Starch · Sweeteners
Maltose Syrups
High, extra-high and high-conversion maltose.
Maltose (also called malt sugar or di-glucose) is a di-saccharide with the molecular formula C12H22O11. Maltose is the second member of an important biochemical series of glucose chains. The addition of another glucose unit yields malto-triose, a four-glucose chain is malto-tetrose, and further additions will produce dextrins — also called maltodextrins — and eventually starch.
The maltose syrups are produced similar to glucose syrups by enzymatic saccharification of liquefied starch. Maltose syrups are classified as high maltose, extra-high maltose or high conversion syrups.
High maltose syrup
A syrup with a DE of 48–52, typically containing less than 5% w/w glucose and 48–52% w/w maltose.
Extra high maltose syrup
With a DE of 50–60, this syrup contains less than 5% w/w glucose and 70–85% w/w maltose. Both high and extra high maltose syrups are produced from starch liquefacts of DE 5–10.
High conversion maltose syrup
Produced from 38–42 DE starch hydrolysate (glucose syrup), saccharified with amylase and gluco-amylase to a 62–63 DE syrup. The product typically contains 30–35% w/w glucose, 30–45% w/w maltose and 8–13% w/w malto-triose. Altering the initial ratio of maltose-producing enzyme to gluco-amylase changes the concentration of glucose, maltose and malto-triose in the high conversion syrup.
Applications
High and extra high maltose syrups are often used for replacement of malt in the brewery industry — maltose syrup is usually cheaper than malt. High maltose syrups also find applications in bakery and canned food industries, in soft drinks and in soft candy whenever the malty sweetness of maltose is desired.
High conversion maltose syrup has widely found use in a variety of soft drinks, in candies and in the canned food industry. The taste and sweetness can be adjusted over a wide range and tailored for many sweetening purposes. Besides the spectrum of sweetness, maltose syrups also possess special hygroscopicity.