Decrease in the d-psicose content of processed foods fortified with a rare sugar

Abstract

D-Psicose is expected to be widely used as a raw material for various foods in the future due to its beneficial health properties and rheological characteristics. To provide the functional effects of d-psicose to consumers, this sugar needs to be stable during food processing. To evaluate the stability of d-psicose, we investigated changes in d-psicose concentration during caramelization and the Maillard reaction, both of which are important reactions that typically occur during food processing; and during general food processing. During caramelization and the Maillard reaction, the concentration of d-psicose is decreased as the reaction temperature and pH are increased. During food processing, a similar tendency was observed: d-psicose degradation ranged from 3.3% (fig jam) to 10.8% (sponge cake). We concluded that although d-psicose degradation occurs at elevated temperatures and pHs, d-psicose loss can be minimized by controlling the temperature and pH during the cooking process. Copyright © 2014, Japanese Society for Food Science and Technology.