What is Starch Sugar? A Comprehensive Dive Into This Industrial Sweetener

Starch sugars and sweeteners are the new common substitutes for the typical sugar you consume daily, such as glucose syrup, dextrose, high fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin, and sorbitol.

Unlike the typical sugar found on your table, starch sugars are derived from starch-based sources, such as corn, rice, wheat, tapioca, and potato.

These sweeteners are used across foods and beverages and pharmaceutical industries, contributing as enhancers of sweetness and texture and conserving food for extended periods.

Starch-Based Sugar Definition

Starch-based sugars are the second largest important sweeteners in the world, consisting of a solution of sugar in water. However, this liquid form of sugar shows little tendency to deposit crystals.

Starch consists of two main types of glucose molecule chains: amylose (straight chains) and amylopectin (branched chains).

Hydrolysis processes break down these glucose chains into smaller and simpler units. As a result of performing this process, depending on the enzyme used, various types of starch sugar alcohol are manufactured, each with its own unique characteristic.

Starch-based sugars are used in a variety of products, from foods and beverages to pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and fermented products.

These starch-derived sugars are different in their composition. Therefore, they serve various purposes on top of sweetening, including enhancement of texture, color, and final flavor of products.

What is Starch, and How is Starch Sugar Made?

Starches, in their entity, are long chains of glucose molecules found in many agricultural products, such as corn, wheat, and rice. Starch is then isolated from other components (fiber and protein) by mechanical processes in various steps, and the result is a starch slurry consisting of water and starch granules.

Wanna know all about how corn starch is made?

👉Check out our article Corn Starch Production Process: A Step-by-Step Guide.

The discovery of starch-based sugars goes back a long way.

Back in 1811, a Russian chemist named Gottlieb Kirchhoff discovered that he could give starch a sweetened character by heating the starch with sulfuric acid making corn syrup.

The acid hydrolysis process was used to convert starch into sugar for quite a while.

Later, during the 1960s, enzymatic hydrolysis was introduced and soon grabbed the attention of manufacturers due to the industrial value it brought to the production of glucose and other types of starch sugars.

The mixture of starch slurry goes through an enzymatic process by adding various enzymes (α-amylase and glucoamylase). The process usually takes place in three stages:

Gelatinization
Liquefaction
Saccharification

Based on the method and the time that manufacturers run to proceed with the hydrolysis process, different types of glucose syrups are made. They are categorized into various syrups based on their DE (dextrose equivalent) level. Simply put, the dextrose equivalent indicates how far the process has gone and to what degree it has been changed.

Various Types of Starch Sugars

As mentioned, starch-based sugars are categorized into various types of syrups based on the DE level and classified into multiple syrups.

Glucose Syrup

Liquid Glucose is a refined aqueous solution of glucose and contains maltose. Glucose syrups are mainly produced by the acid or acid-enzymatic process, which is optimal for producing sweeteners with 42 DE.

Glucose syrups enhance the texture, taste, and glossiness, preserving the food for a longer shelf-life.

In factory-made cakes, glucose syrup keeps them from crumbling or drying and enhances the moisture.

Dextrose

Dextrose is a simple sugar, chemically identical to glucose, and it’s a popular choice to use in various industries due to its fast-acting energy providing property.

Dextrose is presented in two forms: liquid and powdered. Similar to the other carbohydrates, dextrose has 4kcal per gram.

To produce dextrose, water is employed to break down complex carbohydrates into smaller and less complex molecules. Later on, enzymes are added to turn the molecules into individual glucose/dextrose molecules.

Dextrose, compared to sucrose, has less power to sweeten foods. Therefore, it’s mainly used for its energetic properties and can be found in various foods, such as jams, to preserve them longer.

Most importantly, dextrose is used in the pharmaceutical sector to produce tablets and oral gels suitable for those with diabetes. These over-the-counter tablets or oral gels help to raise the blood sugar level in diabetic individuals more quickly.

High-Fructose Corn Syrup

The high-fructose syrup is made when the glucose in the syrup is converted into fructose. According to an article published on Healthline, about 55% of high-fructose corn syrup consists of fructose, known to cause health problems if consumed in high amounts.

Foods with high-fructose corn syrup include:

Fast foods
Breakfast cereals
Sweetened soft drinks
Canned foods
Baked goods

Maltodextrin

WebMD defines Maltodextrin as a type of carbohydrate in corn, wheat, and potato starch that has undergone intense processing, where it is first cooked. Then, some acids or enzymes are added to hydrolyze and break down the molecules a little more. The final result has a white powder form.

Maltodextrins are non-sweet, nutritional saccharide polymers used as an additive in various foods to replace sugar and enhance the texture, shelf life, and taste. And they have a DE of less than 20.

Maltodextrin is used in foods like:

Yogurt
Chips
Beer
Snack foods
Nutrition bars
Baked goods
Infant formula

Where is Starch Sugar Used?

Starch-based sugar is considered a substitute for table sugar. Starch sugars are used in various industries due to their versatility and cost-effectiveness. Industries that use starch sugars are food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and other industrial applications.

The Role of Starch Sugar in the Food & Beverage Sector

Sugar plays a vital role in the making of different foods and drinks. Not only do they bring sweetness to various foods and beverages, but they can also enhance their texture, taste, and color. Sugars also act as preservers of food quality by extending their shelf life.

The Role of Starch Sugar in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Maltodextrin, a starch-based sugar that has undergone a partially enzymatic process, is present in wheat, corn, and potatoes. It is water-soluble, non-sweet, and serves as a diluent in producing various tablets and capsules.

Maltodextrin targets to help achieve a controlled drug release in tablets and capsules by encapsulating the drug action at a sustained rate, prolonging the duration of drug release, and reducing the toxicity chances.

What are the Health Concerns of Starch Sugar?

Starch-based sugars are often counted as artificial sugars, while saccharide (table sugar) is considered naturally occurring.

According to Turkey’s Ministry of Health press release-scientific board report on the “Health impact of starch-based sugars (SBS), regular table sugar consists of 50% glucose and 50% fructose, while starch-based sugars (SBSs) are usually higher in their fructose content.

The Rise in Cardiorenal Diseases

Over the past four decades, we have witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of people dealing with hypertension, diabetes, and kidney diseases. On the other hand, a similar increase was also seen in fructose consumption. Consequently, recent studies show a direct correlation between the increase in fructose consumption and the increase in cardiorenal diseases.

The Rise in Obesity

Fructose, unlike glucose, does not stimulate insulin. This triggers obesity, especially in those prone to gaining weight quickly. Consequently, it is most likely possible for you to consume more sugar as no insulin is released, you are unsatisfied, and you continue eating.

Also, fructose goes straight into the liver, which is known to help produce fats like triglycerides and cholesterol.

Final Words

You might not know much about starch sugar’s presence and prevalence, but there has been a surge in the usage of starch-based sugars in countless industries.

They are everywhere, from sweetening your drinks and baked cakes and bread to acting as a binding agent in the pharmaceutical industry!

In this article, we walked you through the exact process of how abundant crops like potato, corn, and wheat can go through a hydrolysis process and be transformed into versatile sweeteners like glucose syrup, dextrose, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and maltodextrin.

They not only serve as a sweetening agent, but they also help to improve the texture of the foods and extend shelf life.

Manufacturers use these starch-derived sugars in the pharmaceutical industry for intravenous (IV) solutions and oral rehydration therapies. Maltodextrin is explicitly used in the formulations of tablets and nutritional supplements, enhancing their stability.

Even beyond food and medicine, starch-based sweeteners support industrial fermentation, bio-based plastics, and sustainable manufacturing.

But these sugar alternatives are high in glycemic index, and overconsumption might lead to various health problems like obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disorders.

Starch-based sugars are among the widely used ingredients employed in sectors offering a unique alternative to traditional table sugar. However, like with any sweet indulgence, moderation is key.

As we look ahead, the challenge isn’t just finding alternatives to sucrose—it’s about creating a healthier, more sustainable relationship with sweetness.

FAQ

1- Are starch sugars safe to consume?

Starch-based sugars are generally not considered dangerous and pose no harm if consumed in moderation. However, recent studies indicate that large consumption of starch sugar, especially high-fructose corn syrup, can cause a sudden rush in blood sugar and lead to different health problems, such as obesity, heart problems, diabetes, etc.

2- What industries, other than food and beverage, use starch sugar in their products?

Apart from the food and beverage sector, various industries use these starch-driven sweeteners. In the pharmaceutical sector, manufacturers employ starch sugar in the production of tablets and capsules to enhance the stability and gradual drug delivery to the whole body.

These are the two common and more known sectors that use starch sugar in their production process. Another lesser-known industrial usage of starch sugar is in the making of bio-based plastics and sustainable manufacturing processes. Starch sugars are typically utilized in these industries to enhance the products’ texture, stability, and sustainability.