Common Uses of Fructose

Fructose (also called fruit sugar) is a simple sugar that can be found in a number of fruits (apples, oranges, melons, pears and peaches), vegetables (corn, peas, onions, tomatoes, carrots and beets) and honey. The crystalline type of fructose has been used for the past couple of decades as a sweetener in certain foods and beverages. Since fructose is sweeter than sugar (one to two times sweeter depending on the food application) a little goes a long way. According to Fructose.org, the average diet consists of 9 percent fructose. There is a wide range of uses for both crystalline fructose and high fructose corn syrup.

Crystalline Fructose Foods

Crystalline fructose is 100 percent pure fructose in crystalline form. It is created when fructose is permitted to crystallize from a fructose-enriched corn syrup.

Crystalline fructose that is prepared from processing sugar or corn is used as a sweetener in low-calorie products, bakery items, cereals, yogurt and fruit packs.

Crystalline Fructose Beverages

Crystalline fructose can be found in a wide variety of beverages including chocolate milk, flavored water, carbonated beverages, sports and energy drinks as well as pourable frozen juice concentrates.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

High-fructose corn syrup is made up of a combination of fructose and glucose (sugar). Fructose corn syrup is a common sweetener and preservative and is less expensive than pure sugar. High fructose crop syrup gained popularity in the 1980's when pricing controls among other factors increased the cost of importing sugar into the U.S.

High fructose corn syrup can be used in the same foods as the crystalline fructose. Since fructose does not hydrolyze (decompose by reacting with water) in acidic environments, the full flavor of products can be maintained over a long period of time.

High fructose corn syrup typically contained in extended shelf life items including gum, jams, jellies, canned fruits, dessert syrups, salad dressings soft moist cookies and nutrition bars as well as in sodas, lemonade and fruit flavored drinks.