Manufacturing, composition, and applications of fructose.

High-fructose syrups (HFS) comprise fructose, dextrose, and minor amounts of oligosaccharides. The predominant syrups of commerce contain 42% and 55% fructose. HFS production was made possible by concurrent developments in refining, isomerization, and separation technologies in the 1960s. Fructose contributes many useful physical and functional attributes to food and beverage applications, including sweetness, flavor enhancement, humectancy, color and flavor development, freezing-point depression, and osmotic stability. HFS is used extensively in carbonated beverages, baked goods, canned fruits, jams and jellies, and dairy products. The use of crystalline fructose and crystalline fructose syrup have recently expanded from pharmaceutical and specialty food products to mainstream food and beverage applications.