Editing Fructose (section)

== Physical and functional properties ==

=== Sweetness of fructose ===
{{See also|Sweetness#Examples of sweet substances}}
The primary reason that fructose is used commercially in foods and beverages, besides its low cost, is its high relative sweetness. It is the sweetest of all naturally occurring [[carbohydrate]]s. The relative sweetness of fructose has been reported in the range of 1.2–1.8 times that of sucrose.<ref name=Hanover>{{cite journal|last1=Hanover|first1=L. M.| last2= White| first2=J. S.|title=Manufacturing, composition, and applications of fructose |journal= [[The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition]]| via= nutrition.org |date=1 November 1993 |volume= 58 |issue=5 |pages= 724S–732S| url=http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/58/5/724S.abstract|access-date=7 February 2017| language=en |issn= 0002-9165 |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160414002156/http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/58/5/724S.abstract|archive-date=14 April 2016|doi=10.1093/ajcn/58.5.724S|pmid=8213603|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name= "Oregon State University">{{cite web| publisher= Oregon State University| title= Sugar Sweetness| url= http://food.oregonstate.edu/sugar/sweet.html |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080516050325/http://food.oregonstate.edu/sugar/sweet.html| website= food.oregonstate.edu |archivedate=May 16, 2008 |accessdate=7 February 2017}}</ref><ref name="Kirk-Othmer">{{cite book| last1= Lee|first1=Thomas D.| chapter= Sweeteners| title= Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology|date=1 January 2000| doi= 10.1002/0471238961.19230505120505.a01.pub2 |language= en|isbn=978-0471238966}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Jana| first1=A.H. |last2=Joshi |first2= N.S.S.| title= Sweeteners for frozen [desserts] success – a review |journal= [[Australian Journal of Dairy Technology]] |date=November 1994|volume=49|url=http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=AU9500465|access-date=7 February 2017 |url-status= live| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170208033252/http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=AU9500465|archive-date=8 February 2017}}</ref> However, it is the 6-membered ring form of fructose that is sweeter; the 5-membered ring form tastes about the same as usual table sugar.  Warming fructose leads to formation of the 5-membered ring form.<ref>{{cite book | title=Taste Chemistry| last=Shallenberger| first=R.S.| year=1994| publisher=Chapman and Hall | isbn=978-0-7514-0150-9}}</ref> Therefore, the relative sweetness decreases with increasing temperature. However, it has been observed that the absolute sweetness of fructose is identical at 5&nbsp;°C as 50&nbsp;°C and thus the relative sweetness to sucrose is not due to [[anomeric]] distribution but a decrease in the absolute sweetness of sucrose at higher temperatures.<ref name="Kirk-Othmer"/>

[[File:Relativesweetness.svg|thumb|center|400px|Relative sweetness of sugars and sweeteners]]

The sweetness of fructose is perceived earlier than that of sucrose or glucose, and the taste sensation reaches a peak (higher than that of sucrose), and diminishes more quickly than that of sucrose. Fructose can also enhance other flavors in the system.<ref name=Hanover /><ref name="Kirk-Othmer"/>

Fructose exhibits a sweetness synergy effect when used in combination with other sweeteners. The relative sweetness of fructose blended with sucrose, aspartame, or saccharin is perceived to be greater than the sweetness calculated from individual components.<ref name=Nabors>{{cite book | last=Nabors  | first=LO | title =American Sweeteners | year=2001 | pages=374–375}}</ref><ref name="Kirk-Othmer"/>

=== Fructose solubility and crystallization ===
Fructose has higher water solubility than other sugars, as well as other sugar alcohols. Fructose is, therefore, difficult to crystallize from an aqueous solution.<ref name=Hanover /> Sugar mixes containing fructose, such as candies, are softer than those containing other sugars because of the greater solubility of fructose.<ref>{{cite book| title=Foods: Experimental Perspectives, 4th Edition| last=McWilliams| first=Margaret| year=2001| publisher=Upper Saddle River, NJ : Prentice Hall| isbn=978-0-13-021282-5| url=https://archive.org/details/foodsexperimenta00mcwi}}</ref>

=== Fructose hygroscopicity and humectancy ===
Fructose is quicker to absorb moisture and slower to release it to the environment than sucrose, glucose, or other nutritive sweeteners.<ref name=Nabors /> Fructose is an excellent humectant and retains moisture for a long period of time even at low [[relative humidity]] (RH). Therefore, fructose can contribute a more palatable texture, and longer shelf life to the food products in which it is used.<ref name=Hanover />

=== Freezing point ===
Fructose has a greater effect on freezing point depression than disaccharides or oligosaccharides, which may protect the integrity of cell walls of fruit by reducing ice crystal formation. However, this characteristic may be undesirable in soft-serve or hard-frozen dairy desserts.<ref name=Hanover />

=== Fructose and starch functionality in food systems ===
Fructose increases starch viscosity more rapidly and achieves a higher final viscosity than sucrose because fructose lowers the temperature required during [[starch gelatinization|gelatinizing of starch]], causing a greater final viscosity.<ref>{{cite journal | last=White | first=DC |author2=Lauer GN | title=Predicting gelatinization temperature of starch/sweetener system for cake formulation by differential scanning calorimetry I. Development of a model | year=1990 | journal=Cereal Foods World | volume=35 | pages=728–731}}</ref>

Although some artificial sweeteners are not suitable for home baking, many traditional recipes use fructose.<ref>{{cite book|title=New Good Food: Essential Ingredients for Cooking and Eating Well. Diet and Nutrition Series; pages 249–51|author=Margaret M. Wittenberg|publisher=Ten Speed Press|year=2007|isbn=978-1580087506|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781580087506|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781580087506/page/249 249]|quote=fructose traditional baking.}}</ref>