Artificial sweeteners, developed with the help of chemical engineers, allow dieters and diabetics to reduce their sugar intake without sacrificing taste. Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.
Chemical engineers have been working closely with food scientists to isolate and produce natural and artificial flavors and other food additives in commercial quantities. The ultimate result has been to create significantly more satisfying dining experiences.
Today an entire branch of chemical engineering is dedicated to food science and production. The unique, combined expertise of the scientists in this field has been directed toward
- Improving food flavors and textures,
- Adding nutritional value, and
- Perfecting the appearance of foods.
Some of the most prominent breakthroughs have been in the areas of natural and artificial sweeteners and flavors. Foods have also been enhanced through innovative uses of different starches to improve texture and nutritional value.
Natural sweeteners
Refined sugar is produced primarily from sugar cane or sugar beets and has long dominated the natural sweetener market. The commercial-scale production of refined sugar involves a variety of chemical-engineering operations, which include
- Milling shredded raw materials and mixing with water,
- Adding chemicals to adjust the pH level to control the acid content,
- Removing impurities,
- Crystallizing the sugar and drying it, and
- Treating wastewater.
In recent years high-fructose corn syrup, made from cornstarch, has been used in foods and beverages. Production of corn syrup also requires many chemical-engineering operations, including
- Dry milling the corn,
- Reacting the cornstarch with enzymes, and
- Purifying by ion exchange.
High-fructose corn syrup is valued by food processors because it tastes sweeter than refined sugar and is produced as a syrup, which makes it easier to blend into various foods and beverages.
Artificial sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are novel chemical molecules that provide a sweetness level 500 to 600 times greater than that of traditional sugar. They are widely valued by calorie-conscious consumers and diabetics who need to limit their sugar intake. Considerable chemical-engineering expertise has gone into perfecting the processes needed to synthesize these compounds and produce them on a commercial basis.
The first commercial artificial sweetener was saccharin, discovered in the late 19th century. It is sold under the trade name Sweet’N Low. More recently aspartame, sold as Equal and the food additive NutraSweet, has gained popularity in the marketplace. And the latest artificial sweetener to be marketed is sucralose, sold as Splenda, which is actually made from sugar. Chemical engineers developed the commercial processes used to produce these low- or no-calorie sweeteners using numerous process innovations. Enjoy!
Starches
Starches from various sources are incorporated into processed foods as a major source of nutritional carbohydrates. Starches are also routinely added to foods to act as thickeners, to improve stability, and to provide a good “mouth feel” for the consumer.
Chemical engineers have played a key role in effectively isolating the desired starch from cereal grain seeds, roots, and tubers. They are also responsible for engineering complex systems to produce easy-to-use, free-flowing powdered starches in commercial-scale quantities.
Copyright © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers and Chemical Heritage Foundation. All rights reserved.