What is Sucrose?
Sucrose or cane sugar is a carbohydrate. It is specifically a disaccharide (composition of two monosaccharides), that is composed of a single molecule of glucose and a single molecule of fructose bonded by a glycosidic linkage at the number one carbon of glucose and number two carbon of fructose. Due to the way glucose and fructose are linked, there is no reducing end (anomeric hydroxyl group) available in sucrose. Sucrose is naturally occurring and can be found in the whole foods that we consume such as fruits and vegetables. Sucrose is known for its natural sweetness and is often used to enhance the flavor of food products. William Miller, an English chemist, was the first to coin the term “sucrose” in 1857.
Sources and Manufacturing
Over 180 million tons of sucrose is produced worldwide every year. Typically, sucrose is extracted from sugarcane or sugar beet and refined for human consumption. The chemical synthesis of sucrose was successfully achieved in 1953 by Lemieux and Huber. However, this method of sucrose production is not common at an industrial and commercial scale.
The level of refinement and processing will dictate the properties of sucrose. This includes its appearance (e.g. crystal size, color) and flavor. For example, sucrose with coarse, granulated, and fine crystal size can impact the texture and mouthfeel of the food. The flavor and color of sucrose can be also impacted by the amount of molasses in the sugar. For example, the greater the molasses content in the sucrose, the richer the flavor and more moisture will be present. Depending on the goals of a product, one or multiple types of sucrose can be used to achieve the desired attributes.
Qualities
Similar to other carbohydrates, one gram of sucrose contains approximately 4 kcals of energy.
When sucrose is consumed, it will begin to be broken down into its constitutive parts of glucose and fructose in the mouth by enzymes. This process will continue in the gut where the majority of this process continues. Glucose and fructose are then absorbed by the gut and processed accordingly providing energy the muscle needs during exercise or stored as glycogen during rest.
While sucrose is 1.2-1.8 times less sweet than fructose, it is about 0.7-0.8 times more sweet than glucose. Sucrose has a glycemic index of 65, which is lower than that of maltodextrin, due to the fact that sucrose is half glucose and half fructose. This means that sucrose is more slowly absorbed compared to maltodextrin as sucrose must be broken down into glucose and fructose before these two types of carbohydrates are absorbed via select transporters in the gut.
Other Uses
Other uses of sucrose include modifying the texture and structure of foods and improving the stability and shelf life of certain products.
Sucrose in Carbs Fuel Products
Sucrose is used as one of the primary carbohydrate sources in Carbs Fuel products to achieve the 2:1 or 1:0.8 glucose to fructose ratios. Furthermore, the amount of sucrose used is adjusted accordingly to achieve the desired flavor and mouthfeel profile of certain products.
