Introduction
High fructose corn syrup is a common sweetener found in everything from baked goods to sodas. It has become such a popular ingredient due to its ability to lengthen the shelf life of the products its used in. Although the ingredient is popular, it has also come under a lot of fire for its effects on health. However, according to the Mayo Clinic, there is still too much conflicting research to decide whether high fructose corn syrup is any worse than other sweeteners (especially if only consumed in moderation). High fructose corn syrup is processed by changing the sugar content in cornstarch to a form of sweetener called fructose.
Separation
the process of making high fructose corn syrup starts with sending corn from the field to a piece of machinery called a wet mill. Once placed in the wet mill, the corn is crushed into smaller pieces. The pieces are then sent through screens which separate the kernels from the starch of the corn.
Enzymes
To break down some of the cornstarch into fructose, three special enzymes are added to the separated cornstarch solution. First alpha-amylase is used to produce polysaccharides. The polysaccharides are then broken down into glucose by an enzyme called glucoamylase. To make the final transition to a mixture of glucose and fructose, glucose-isomerase is added to the solution.
Filtration
To filter out any unwanted substances, the glucose and fructose mixture is passed through a screen of active carbon. The remaining liquid is then passed through screens to further filter any unwanted particles from the corn syrup.
Types
Once the product is complete it remains at an approximate 42/58 percent fructose to glucose mixture. This is called HFCS-42. If the process continues, liquid chromatography is used to increase the fructose content to a 90/10 percent fructose mixture of HFCS-92. One final type of high fructose corn syrup can be made by combining the 42/58 and 90/10 mixtures together to form a solution of 55/45 percent fructose to glucose mixture called HFCS-55.
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