Glucose, often in the form of glucose syrup, is primarily made for food using enzymes to break down starch. Here's a breakdown of the process:
Production of Glucose Syrup
Glucose is a simple sugar widely used in the food industry, often in the form of glucose syrup. The modern method for producing glucose syrup involves enzymes. The production of glucose syrups is mainly achieved by using enzymes to break down starch, commonly corn starch. Here’s how the process works:
-
Mixing Starch and Water: Corn starch is mixed with water to create a slurry.
-
Adding α-Amylase: The enzyme α-amylase is then added to the mixture. According to the provided reference, this is a primary step in the modern production of glucose syrup. α-amylase breaks down the starch molecules into shorter chains of sugars.
-
Further Processing (Optional): Additional enzymes can be used to further break down these shorter chains into glucose.
Historical Method
- Acid Hydrolysis: Formerly, glucose syrup was produced by combining corn starch with dilute hydrochloric acid and heating the mixture under pressure. This method is less common today due to advancements in enzyme technology.
