L-arabic syrup and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses L-arabic syrup and a preparation method thereof, and belongs to the technical field of food processing. The syrup is prepared from 35%-50% of white granulated sugar, 15%-25% of rock candy, 33%-48% of water, 3%-5% of L-arabinose, less than 0.05% of potassium sorbate and less than 0.1% of citric acid. The preparation method comprises the steps of raw material pretreatment, mixing and dissolving, negative pressure decoction, blending, segmented sterilization, sterile filling and the like, and key parameters are quantitatively controlled. By optimizing the proportion of the L-arabinose, the healthy efficacy and taste balance is achieved, the storage stability is improved through the negative-pressure boiling and segmented sterilization process, layering and crystallization are avoided after storage for 3 months at normal temperature, and the viscosity change rate is smaller than 2%. The standardized process ensures the consistency of quality, reduces the energy consumption by 15%, reduces the dosage of additives, is suitable for industrial production, and meets the requirements of consumers on healthy syrup.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of food processing technology, specifically to an L-arabinose syrup and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] In the food industry, syrup, as an important sweetener and flavoring base, is widely used in various products such as beverages, baked goods, and confectionery. Traditional syrup production primarily uses refined sugars such as granulated sugar and rock sugar as core raw materials, prepared through simple dissolving and boiling processes. While these traditional syrups provide a rich sweetness, they have significant health drawbacks: their main components are refined sugars such as sucrose, which are high in calories and have a high glycemic index. Long-term excessive consumption can easily lead to obesity, hyperglycemia, and other metabolic diseases, contradicting modern consumers' demand for low-sugar, healthy foods. With the deepening research on functional sugars, L-arabinose, due to its physiological functions such as inhibiting sucrase activity, reducing sucrose absorption, and regulating postprandial blood glucose, has gradually become a preferred raw material for improving the health attributes of traditional sugar products. However, the current research and development of L-arabinose syrup still faces many technical bottlenecks: First, the formulation design is unreasonable; the proportion of L-arabinose added is either too low to exert its functional advantages, or too high, resulting in a noticeable astringent taste and disrupting the flavor balance. Second, the preparation process lacks targeted optimization; incomplete pretreatment of raw materials easily introduces impurities; uncontrolled temperature and pressure parameters during the boiling process lead to instability in the soluble solids content of the syrup; and insufficient hygiene control in sterilization and filling processes reduces product storage stability, often resulting in problems such as layering, crystallization, and excessive microorganisms. Third, product quality consistency is poor; due to the lack of quantified and standardized key process parameters, the taste and physicochemical indicators of different batches of products fluctuate greatly, making it difficult to meet the needs of industrial production. Therefore, developing an L-arabinose syrup with a scientifically formulated, stable process, and both health benefits and excellent quality is of significant practical importance. Therefore, we propose an L-arabinose syrup and its preparation method. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide an L-arabinose syrup and its preparation method to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: an L-arabinose syrup, composed of the following components by mass percentage: 35%-50% white granulated sugar, 15%-25% rock sugar, 33%-48% water, 3%-5% L-arabinose, <0.05% potassium sorbate, and <0.1% citric acid; the L-arabinose syrup has a soluble solids content of 65%-75% and a pH value of 3.5-5.0.

[0005] Preferably, the white sugar has a mass percentage of 40%-45%, and the rock sugar has a mass percentage of 18%-22%.

[0006] Preferably, the water has a mass percentage of 38%-42% and the L-arabinose has a mass percentage of 3.5%-4.5%.

[0007] Preferably, the mass percentage of potassium sorbate is 0.02%-0.04%, and the mass percentage of citric acid is 0.05%-0.08%.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a method for preparing L-arabinose syrup, comprising the following steps: (1) Raw material pretreatment: Screen white granulated sugar and rock sugar with a particle size ≥ 80 mesh to remove impurities; pass L-arabinose, potassium sorbate and citric acid through a 100 mesh sieve for later use; (2) Mixing and dissolving: Add water to the reaction vessel, heat to 50-60℃, add white sugar and rock sugar in sequence, stir at a speed of 150-200r / min until completely dissolved, and obtain sugar solution; (3) Cooking: Heat the sugar solution obtained in step (2) to 110-120℃ and cook it at a gentle boil for 20-30 minutes, stirring continuously during the process, and control the soluble solids content of the sugar solution to reach 65%-75%; (4) Preparation: Cool the boiled sugar solution to 60-70℃, add the formula amount of L-arabinose, potassium sorbate and citric acid in sequence, stir at 100-150r / min for 10-15min until completely dissolved, and adjust the pH value to 3.5-5.0. (5) Sterilization: The prepared syrup is sterilized by pasteurization at a temperature of 65-75℃ for 20-30 minutes. (6) Filling: The sterilized syrup is aseptically filled at 40-50℃ and cooled to obtain the finished L-arabinose syrup.

[0009] Preferably, the rate of heating water in step (2) is 3-5℃ / min to ensure that the water temperature rises evenly.

[0010] Preferably, the cooking process in step (3) adopts a negative pressure environment with a vacuum degree of -0.06 to -0.08 MPa to reduce the introduction of impurities during the water evaporation process.

[0011] Preferably, the cooling rate in step (4) is 2-3℃ / min to avoid the sugar solution crystallizing due to a sudden drop in temperature.

[0012] Preferably, the sterilization process in step (5) adopts segmented temperature control, first raising the temperature to 65-75℃ at 5℃ / min, maintaining it for 20-30min, and then lowering the temperature to 40-50℃ at 4℃ / min.

[0013] Preferably, the aseptic filling container in step (6) is used after being sterilized by high-pressure steam at 121°C for 15-20 minutes.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: A precise balance between health benefits and taste: This invention strictly controls the addition ratio of L-arabinose within the optimal range of 3%-5%. This ratio fully leverages its physiological activities of inhibiting sucrose absorption and regulating blood sugar. Testing in Example 1 showed that the sucrose absorption inhibition rate of the product was more than 40% higher than the lower ratio group (Comparative Example 1). Simultaneously, the synergistic ratio of white sugar (35%-50%) and rock sugar (15%-25%), combined with pH adjustment using citric acid (<0.1%), results in a syrup with a mild, sweet taste and a suitable balance of sweet and sour. This solves the traditional dilemma of functional syrups where "health and taste cannot be simultaneously achieved." Significantly Improved Storage Stability: This invention innovatively employs a negative pressure environment (vacuum degree -0.06 to -0.08 MPa) during the cooking process, coupled with precise temperature control of 110-120℃, effectively reducing the introduction of impurities and excessive caramelization during cooking. Combined with staged pasteurization (65-75℃, 20-30 min) and Class 100 cleanroom aseptic filling process, the product shelf life is significantly extended. In Example 1, after 3 months of storage at room temperature, the product showed no stratification or crystallization, with a viscosity change rate of <2%, while Comparative Example 2, which did not use negative pressure cooking, showed stratification after 2 months, with a viscosity change rate of 6.8%, fully demonstrating the stability-enhancing effect of this process. High quality stability and strong industrial adaptability: This invention quantifies and standardizes key parameters throughout the preparation process, including raw material particle size (granulated sugar and rock sugar ≥ 80 mesh, other auxiliary materials pass through a 100-mesh sieve), heating rate (3-5℃ / min), stirring rate (100-200 r / min), and cooling rate (2-3℃ / min), ensuring stable and controllable physicochemical properties across different batches. In Example 1, the soluble solids content was stable at 70.2%, pH value was 4.2, and total bacterial count was <10 CFU / g, all indicators being superior to existing technologies. Standardized process steps reduce reliance on operational experience, making it suitable for large-scale industrial production and effectively ensuring product quality consistency. Optimized raw material utilization and production efficiency: Through refined raw material pretreatment and step-by-step dissolution processes, granulated sugar and rock sugar can be completely dissolved at 50-60℃, reducing energy consumption by approximately 15% compared to traditional high-temperature dissolution processes. The negative pressure cooking process shortens the water evaporation time, allowing the cooking cycle to be controlled within 20-30 minutes, thus improving production efficiency. Simultaneously, the precise addition of potassium sorbate (<0.05%) reduces the amount of food additives used while ensuring preservative effects, aligning with the trend towards clean labeling. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the process of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the present invention without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0017] Example 1 Composition (by mass percentage): 42% white sugar, 20% rock sugar, 40% water, 4% L-arabinose, 0.03% potassium sorbate, and 0.07% citric acid. Preparation method: (1) Screen 80-mesh white sugar and rock sugar to remove impurities; pass L-arabinose, potassium sorbate and citric acid through a 100-mesh sieve for later use. (2) Add water to the reactor and heat it to 55°C at a rate of 4°C / min. Add white sugar and rock sugar in sequence and stir at a rate of 180r / min until completely dissolved to obtain sugar solution. (3) Heat the sugar solution to 115°C and simmer it in a low-boiling state for 25 minutes under a vacuum of -0.07MPa, stirring continuously during the process, to control the soluble solids content of the sugar solution to reach 70%. (4) Cool the boiled sugar solution to 65°C at a rate of 2.5°C / min, add the formula amount of L-arabinose, potassium sorbate and citric acid in sequence, stir at a rate of 120r / min for 12min until completely dissolved, and adjust the pH value to 4.2. (5) Sterilize by pasteurization. First, raise the temperature to 70°C at 5°C / min, hold for 25 min, and then lower the temperature to 45°C at 4°C / min. (6) In a Class 100 cleanroom environment, the sterilized syrup is aseptically filled at 45°C. The filling container is sterilized by high-pressure steam at 121°C for 18 minutes before use. After cooling, the finished product is obtained. Performance testing: Sensory quality: It has a light amber color, is transparent and free of impurities, has a sweet and mellow taste, no burnt or bitter taste, and a light fruity aroma. Physicochemical indicators: soluble solids 70.2%, pH 4.2, reducing sugar content 3.5%, total bacterial count <10 CFU / g, coliform bacteria not detected. Storage stability: No stratification or crystallization was observed after 3 months of storage at room temperature; viscosity change rate was <2%; and sensory quality showed no significant decline. Example 2 Composition (by mass percentage): 40% white sugar, 18% rock sugar, 38% water, 3.5% L-arabinose, 0.02% potassium sorbate, and 0.05% citric acid. Preparation method: (1) Screen 80-mesh white sugar and rock sugar to remove impurities; pass L-arabinose, potassium sorbate and citric acid through a 100-mesh sieve for later use. (2) Add water to the reactor and heat it to 50°C at a rate of 3°C / min. Add white sugar and rock sugar in sequence and stir at a rate of 150r / min until completely dissolved to obtain sugar solution. (3) Heat the sugar solution to 110°C and simmer it in a low-boiling state for 20 minutes under a vacuum of -0.06MPa, stirring continuously during the process, to control the soluble solids content of the sugar solution to reach 65%. (4) Cool the boiled sugar solution to 60°C at a rate of 2°C / min, add the formula amount of L-arabinose, potassium sorbate and citric acid in sequence, stir at a rate of 100r / min for 10min until completely dissolved, and adjust the pH value to 3.5. (5) Sterilize by pasteurization. First, raise the temperature to 65°C at 5°C / min, hold for 20 min, and then lower the temperature to 40°C at 4°C / min. (6) In a Class 100 cleanroom environment, the sterilized syrup is aseptically filled at 40°C. The filling container is sterilized by high-pressure steam at 121°C for 15 minutes before use. After cooling, the finished product is obtained. Performance testing: Sensory quality: Light yellow in color, transparent and free of impurities, with a mild taste, slightly low sweetness and sourness, and a mild fruity aroma.

[0018] Physicochemical indicators: soluble solids 65.1%, pH value 3.5, reducing sugar content 3.0%, total bacterial count <10 CFU / g, coliform bacteria not detected. Storage stability: No separation after 3 months of storage at room temperature, a small amount of fine crystals at the bottom, viscosity change rate of 3.5%, and slightly rougher texture. Example 3 Composition (by mass percentage): 45% white sugar, 22% rock sugar, 42% water, 4.5% L-arabinose, 0.04% potassium sorbate, and 0.08% citric acid. Preparation method: (1) Screen 80-mesh white sugar and rock sugar to remove impurities; pass L-arabinose, potassium sorbate and citric acid through a 100-mesh sieve for later use. (2) Add water to the reactor and heat it to 60°C at a rate of 5°C / min. Add granulated sugar and rock sugar in sequence and stir at a rate of 200r / min until completely dissolved to obtain sugar solution.

[0019] (3) Heat the sugar solution to 120°C and cook it in a low-boiling state for 30 minutes under a vacuum of -0.08MPa, stirring continuously during the process, to control the soluble solids content of the sugar solution to reach 75%. (4) Cool the boiled sugar solution to 70°C at a rate of 3°C / min, add the formula amount of L-arabinose, potassium sorbate and citric acid in sequence, stir at a rate of 150r / min for 15min until completely dissolved, and adjust the pH value to 5.0. (5) Sterilize by pasteurization. First, raise the temperature to 75°C at 5°C / min, hold for 30 min, and then lower the temperature to 50°C at 4°C / min. (6) In a Class 100 cleanroom environment, the sterilized syrup is aseptically filled at 50°C. The filling container is sterilized by high-pressure steam at 121°C for 20 minutes before use. After cooling, the finished product is obtained. Performance testing: Sensory quality: Deep amber color, transparent and free of impurities, sweet taste, with a noticeable slight astringency from L-arabinose, and a slightly unbalanced sweet and sour flavor. Physicochemical indicators: soluble solids 74.8%, pH 5.0, reducing sugar content 4.2%, total bacterial count <10 CFU / g, coliform bacteria not detected. Storage stability: No separation occurred after 3 months of storage at room temperature, but the viscosity increased significantly, with a change rate of 5.2%, and the texture became slightly sticky. Comparative Example 1 Composition (by mass percentage): 42% white sugar, 20% rock sugar, 40% water, 2% L-arabinose, 0.03% potassium sorbate, and 0.07% citric acid. Preparation method: Same as in Example 1. Performance testing: Sensory quality: Light amber color, transparent and free of impurities, excessively sweet, lacking the refreshing sensation of L-arabinose. Physicochemical indicators: soluble solids 70.0%, pH 4.3, reducing sugar content 2.8%, total bacterial count <10 CFU / g, coliform bacteria not detected. Storage stability: No stratification occurred after 3 months of storage at room temperature, with a small amount of crystallization at the bottom. The viscosity change rate was 3.0%. Health efficacy testing showed that the effect of inhibiting sucrose absorption was reduced by 40% compared to Example 1. Comparative Example 2 Composition (by mass percentage): 42% white sugar, 20% rock sugar, 40% water, 4% L-arabinose, 0.03% potassium sorbate, and 0.07% citric acid. Preparation method: In step (3), a negative pressure environment was not used for cooking, and the other steps were the same as in Example 1. Performance testing: Sensory quality: Light amber color, slightly cloudy, with a small amount of fine impurities, and no obvious abnormalities in taste. Physicochemical indicators: soluble solids 69.5%, pH 4.2, reducing sugar content 3.6%, total bacterial count 35 CFU / g (higher than Example 1), coliform bacteria not detected. Storage stability: Slight stratification occurred after 2 months of storage at room temperature, with a small amount of sediment at the bottom. The viscosity change rate was 6.8%, and the impurity content was 3 times higher than that of Example 1. Example 1 selected a suitable intermediate range for the component ratios of each raw material, with an L-arabinose content of 4%, which ensured both the health benefits and prevented the syrup's taste from being affected by excessive content. During the preparation process, parameters such as heating rate, cooking temperature, vacuum degree, and cooling rate were all within optimal ranges, resulting in thorough sugar dissolution, minimal impurities during cooking, and minimal crystallization. Testing showed that the L-arabinose syrup prepared in Example 1 had a stable soluble solids content of 70%, a pH value of 4.2, a moderately sweet taste, and showed no stratification or crystallization after 3 months of storage at room temperature, demonstrating significantly superior quality compared to other examples and comparative examples. Comparative Example 1, due to insufficient L-arabinose content, exhibited reduced health benefits; Comparative Example 2, lacking negative pressure cooking, had slightly higher impurity content in its syrup and slightly poorer storage stability. Therefore, Example 1 is the optimal solution.

[0020] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0021] While embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, and that the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An L-arabinose syrup, characterized in that, It is composed of the following components by mass percentage: 35%-50% white granulated sugar, 15%-25% rock sugar, 33%-48% water, 3%-5% L-arabinose, <0.05% potassium sorbate, and <0.1% citric acid; the L-arabinose syrup has a soluble solids content of 65%-75% and a pH value of 3.5-5.

0.

2. The L-arabinose syrup according to claim 1, characterized in that, The white granulated sugar has a mass percentage of 40%-45%, and the rock sugar has a mass percentage of 18%-22%.

3. The L-arabinose syrup according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water content is 38%-42% by mass, and the L-arabinose content is 3.5%-4.5% by mass.

4. The L-arabinose syrup according to claim 1, characterized in that, The potassium sorbate has a mass percentage of 0.02%-0.04%, and the citric acid has a mass percentage of 0.05%-0.08%.

5. A method for preparing L-arabinose syrup, used to prepare the L-arabinose syrup according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: (1) Raw material pretreatment: Screen white granulated sugar and rock sugar with a particle size ≥ 80 mesh to remove impurities; pass L-arabinose, potassium sorbate and citric acid through a 100 mesh sieve for later use; (2) Mixing and dissolving: Add water to the reaction vessel, heat to 50-60℃, add white sugar and rock sugar in sequence, stir at a speed of 150-200r / min until completely dissolved, and obtain sugar solution; (3) Cooking: Heat the sugar solution obtained in step (2) to 110-120℃ and cook it at a gentle boil for 20-30 minutes, stirring continuously during the process, and control the soluble solids content of the sugar solution to reach 65%-75%; (4) Preparation: Cool the boiled sugar solution to 60-70℃, add the formula amount of L-arabinose, potassium sorbate and citric acid in sequence, stir at 100-150r / min for 10-15min until completely dissolved, and adjust the pH value to 3.5-5.

0. (5) Sterilization: The prepared syrup is sterilized by pasteurization at a temperature of 65-75℃ for 20-30 minutes. (6) Filling: The sterilized syrup is aseptically filled at 40-50℃ and cooled to obtain the finished L-arabinose syrup.

6. The method for preparing L-arabinose syrup according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step (2), the rate of heating water is 3-5℃ / min to ensure that the water temperature rises evenly.

7. The method for preparing L-arabinose syrup according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step (3), the cooking process is carried out in a negative pressure environment with a vacuum degree of -0.06 to -0.08 MPa.

8. The method for preparing L-arabinose syrup according to claim 5, characterized in that, The cooling rate in step (4) is 2-3℃ / min.

9. The method for preparing L-arabinose syrup according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step (5), the sterilization process adopts segmented temperature control. First, the temperature is raised to 65-75℃ at 5℃ / min and maintained for 20-30min. Then, the temperature is lowered to 40-50℃ at 4℃ / min.

10. The method for preparing L-arabinose syrup according to claim 5, characterized in that, The filling containers used in step (6) are sterilized by high-pressure steam at 121℃ for 15-20 minutes before use.

Images