Sweeteners

• Starch


  Complex carbohydrate derived from sources such as grains, potatoes, and legumes, often utilized in culinary applications for their thickening properties
• Sauce


  Liquid or semi-liquid accompaniment that adds flavor, moisture, and aesthetic appeal to dishes
• Common sources of starch

  • Cereals such as wheat, rice, and corn
• Starches


  • Used as thickening and/or gelling agents in foods such as soups, sauces, pie fillings, gravies, chili, stews, cream-style corn, cream fillings, custards, fruit pie fillings, whipped toppings, and icings
• Amylose


  One of the two major polysaccharides in starches, made up of primarily linear molecules
• Amylopectin


  One of the two major polysaccharides in starches, whose molecules are highly branched
• Percentage of amylopectin and amylose in different starches

  • Potato- 21% amylose, 79% amylopectin
  • Tapioca- 17% amylose, 83% amylopectin
  • Corn- 28% amylose, 72% amylopectin
  • Waxy maize/corn- 28% amylose, 72% amylopectin
  • Wheat- 28% amylose, 72% amylopectin
• Starch characteristics


  • Capacity to undergo gelatinization, retrogradation, and dextrinization
• Gelatinization


  Occurs when starch granules are heated in a liquid
• Retrogradation


  Bonds continue to form between amylose molecules
• Dextrinization


  Results in an increase in sweetness, effects of dextrinized starches to lose much of thickening power
• Classification of sauces


  • Mother Sauces (e.g. Béchamel, Velouté, Espagnole, Hollandaise)
  • Small Sauces/Derivative Sauces (e.g. Mornay Sauce, Demi-Glace, Béarnaise sauce)
  • Glaze
  • Roux
• Glaze


  Concentrated reduction of a liquid (wine or stock) used to give food a powerful flavor boost, frequently used as a coating for roasted meats or for finishing sauces
• Roux


  Made out of flour and fat, serves as a foundation for numerous sauces, the flavor of the sauce is determined by the roux's color (white, blond, or brown)
• Storing starches


  • Containers selection (airtight containers)
  • Cool, dry location
  • Labeling and rotation
  • Freezing for long-term storage
• Storing sauces


  • Refrigeration after opening
  • Airtight containers
  • Portioning for freezing
  • Labels and dates
• From earliest times, the taste of sweetness has attracted people and has led them to search for new ways to extract it from the world around them
• Sugar is the number-one food additive, by weight, in the United States
• Natural sweeteners


  • Lactose (found in milk)
  • Sugars produced through photosynthesis in plants
• Categories of sweeteners


  • Granulated sugars
  • Syrups
  • Sugar alcohols
  • Nonnutritive sweeteners
• Granulated sugars


  • Sucrose (table sugar)
  • Glucose (dextrose)
  • Fructose
  • Lactose
  • Maltose
• Syrups


  • Corn syrup
  • High-fructose corn syrup
  • Honey
  • Molasses
  • Maple syrup
  • Invert sugar
• Sugar alcohols


  • Sorbitol
  • Mannitol
  • Xylitol
  • Maltitol
  • Isomalt
  • Lactitol
  • Erythritol
• Nonnutritive sweeteners


  • Saccharin
  • Aspartame
  • Acesulfame-K
  • Sucralose
  • Neotame
  • Stevia
• Sugars


  • Provide sweetness
  • Have many more functions in foods besides sweetness
  • Differ in their sweetening ability
  • Chemical arrangements influence how they are used in food preparation
• Sweetness


  The type of sugar and its concentration determine sweetness. Fructose is the sweetest.
• Solubility


  Determined by measuring how many grams of sugar will dissolve in 100 mL of water. Fructose is the most soluble.
• Crystallization


  Sugars with low crystallization, such as lactose, have a greater tendency to crystallize, while fructose, with its high solubility, does not invert. Invert sugar and corn syrup also resist crystallization, which is why they are often used in confectionary production.
• Browning reactions


  Two major types: Maillard reaction (dependent on protein and sugar) and caramelization (dependent on dry heat)
• Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)


  The hygroscopic nature of sugars influences the moistness and texture of food to which they are added. Fructose has the best ability to absorb moisture from the air and impart it to food.
• Texture


  Many foods rely on sucrose for body and texture
• Fermentation


  Sugars (except lactose) serve as fuel for yeast during fermentation, especially in certain baked products and alcoholic beverages
• Preservation


  High concentrations of sugar act as a preservative
• Leavening


  Sugar promotes leavening of baked goods
• In baked goods, sugar produces a finer texture, enhances flavor, generates browning of the crust, promotes fermentation of yeast breads, and extends shelf life by virtue of its ability to retain moisture
• Sugar gives body to soft drinks and helps offset the bitter, acidic, or salty taste of certain foods, such as tomato sauces, chocolate, and sodium-processed meats (ham, bacon, etc.)
• From earliest times, the taste of sweetness has attracted people and has led them to search for new ways to extract it from the world around them
• Today sugar is the number-one food additive, by weight, in the United States
• Natural sweeteners


  Sweeteners derived from plants and animals
• The only sweetener of animal origin was lactose, found in milk