Traditionally, sugar (sucrose) or honey was used to sweeten food. In
modern food processing, however, a number of other sweeteners are used,
both bulk sweeteners that are used in amounts similar to the amounts
of sugar they replace, and sugar substitutes that are many times sweeter
than sugar and are used in very small amounts.
High fructose syrups, prepared from starch, are commonly used
instead of sugar. They are generally known as high fructose corn syrup
(HFCS) containing 30 percent fructose, 35 percent glucose, and 6 percent
higher saccharides. They are only 74 percent as sweet as sucrose,
therefore more has to be used to achieve the same sweetness.
Sugar alcohols, such as sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol are also used as
sweeteners. They are derivatives of sugars that occur naturally in some
fruits, and are manufactured by chemical reduction of the parent sugars.
Sugar alcohols have a lower calorie yield than the sugars from which they
are derived, and are commonly used in the preparation of jams and sweets
used by diabetics. They are considered safe and can be used in foods in any
required amount; however, an intake greater than about 20 to 50 g/day may
cause gastrointestinal discomfort and have a laxative effect.
Fructose, prepared from hydrolysis of sucrose and isomerization of
glucose is used in the manufacture of candy, soft drinks, and other processed
foods. As fructose is 124 percent as sweet as sucrose, substitution of
fructose for sucrose in foods permits a reduction in the calorie content of
a food.
