Roles of sugar in food system
Sucrose, glucose and fructose are the most common sweeteners in nature.
Glucose is always less sweet than sucrose, whereas the sweetness of
fructose is highly dependent on temperature.
Sugar, which refers usually to sucrose, is natural and nontoxic, sweet
testing, water soluble crystalline carbohydrates, and every 1 gram of
sugar provide body 4K.calories. The main source for sugar is the beet
sugar or cane sugar; also there are several sources such as honey, corn
syrup, fruits, and vegetables….etc. Sucrose provides a sweetness flavour
profile which is consistently liked by consumers at an economical cost.
The relatively high solubility of sucrose is an important parameter for
its bulking effect in many foods and beverages. The dissolved sugar
increases the viscosity of water-based solutions or mixtures, resulting
in enhanced mouthfeel. Dissolved sugar lowers the freezing point of ice
cream by preventing the water molecules from combining to form ice
crystals, which slows down the freezing process.
By absorbing free water and increasing osmotic pressure, sugar reduces
water activity in a food system (e.g. jam), resulting in reduced
microbial and mold growth as well as extending the storage life of food.
Also sugar can preserve fruits, either in syrup with fruit such as
apples, pears.
Crystallization of sugars is desirable in products such as fondant,
dragees, fudge etc., but not in many other products like jam and
jellies. Crystallization occurs when the solubility limit of the sugar,
typically sucrose or glucose, has been exceeded and a supersaturated
environment has been created.
Sugar plays an important and single role in contributing to the flavor
of food by interacting with other components to enhance or lessen
certain flavors. By adding a small amount of sugar to cooked vegetables
and meat enhance the food’s natural flavors, without making them taste
sweet.
Texture is an expression of the sensation in the mouth. Sugar affects
this by providing volume and consistency in many products such as bread,
jam and beverages.In bread, sugar affects the volume of dough by
speeding up the fermentation process. This gives the bread a more porous
structure and softer crumb.
Roles of sugar in food system
