Sugars and Sweeteners PDF

**Sugars and Sweeteners** **Plant Sugar Sources** **Species** **Description**...

**Sugars and Sweeteners** **Plant Sugar Sources** **Species** **Description** **Native Region** **Economic Importance** **Growing Conditions** **Other** ------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sugar cane Tall perennial grass, growing up to 3.5 meters Its origins are uncertain, but it has a long history of domestication. It was likely first selected as a sweet chewing cane in New Guinea. Over time, it hybridized with related species from Southeast Asia and India. This cultivated variety was then spread to the Pacific region, Southeast Asia, India, and later back to China and India. Sugar cane is extensively cultivated in Brazil, India, and less so from the Caribbean, and Florida (where the industry is subsidized and not as profitable). It is the largest global source of commercial sugar (sucrose), with over 1 billion tons produced annually, primarily in India and Brazil. Additionally, a significant portion of Brazilian sugar cane is used to produce bioethanol fuel for the domestic market. Sugar cane thrives in a moist, frost-free climate with fertile soil. It is propagated using stem cuttings called setts. The harvested stems and leaves are crushed to extract sugary juice (about 15% sucrose). The juice is concentrated by boiling, then centrifuged to separate molasses from crude sugar. The dark crude sugar is purified through repeated crystallization to produce pure sucrose. Sugar cane was first commercially grown in the Mediterranean. Europeans, especially the British, later established large plantations in the Caribbean, which led to the African slave trade, beginning around 1500, due to a lack of technology to handle labour intensive harvesting. African slaves were forced to work in harsh conditions in the cane fields and processing plants. This trade evolved into the "Sugar Triangle," where Caribbean sugar and molasses were shipped to Europe. Sugar Beet It is closely related to edible (var. esculenta) and fodder beets for livestock (var. rapacea), was developed in Europe in the late 1700s from a white fodder beet with about 8% sucrose to meet demand for sugar after cutoff of supplies due to Napoleonic Wars. Crystallized sugar was a luxury in Europe at the time, commanding a high price. Europe Today, about 250 million tons of table sugar are produced annually from sugar beets, accounting for 20- 25% of the global supply. Major producers include Russia, Ukraine, France, Germany, and the United States. Manitoba had a sugar beet plant in the Fort Garry area from 1940-1997. The sugar beet is a temperate, biennial crop harvested after 2 years. The first sugar beet production facility opened in Silesia (now part of Poland) in 1802. By the mid-1900s, modern high-yielding cultivars with 18-20% sucrose were developed. Corn Syrup Corn syrup, primarily composed of glucose and fructose (sucrose), is produced from cornstarch (obtained from corn kernels) through enzymatic fermentation. Glucose-fructose syrups can also be made from other high starch sources like wheat, rice, and potatoes. Fructose, which is sweeter and more water-soluble than glucose, is obtained by enzymatically converting glucose. Maple Syrup The sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is a large deciduous tree. In late winter and early spring (February-March), the phloem tissue is tapped to collect sugary sap (1-3% sucrose). The sap is boiled and concentrated into syrup, which can be granulated to produce maple sugar. eastern North America particularly New England, southern Ontario, and Québec. Maple sugar is used in confections and as a flavoring. Québec is the largest global producer, with smaller amounts from northern New England states. **Tropical Palms** Several tropical palm species are important local, not commercial sources of sugar. The sugary sap is tapped from these palms, concentrated into syrup, and dried. The sap can also be fermented to produce alcoholic palm wine. There is a small export market for sugar from tropical palms. **Species** **Description** **Native Region** **Production** **Other** -------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sugar Palm The sugar palm is large and produces separate male and female flower clusters. It has been used historically for sugar and palm wine production. The palm is tapped by cutting off male flower clusters to collect sap, which initially flows at a high rate (few days) but decreases over time. tropical East Asia Brown palm sugar is made by boiling the sap to concentrate it. Annually, a single palm yields about 1,800 liters of sap, producing around 150 kg of sugar. It can be used for candies and brown sugar. Palmyra Palm This palm is large and grows up to 30 meters and has separate male and female plants. dry tropical regions of India and Southeast Asia. Male plants are tapped for their sugary sap, while females are kept for their edible fruit. The male flower clusters are cut off to collect the sap, which is boiled to concentrate the raw sugar. A single palm can produce over 100,000 liters of sap over four years (up to 20 liters per day). The sugar from this palm is known as "jaggery," and the fermented sap is called "toddy wine." Several other palm species are tapped, including the fishtail palm (Caryota urens) from tropical Asia, and the mokola palm (Hyphaene petersiana) from South and North Africa. Both are used to produce sugar and fermented palm wine. **Sweeteners** A sweetener is a non-sugar substance that produces a sweet taste when added to food and unlike sugars, is not absorbed into the body. Most sweeteners are artificial (e.g. aspartame, saccharin, the latter is banned in Canada) and were developed as low-calorie sugar substitutes. The following are natural sweeteners from plants. +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | **Sweetener** | **Description** | **Native | **Other** | | | | Region** | | +=================+=================+=================+=================+ | Stevia | Stevia is a | Paraguay | Stevioside | | | perennial herb | | breaks down in | | | known as | | the gut to form | | | *caa*-*ehe*, | | aglycone | | | and part of the | | Steviol, a | | | Sunflower | | diterpene which | | | family | | has been linked | | | (Asteraceae). | | to cancer in | | | Its leaves | | some research. | | | contain up to | | However, this | | | 20% of the | | needs further | | | active | | inquiry. | | | sweeteners | | | | | called steviol | | Recent | | | glycosides. The | | innovations | | | most important | | include | | | glycosides are | | combining | | | stevioside and | | rebaudioside | | | rebaudioside, | | with | | | which are | | erythritol, a | | | intensely | | naturally | | | sweet, | | occurring sugar | | | non-caloric | | alcohol found | | | (not absorbed | | in fruits. | | | by the gut), | | Stevia has | | | and have a | | recently been | | | liquorice-like | | approved as a | | | flavor. These | | sweetener in | | | compounds are | | the US and | | | 300 times | | Canada, and is | | | sweeter than | | popular in | | | sucrose and | | Japan, where it | | | half as sweet | | dominates | | | as saccharin. | | nearly half of | | | | | the sweetener | | | | | market. | | | | | However, | | | | | artificial | | | | | sweeteners | | | | | (e.g. | | | | | saccharin, | | | | | aspartame) are | | | | | banned or | | | | | strictly | | | | | regulated. It | | | | | is also grown | | | | | and used in | | | | | China, | | | | | Malaysia, | | | | | Thailand, and | | | | | South Korea. | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | Miracle Berry | The miracle | Tropical West | Fresh or dried | | | berry contains | Africa | miracle berries | | | a glycoprotein | | are available | | | called | | in North | | | miraculin that | | America and | | | binds to taste | | Europe but | | | buds and makes | | cannot be | | | salty and sour | | marketed as a | | | foods taste | | food additive. | | | sweet. It is | | Efforts were | | | not a sweetener | | made to | | | itself but | | commercialize | | | alters the | | it as an | | | taste of food | | additive but | | | consumed | | was stopped by | | | afterwards, | | the FDA. | | | with the effect | | Efforts are | | | lasting for | | ongoing to | | | several hours. | | purify | | | For example, a | | miraculin and | | | lemon eaten | | obtain | | | after consuming | | regulatory | | | miracle berry | | approval for | | | tastes sweet, | | the berry as a | | | not sour. | | dietary | | | | | supplement, as | | | | | it could | | | | | potentially be | | | | | used to help | | | | | people eat | | | | | healthier and | | | | | for people with | | | | | medical | | | | | conditions that | | | | | affect their | | | | | diet. | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+