Corn Syrup
Corn syrup is a concentrated aqueous solution of the saccharides obtained by the partial hydrolysis of maize starch. It is not a single sugar but a distribution, containing glucose, maltose, maltotriose and a range of higher oligosaccharides in proportions set by how far the hydrolysis was taken and by which enzymes were used. That distribution, not the total sugar content, is what determines how a given syrup behaves.
The conventional measure of conversion is dextrose equivalent, the reducing power of the syrup expressed as a percentage of that of pure glucose. A low dextrose equivalent syrup around 28 to 38 is high in long chain saccharides: it is only mildly sweet, viscous, strongly cohesive, and an effective binder and bodying agent. A high dextrose equivalent syrup at 55 to 65 is much sweeter, thinner, more hygroscopic and more prone to Maillard browning. Between them the syrup can be tuned to almost any combination of sweetness, viscosity, browning and crystallisation control.
The property that dominates its confectionery use is crystallisation inhibition. The oligosaccharides interfere with sucrose crystals forming and growing, which is why a boiled sweet made with sucrose alone grains and one made with sucrose and corn syrup stays glassy. Corn syrup is a clear, colourless to pale straw viscous liquid at about 80 to 85 percent solids. It should be distinguished from high fructose corn syrup, which has been further isomerised and is a different product.
We source bulk Corn Syrup from top China manufacturers for our partners. The manufacturer is in Shandong. A smaller requirement can ship in a combined container with other ingredients.
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- Function
- Texturisers
Specifications
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Clear, colourless to pale straw viscous syrup, free of suspended matter |
| Dry solids | 82.0 plus or minus 1.0 percent |
| Dextrose equivalent | 42.0 to 45.0 |
| Glucose on dry solids | 19.0 percent nominal |
| Maltose on dry solids | 14.0 percent nominal |
| Higher saccharides on dry solids | Balance to 100 percent |
| Colour | 30 ICUMSA units maximum |
| pH | 4.5 to 5.5 |
| Sulphated ash | 0.3 percent maximum on dry solids |
| Sulphur dioxide | 20 mg/kg maximum |
| Lead | 0.1 mg/kg maximum |
| Arsenic | 0.5 mg/kg maximum |
| Total plate count | 200 cfu/g maximum |
| Yeast and mould | 50 cfu/g maximum |
| Salmonella | Absent in 25 g |
Common Markets Grades
Grades are named by dextrose equivalent, and the standard trade points are 28 to 38 as a low conversion or confectioner's syrup, 42 as a regular conversion syrup, 55 as an intermediate conversion and 62 to 65 as a high conversion syrup. Below 20 dextrose equivalent the product is classed as maltodextrin and is normally sold dried rather than as a syrup.
The second distinction is the saccharide profile at a given dextrose equivalent, which depends on the enzymes used. High maltose syrup, made with a beta amylase or a fungal alpha amylase, has a similar dextrose equivalent to a regular acid converted syrup but far more maltose and much less glucose, which makes it less hygroscopic, less browning and less prone to cold flow, and it is the preferred syrup for hard candy and for brewing. Extra high maltose syrups take this further. Beyond these, syrups are traded on colour in ICUMSA units, on solids, and on whether they carry sulphur dioxide, with low sulphur and sulphite free grades made for markets that restrict it. Organic and non genetically modified certified lines are produced from identity preserved maize.
Applications
- Hard boiled sweets and toffee, where the oligosaccharides prevent the sucrose graining that would turn the glass opaque
- Marshmallow, nougat and aerated confectionery, contributing body, chew and foam stability
- Ice cream and frozen desserts, controlling ice crystal size and setting the freezing curve without excess sweetness
- Bakery fillings, glazes and icings, providing gloss, moisture retention and resistance to drying out
- Jams, jellies and fruit preparations, adjusting solids and preventing sucrose crystallising in the set
- Sauces, ketchups and dressings, contributing body and mouthfeel at low sweetness in the low conversion grades
- Brewing, in the high maltose grades, as a highly fermentable adjunct added directly to the kettle
- Canned and preserved fruit, as part of the packing syrup
- Pharmaceutical syrups and cough preparations, as a viscous non crystallising vehicle
- Pet food and treats, as a humectant and binder holding a soft chewy texture
Brands Using Corn Syrup
Widely-distributed consumer products that list Corn Syrup on the ingredient label.
- KaroKaro Light Corn Syrup ↗Bottled baking syrup whose ingredient statement reads 'CORN SYRUP, SALT, VANILLA EXTRACT (VANILLA BEANS, WATER, ETHYL ALCOHOL)'.Label verified 2026-08-31
- KaroKaro Dark Corn Syrup ↗Ingredient statement reads 'CORN SYRUP, MOLASSES, SALT, SODIUM BENZOATE (USED TO PROTECT QUALITY)'.Label verified 2026-08-31
- Twizzlers (The Hershey Company)Twizzlers Twists Strawberry Flavored Candy, 16 oz ↗Corn syrup is the first item on the ingredient list of this licorice-style twist candy.Label verified 2026-08-31
Brand names, product names and logos are the property of their owners. They appear here as published evidence that the ingredient is used, taken from the brand's own label or website. Their appearance is not an endorsement, and it does not mean the brand buys from us or from any manufacturer listed on this site.
China Manufacturers of Corn Syrup
Top Corn Syrup manufacturers in China.
Company names and logos are the property of the manufacturers themselves. They are listed here because our own directory records them as producing this ingredient. A listing is not an endorsement by them, and we do not represent them or speak on their behalf.
Regulatory Status
In the United States corn syrup is a food rather than a food additive. It is treated as generally recognised as safe in its ordinary food uses and labelled as corn syrup or glucose syrup, and the Food Chemicals Codex sets its identity and purity criteria, carrying specifications for corn syrup and corn syrup solids that cover dextrose equivalent, solids, ash and sulphur dioxide. The enzymes used in its manufacture are processing aids and are themselves affirmed as generally recognised as safe or the subject of GRAS notifications. High fructose corn syrup, made by the further isomerisation of glucose, is a separate article affirmed under 21 CFR 184.1866.
In the European Union glucose syrup is a food regulated under the sugars directive, which lays down its compositional criteria including a minimum dry matter and a minimum dextrose equivalent and reserves the name, and it carries no E number. Codex maintains a standard for sugars covering glucose syrup and dried glucose syrup. Where sulphur dioxide is present as a residue from processing it is subject to the sulphite labelling threshold in the European Union, which requires declaration above ten milligrams per kilogram. Glucose syrup derived from wheat is exempted from gluten allergen declaration in the European Union, and maize derived syrup raises no allergen question.
Manufacturing Process
Refined maize starch from a wet milling plant is slurried in water at about 30 to 35 percent solids, adjusted for pH and calcium, and dosed with a thermostable alpha amylase. The slurry is jet cooked at around 105 to 110 degrees Celsius, which gelatinises the granules and randomly cleaves the chains, then held to complete liquefaction and flashed to atmospheric pressure. Historically this first step was carried out with dilute hydrochloric acid under pressure, and acid conversion is still used for some low dextrose equivalent syrups, but enzyme liquefaction now dominates because it gives cleaner colour and better control.
Saccharification then sets the dextrose equivalent and the saccharide profile. Glucoamylase drives the conversion towards glucose, beta amylase or fungal alpha amylase towards maltose, and pullulanase is added to open the branch points and raise the yield. The reaction is stopped by heating or by pH adjustment when the target conversion is reached, which is monitored by measuring reducing sugars. The liquor is filtered on a rotary vacuum precoat filter or a membrane to remove protein and residual fat, decolourised over granular activated carbon, and demineralised through cation and anion exchange resin beds, which also removes remaining colour precursors and stabilises the syrup against colour development in storage. The refined liquor is evaporated under vacuum in a falling film or multiple effect evaporator to the target solids, cooled through a plate exchanger, checked for dextrose equivalent, colour and pH, and pumped to heated storage tanks or filled into drums and bulk containers.
