Isomerization of Glucose to Fructose

In the previous paper, one of the authors described "A Survey on the Dextrose Industry in Japan and its Future" in the 1967 issue. As shown in the earlier paper, the supply and demand situation of starch in this country was drastically changed since 1963-64. In the later 1950's, the Japanese Government had a big problem to eliminate the big stock of the over-produced sweet potato starch. Therefore, extensive research works had been undertaken to look for new uses of the starch. As the results of these efforts, a complete enzymic saccharification method to produce dextrose from starch had been established as the first technology in the world. Following this achievement, further study on the utilization of dextrose as a sweetener was proceeded. Dextrose has less sweetness compared with sucrose. In order to increase the sweetness of dextrose, glucose isomerization to fructose, sweetest sugar, has been conducted in this Institute and other establishments. Two isomerization methods are being discussed in the following chapter. One is an enzymic isomerization using glucose isomerase and the other is a chemical method by the improved alkaline method.