fructose 30 minutes before high-intensity training to quickly replenish energy and prolong the workout. SWEETEST®Crystalline fructose is also ideal for replenishing energy during low-carbohydrate diets. Those on low-carbohydrate diets (such as people trying to lose weight or control blood sugar) can obtain adequate energy through crystalline fructose without exceeding their carbohydrate restrictions. This helps to avoid problems such as fatigue and poor concentration caused by insufficient carbohydrate intake, while also not affecting ketone body production.

▶ Enhancing dietary tolerance

A safe sweetener choice for the elderly. Elderly individuals often experience decreased blood sugar regulation and reduced insulin sensitivity. The low glycemic index of crystalline fructose reduces the damage to blood vessels caused by blood sugar fluctuations. Its sweet taste also improves diminished taste sensations and lack of appetite in the elderly. Crystalline fructose is better tolerated by the intestines than some artificial sweeteners. Its intestinal fermentation rate is milder than that of sugar alcohols, such as sorbitol and xylitol. With a moderate intake of ≤30 grams per day, the incidence of intestinal discomfort, such as bloating and diarrhoea, is less than 5%, making crystalline fructose more tolerable than artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose and suitable for individuals who are sensitive to sweeteners. A moderate sweetener substitute for children. Moderate intake of crystalline fructose can reduce children's sucrose intake, satisfying their need for natural sweetness while reducing the risk of tooth decay and obesity caused by high-sucrose diets. It is recommended that children consume no more than 10 grams per day, primarily through natural sources such as apples and honey, with a small amount of crystalline fructose added for flavouring.

■ Physical and chemical properties

SWEETEST®Crystalline fructose is highly soluble in water (with a solubility of around 375 g/100 ml at 20°C, which far exceeds the solubility of sucrose at 203.9 g/100 ml). It is also slightly soluble in ethanol and insoluble in organic solvents such as ether and acetone. Its sweetness varies with concentration: at low concentrations (5-10%), it is 1.5-1.8 times sweeter than sucrose; at high concentrations (>50%), it is almost 1.2 times sweeter. It has a refreshing taste with no aftertaste, and it can mask some of the bitterness or sourness of food. Its melting point is lower than that of sucrose at 103-105 °C. It is thermally stable in its crystalline state but has no definite boiling point; however, it decomposes and carbonises easily at high temperatures. It is more hygroscopic than sucrose, but less than glucose. At 25°C and 75% relative humidity, its moisture absorption rate is approximately 15%. It needs to be stored in a sealed container to prevent clumping and moisture absorption. Crystalline fructose exists in two configurations: a pyran ring (stable and comprising over 99%) and a furan ring (minor and in dynamic equilibrium). In aqueous solution, the pyranose configuration is predominant. It readily undergoes the Maillard reaction, binding to amino acids more readily than glucose to produce brown pigments and flavour compounds. This makes it suitable for use in baking, brewing and other applications requiring flavour enhancement. It also exhibits reducing properties and can be oxidised to fructose acid or reduced to sorbitol (a sweetener).

■ Production technology characteristics

Currently, industrial production primarily uses corn starch hydrolysis-isomerisation, accounting for over 90% of global production, supplemented by sucrose hydrolysis. This process involves using corn starch as the raw material and preparing a 30-35% starch slurry by adding water. The pH is then adjusted and calcium chloride is added to protect subsequent enzyme activity, along with thermostable α-amylase. The second step is liquefaction (starch→dextrin), which breaks down and gelatinises the starch granules. In the third step, saccharification (dextrin→glucose), the temperature is lowered to 60 °C, the pH is adjusted and glucoamylase is added for incubation. This completely hydrolyses the dextrin into glucose, resulting in a glucose solution with a DE value of at least 95. The enzyme is then inactivated after hydrolysis. The fourth step is isomerisation (glucose→fructose), in which glucose isomerase is added to produce high-fructose corn syrup (F42), which contains approximately 42% fructose and 53% glucose. The fifth step involves purification and fructose enrichment. Fructose and glucose are separated through decolorisation, ion exchange and chromatography to produce high-fructose corn syrup (F90) with a fructose content of at least 90%. The remaining glucose solution can be recycled back to the isomerisation step. The sixth step involves concentration, crystallisation and drying. The F90 high-fructose corn syrup is concentrated by vacuum evaporation to produce a concentrated sugar solution with a concentration of 75-80%. Fructose seed crystals (0.1%-0.2%) are then added to a crystalliser and the mixture is gently stirred for 24-48 hours to form uniform crystals. The crystals are then separated from the mother liquor by centrifugation (the mother liquor can be recovered for recrystallisation). The crystals are then dried using an airflow at a temperature of ≤60°C to control the moisture content to ≤0.5%, yielding the finished crystalline fructose product.

The auxiliary process is sucrose hydrolysis, which uses sucrose as the raw material. It is hydrolysed at 70-80 °C under acidic conditions (with hydrochloric or citric acid, at a pH of 2.5-3.0) or catalysed by sucrase to produce a 1:1 mixture of glucose and fructose (invert sugar). The subsequent steps of purification, chromatographic separation, concentration and crystallisation are then performed to obtain crystalline fructose.