Liquid glucose

Liquid glucose is a sweetener and thickener widely used in pastry and professional cooking. It is a transparent viscous syrup, derived from starch (usually from corn, wheat, or rice), composed mainly of glucose, a type of simple sugar. Its thick texture and its ability to prevent sugar crystallization make it ideal for preparing candies, ice creams, syrups, creams, and mousses.

The origin of liquid glucose lies in the hydrolysis of starch, a biochemical process that breaks down this macromolecule into smaller glucose molecules. In the food industry, it is commonly found labeled as glucose syrup or glucose syrup.

Among its properties, it stands out that it provides sweetness, although less intense than common sugar, improves the texture and juiciness of products, and helps retain moisture, prolonging the shelf life of preparations. Furthermore, it has low fermentative power compared to other sugars, which can be beneficial in certain bread-making and controlled fermentation processes.

In various Latin American countries, liquid glucose may also be known as corn syrup, glucose syrup, or corn honey, although the latter term can cause confusion with natural honey. It is important to recognize these variants to correctly identify the ingredient in recipes.