Dextrose
Dextrose is glucose with a high degree of conversion, DE ≥97.
Dextrose is commercially available in liquid form as a syrup with a final dry substance (DS) 50-80% depending on the product and the further processing e.g. sorbitol, as well as in solid forms as dextrose monohydrate or anhydrous dextrose.
Product Applications
Confectionery Industry
Dextrose mono-hydrate is widely used in confectionery, marmalade's, and jellies because dextrose mono-hydrate improves the aroma and the characteristic fruit taste. Due to the higher osmotic pressure of dextrose mono-hydrate in comparison to saccharose, the preservation of such products is improved.
Soft Drink Industry
In soft drinks dextrose mono-hydrate is used as a sweetening agent and an aroma enhancer.
In beer and wine production dextrose mono-hydrate is used to accelerate fermentation. Dextrose mono-hydrate will also improve flavour and aroma.
Tinned Fish Products
Dextrose mono-hydrate is used in different tinned fish products due to its preservative power and its improvement of taste.
Bakery Industry
Dextrose mono-hydrate is used in bakery industries because yeast acts more quickly on dextrose than on sucrose. Hence, less yeast is required to obtain a certain yeast action within a certain time.
Dextrose mono-hydrate is also used in crisp bread to improve crispness, colour, and flavour.
Meat Industry
Certain meat products like ham and bacon can be treated with nitrate and salt. Dextrose mono-hydrate can be used to improve diffusion of salt into the meat and reduce the sharp, salty, and bitter tastes in the meat.
For the manufacture of sausages, dextrose monohydrate is widely used due to the fact that dextrose monohydrate influences colour formation and pH. The texture, taste, and flavour will also be improved by using dextrose monohydrate.
Pharmaceutical Industry
Dextrose are used as excipients (binders, fillers ect.) in making direct compression tablets for some pharmaceutical applications.
Anhydrous dextrose is re-crystallised from dissolved dextrose mono-hydrate crystals and treated to remove pyrogens*) is utilized in intravenous solutions. Anhydrous dextrose is used in numerous pharmaceutical applications requiring extreme purity and stability, such as dialysis solutions.
*) A pyrogen is a substance that, on introduction to circulating blood cells or leached through the wall of the gut, raises body temperature. Chemicals can cause this reaction. It is the endotoxins of gram-negative organisms that usually effect the reaction.
See also: Glucose - Very High Conversion