Inverted sugar syrup is a commercial mixture composed of Sucrose, Glucose, and Fructose. Invert sugar is a sweetener made by breaking sucrose, or table sugar, into its two component sugars, glucose and fructose, through a process called hydrolysis. This produces a syrup that is sweeter than sucrose, with a softer mouthfeel and improved preservative qualities due to its high solubility and moisture retention properties. Invert sugar is commonly used in the food industry to sweeten a wide range of products, including candies, baked goods, and beverages, as well as in ice cream to prevent crystallization and improve texture.

The composition usually is:

• Glucose 39%.
• Fructose 36% (1)
• Water 20%
• Sucrose 5%

Nutritional Profile (per 100 grams):

• Calories. About 310 kcal, similar to that of regular sugar.
• Carbohydrates. About 76 grams, mainly composed of equal parts glucose and fructose.
• Protein. Negligible protein content.
• Fats. No fat content.
• Fiber. No fiber content.
• Sodium. Minimum sodium content.

The sweetening power of this syrup is much higher than that of simple sugar.

• Composition. Inverted sugar syrup is composed of glucose and fructose in nearly equal proportions, resulting from the splitting of sucrose. The presence of these two simple sugars gives it unique characteristics compared to pure table sugar.
• Sweetening Properties. The sweetness of inverted sugar syrup is greater than that of pure sucrose, making it particularly useful in recipes requiring a high sweetening power without adding large amounts of sugar.
• Preservation and Stability. It improves the shelf life of food products by reducing sugar crystallization and increasing stability in acidic solutions, such as soft drinks. This makes it ideal for confectionery, ice creams, and baked goods.
• Moisture. It attracts and retains moisture better than sucrose, helping to keep baked products soft and fresh for longer.

Industrial Production Process

• Preparation. Sucrose, primarily extracted from sugar cane or sugar beet, is dissolved in water to create a concentrated solution.
• Acidification. The sucrose solution is acidified by adding an acid, such as citric acid or tartaric acid, to lower the pH. This step facilitates the hydrolysis of sucrose into glucose and fructose.
• Hydrolysis. Acidification initiates the hydrolysis of sucrose. Alternatively, hydrolysis can be accelerated through the use of specific enzymes, like invertase, which efficiently cleave sucrose at controlled temperatures.
• Neutralization. If necessary, the solution is neutralized by adding a base, such as sodium bicarbonate, to correct the acidity and stabilize the pH of the final product.
• Concentration. The inverted sugar solution is concentrated by vacuum evaporation to achieve the desired syrup consistency.
• Quality Control. The inverted sugar syrup undergoes quality control checks to verify composition, purity, density, and the absence of contaminants, ensuring it meets the required specifications.

Safety

Impact on Metabolism. Although inverted sugar syrup is metabolized similarly to other simple sugars, its high fructose content can contribute to the same health risks associated with excessive fructose consumption, such as weight gain and glucose metabolism disorder.

 Fructose is a naturally occurring sugar found in fruits, vegetables, and honey. Fructose is another component with a harmless and inviting name, but whose excessive consumption can create health risks. This ingredient is often included in desserts, beverages "sugar-free" food products, etc. to increase the sweet taste and we find it in glucose-fructose syrups, fructose syrups, invert sugar and even pure sugar.

 Excessive consumption of invert sugar can induce metabolic alterations to glucose and DNA (2).

Beware of fructose syrup!

Safety

During production, there are points of contamination by microorganisms that can change the properties of sugar and reduce its shelf life (3).

References_____________________________________________________________________

(1) ASHARE R, MOORE R, ELLISON EH. Utilization of glucose, fructose and invert sugar; comparison in diseases of the liver and pancreas. AMA Arch Surg. 1955 Mar;70(3):428-35. doi: 10.1001/archsurg.1955.01270090106024. PMID: 14349507.

(2) Molz P, Molz WA, Dallemole DR, Santos LFS, Salvador M, Cruz DB, PrÁ D, Franke SIR. Invert sugar induces glucose intolerance but does not cause injury to the pancreas nor permanent DNA damage in rats. An Acad Bras Cienc. 2020;92(2):e20191423. doi: 10.1590/0001-3765202020191423. Epub 2020 Jul 20. PMID: 32696841.

Abstract. The high consumption of sugars is linked to the intermediate hyperglycemia and impaired glucose tolerance associated with obesity, inducing the prediabetes. However, the consequences of excessive invert sugar intake on glucose metabolism and genomic stability were poorly studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of invert sugar overload (32%) in rats, analyzing changes in obesity, glucose tolerance, pancreatic/hepatic histology and primary and permanent DNA damage. After 17 weeks, the rats became obese and had an excessive abdominal fat, as well as presented impaired glucose tolerance, caused by higher sugar caloric intake. Primary DNA damage, evaluated by the comet assay, was increased in the blood, however not in the pancreas. No protein carbonylation was seen in serum. Moreover, no increase in permanent DNA damage was seen in the bone marrow, evaluated using the micronucleus test. Some rats presented liver steatosis and that the pancreatic islets were enlarged, but not significantly. In this study, invert sugar altered the glucose metabolism and induced primary DNA damage in blood, but did not cause significant damage to the pancreas or liver, and neither changes in the levels of oxidative stress or permanent DNA damage.

(3) Podadera, P. and Sabato, S.F., 2007, July. Radiation effect on sucrose content of inverted sugar. In International Nuclear Atlantic Conference. INAC.