From what can sugar (sucrose) be produced?
Sugar cane (80%) and sugar beet (20%)
In what part of the sugar cane is the sugar concentrated? In the sugar beet?
Sugar cane: Between the nodes
Sugar Beet: In the roots
Of what nutrient is molasses a good source? How does it gain this nutrient?
It is a good source of Iron. Iron comes from the machinery in which sugar is produced.
What is powdered sugar composed of?
Finely ground granulated sugar with 3% cornstarch
How is brown sugar produced?
By crystallizing golden sugar liquid OR adding molasses to pure white sugar crystals
How is corn syrup produced and what is it composed of?
Made by hydrolyzing cornstarch (adding acid or enzymes).
It is composed of 75% sugar and 25% water
What are dextrose equivalents (DE)? Does a higher DE result in a thinner or thicker syrup?
Dextrose equivalent (DE) is a measure of the amount of reducing sugars present in a sugar product, expressed as a percentage on a dry basis relative to dextrose. A higher DE results in a thinner syrup.
What is the approximate percentage of fructose in high fructose corn syrup?
42-55% fructose. There is more fructose than sucrose, therefore you can use less to achieve the same sweetness.
What is honey composed of? How sweet is it compared to granulated sugar?
40% fructose, 35% glucose, some sucrose and other CHO. It has the same relative sweetness as granulated sugar.
What could we add to our granulated sugar (sucrose) in order for it to resist crystallization during candy making?
Cream of tartar (or any acidic ingredient) could be added in order to produce invert sugar, which resists crystallization
*molasses, cocoa, fruit juices, honey, fruits contain acids. Prolonged heating at elevated temperature lead to inversion of sugar
How do bees produce honey? How much honey does one bee produce on average in its life?
1- They collect nectar
2- They convert sucrose to glu+fru with their enzymes
3- They deposit nectar on honeycombs
4- Water evaporates
5- Bees add enzymes to enhance the flavor
An average bee produced 1/2 tsp of honey in its life
Are sugar alcohols non-nutritive sweeteners? How sweet are they compared to sucrose?
Sugar alcohols are not non-nutritive sweeteners because they do provide some energy (0.2-3kcal/g). – They are quite resistant to digestion
They are not as sweet as sucrose.
Can a product containing only sugar alcohols as a sweetener be labelled “sugar-free” ?
Yes
What are the 6 non-nutritive sweeteners allowed for use in Canada?
– Acesulfame K – Aspartame – Sucralose – Saccharin – Neotame – Steviol glycosides
What non-nutritive sweetener should you not add when making muffins? Why?
Aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal) is not heat stable.
Why can aspartame and cyclamates be called non-nutritive sweeteners even though they do provide as much calories as regular sugar?
Because they are needed in minimal quantities due to their high relative sweetness.
Which two non-nutritive sweeteners need to be avoided during pregnancy?
Saccharin and cyclamates
Saccharin
Name a brand name, how our body excretes it and its relative sweetness to sugar.
Brand name: Hermesetas
Secreted in urine
300x sweeter than sugar
* Bitter aftertaste
Aspartame
Name 2 brand names and its relative sweetness to sugar.
Brand names: NutraSweet (breakfast cereals, soft drinks, etc), Equal (powder for home use)
200x sweeter than sugar, 4cal/g
Sucralose
Name one brand name, its relative sweetness to sugar
Brand name: Splenda
600x sweeter than sugar
*passes through GI tract undigested
Acesulfame K
Why is there no brand name for it?
Because it cannot be used as a table top sweetener. It is only used by food manufacturers for sweetening soft drinks and candy
Cyclamate
Name 3 brand names. Is it used as a table top sweetener or as additive in foods?
Brand names: Sucaryl, Sugar Twin, Sweet ‘N Low
It is used as a table top sweetener only
What is the link of non-nutritive sweeteners with:
1- Weight control?
2- Metabolic syndrome?
3- Hypertension and cardiovascular diseases?
– Weight gain/control
• Calorie control
• Reduced calorie intake
• Some studies suggest increased weight gain
– Metabolic syndrome
• Consumption saccharin, sucralose and aspartame has been tentatively linked to metabolic syndrome
– Hypertension and cardiovascular diseases
• Some studies report an increased risk of heart disease from artificial sweeteners
What are sugar crystals and when do they form?
Sugar crystals are loosely packed sugar molecules organized around nuclei. They form when a supersaturated mixture cools
What factor mainly determines the SIZE of the crystals?
The size of crystals is determined by the rate of nucleation. The quicker they form, the smaller the nuclei, the finer the crystals.
What are the 4 basic steps in controlling crystal formation?
1- Create a syrup solution
2- Concentrate contents by heating and evaporation (supersaturation)
3- Cooling
4- Beating (crystalline) OR leaving undisturbed (non-crystalline)
What mass of sugar is needed to form a saturated solution (/cup water)
Name some interfering agents that can be used when creating a syrup solution possible and what do they do?
1 lb of sugar is needed /cup of water to create a saturated solution
Interfering agents: glu, fru, invert sugar
fatty interfering agents coat the crystals (butter, cream, eggs…)
Interfering agents add viscosity
Why is it important to heat the sugar solution to a specific temperature for the candy you are making?
Over heating : too hard, excessively brittle
under heating: too soft, runny
Name 2 tests that can be used to determine the doneness of your candy when heating the solution
Candy thermometer test and Cold water test
Why do we want to avoid agitation when heating?
Splashing can cause the solution to crystallize too early.
What does cooling do to your supersaturated solution?
Allows for the formation of nuclei, supersaturation occurs. Correct cooling gives many small crystals instead of few big crystals
Why do we beat the cooled solution?
It promotes the formation small numerous crystals (smoother consistency)
What happens if you let your candy cool for too long?
It inhibits smooth, crystalline candy formation. No crystals will form.
For non-crystalline candies, what can you do to prevent the formation of crystals?
- Concentrate the sugar solution (less moisture = harder candy)
- Add interfering agents (corn syrup, milk, cream, butter) so that the sugar molecules do not cluster.
What is mellorine?
A frozen dessert made without milk fat. Use either vegetable or animal fat, and fat content must be higher than 6%
What is sherbet?
Frozen dessert containing less than 2% milk fat and a lot of sugar (often more than ice cream)
What is sorbet?
Same as sherbet but with no dairy, fat, egg or gelatin ingredients
How are the air bubbles trapped in ice cream particles?
The air bubbles are trapped in frozen liquid (dissolved sugar and milk solids) and surrounded by fat globules, coated with an emulsified protein layer
What is an overrun when talking of ice cream?
The difference in volume of frozen ice cream and unfrozen ice cream mixture (due to incorporation of air)
What is the average overrun of commercially made ice cream?
80-100%
What is the body of an ice cream?
The consistency of the ice cream. Good body = does not melt fast
What is ice cream made of?
• At least 10% milk fat (differentiates ce cream vs “Frozen dairy dessert”)
• Sweeteners
• Milk solids not fat (MSNF) = smooth texture
• Egg yolk solids = emulsifier
• Stabilizers and emulsifiers (e.g. carrageenan, cellulose) •
Water can also be added but is optional
What is happening during the “heating and aging” step of ice cream formation?
Ice cream ingredients are mixed and heated to 104°F (to dissolve added sugar and other dry ingredients)
Then, the ice cream is pasteurized and homogenized. Then it is aged from 3-4h at 40°F in vats (fat solidifies, swelling of milk proteins/gelatin/stabilizers = +viscosity, smoother texture, +resistance to melting)
What is churning of the ice cream?
It is when we start freezing ice cream. A dasher turns and mixes the ice cream mix, incorporates air, homogenizes fat. It promotes small nuclei. It lasts 20 minutes is followed by 4-6h in the freezer.