New technology for invert sugar and high fructose syrups from sugarcane

Abstract

The invert sugar is an equimolar mixture of glucose and fructose. It may be obtained on hydrolysis of sucrose under milder conditions using strong cationic resins. The fructose content may be increased to about 60 per cent level by a partial removal of glucose from invert sugar using the technique of column chromatography. The resultant product is called high fructose syrups (HFS) which is traditionally produced from starch. HFS may be produced from sucrose with economic advantage by this novel process. The production of invert sugar and high fructose syrups from sucrose (cane juice) is cost effective. It has been commercialized in India. This paper discusses the salient features of this novel technology, which results in an effective 25 per cent increase in the sweetener output from the same quantity of sugarcane as molasses as a waste product is avoided.