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sugar naturally present in fruit and honey) which is immediately
available as a source of energy. This process is known as inversion
and the resultant product as invert sugar.
It will be seen therefore that glucose is either naturally present
or can be added to food and drink by one of three main methods:
(1) As pure glucose
(2) As "liquid glucose" or "corn syrup" which contains a
maximum of 30% glucose.
(3) As invert sugar which contains equal amounts of glucose
and fructose.
Of the five samples of soft drinks examined 3 contained added
"pure glucose" (25.4%, 8.8% and 2%) in a total glucose content of
32.3, 14.1 and 9.4 respectively, the remaining glucose being present
as invert sugar. In the other two samples one contained 6.5%
glucose obtained from invert sugar and "liquid glucose" and one
contained 3.7% glucose obtained solely from "liquid glucose" or
hydrolised starch syrup. (N.B. All figures weight in weight).
In the case of the sugar confectionery, 5 samples were of the
"boiled sweet" variety and contained glucose ranging from 4.1% to
8.7% derived from hydrolised starch syrup and invert sugar. In
the other sample—one of toffee—the glucose content of 5.5% was
derived solely from hydrolised starch syrup. Similar amounts of
glucose would be expected in all boiled sugar sweets containing
traces of acid (such as fruit drops).
The one sample of custard claiming a glucose content contained
4.0%of glucose (dextrose monohydrate). The packet had the word
"with added glucose" prominently displayed. This sample was
sold in packets containing ¾ oz. custard powder and the label
indicated that this was sufficient to make one pint of custard. The
contents of one packet contained only 0.95 grams of glucose. A
moderate size portion of custard made from this powder (one-sixth
of a pint) would therefore contain only 0.14 gram of glucose. This
quantity of glucose is insignificant as a source of energy or as a
sweetener. The label may therefore be considered as misleading.