Glucose syrup or golden syrup? Which to use and when in food and beverage applications 

Can you substitute glucose syrup for golden syrup, and vice versa? What functional properties does each syrup provide that make it more suitable for use in certain applications?  

Glucose syrup is a clear, viscous sugar solution with a lightly sweet taste. Golden syrup, also viscous, is recognisable by its amber colour and caramel-like taste. The colour, taste, texture and consistency of each syrup help determine its application in the food, beverage and pharmaceuticals industries, and if one can be substituted for the other.  

In this article, we highlight the specific functional properties of each syrup, how it is best used, and if one can be substituted for the other in certain applications.   

Glucose syrup is found in food, beverage and pharmaceuticals applications. It can be made from either corn (maize) or wheat. When made from corn, it is often called corn syrup. Glucose syrup is made by the hydrolysis of starch into a solution that combines glucose, maltose and glucose oligomers. Glucose syrups are grouped or defined by their dextrose equivalent or DE. The higher the DE, the sweeter and less viscous the solution. You can learn more about glucose syrup groupings in our what is glucose syrup article.  

Ragus mainly supplies glucose syrup 63DE and 42DE. The former is often used in confectionery and baking products where more reducing sugar is necessary to impart colour and flavour, while the latter is used in confectionery applications where glass-forming functional properties are necessary to avoid crystallisation and where viscosity is important.  

Given how glucose syrup is made and the different groupings available, it is prized for its versatility. Its many functional properties make it suitable for a range of applications, which we list below. 

Glucose syrup is clear in appearance and light in taste, so it can be used in applications where there is no desire to alter colour or drastically change flavour. For this reason, it is ideal in products like yoghurt and lighter ales as it enhances mouthfeel and adds sweetness without being overly sweet or affecting the colour.  

At the same time, glucose syrup is known for its bulk enhancing properties in a range of confectionery, such as marshmallows, and its ability to help preserve, stabilise and retain the moisture of a product so that it remains in a certain state for longer.  

Golden syrup is sweeter than glucose syrup, darker in colour with its amber hue, and thicker in consistency. It is thicker than glucose syrup 63DE but less viscous than glucose syrup 42DE. Golden syrup is a partially inverted sugar syrup. It is made by heating together water and sugar and inverting it into a syrup.  

Golden syrup is primarily used in bakery, where its distinct colour and flavour profile and ability to withstand high baking temperatures are valuable. It can be the base ingredient in baked desserts, as is the case with treacle tart, or it can be used in support of other ingredients. 

Below, we list golden syrup’s functional properties and applications. 

If a product calls for glucose syrup, using golden syrup in its place may make the product too sweet or alter the colour or flavour in a way that isn’t desired. It’s important to remember that glucose syrup has a lighter taste and flavour, while golden syrup has a pronounced caramel quality that can change a product’s final flavour.  

Golden syrup’s humectant properties, alongside its ability to enhance colour, flavour and provide sweetness, make it ideal for bakery and prolonging shelf life. Its rather unique properties make it difficult to substitute it with anything beyond, perhaps, honey.  

If a syrup solution is required for a bakery product, and that solution needs to help thicken and absorb moisture without altering colour or flavour, glucose syrup can be used but it may not bring the level of sweetness desired. In this case, an additional sweetening agent may be necessary.  

Glucose syrup’s wide ranging functional properties mean it is used in a wide range of applications. Golden syrup’s distinct properties make it invaluable in bakery in particular – and hard to substitute.   

Ragus manufactures and supplies golden syrup and glucose syrup for use in industrial applications across the food, beverage and pharmaceuticals industries. To learn more, contact our Customer Services Team. For more sugar news and updates, continue browsing SUGARTALK and follow Ragus on LinkedIn.