Lycasin

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Lycasin is a trade name given by Roquette for hydrogenated glucose syrup (hydrogenated starch hydrolysates). [1] One of the major components of Lycasin is maltitol, derived from the hydrogenation of maltose. Depending on the dextrose equivalent (DE) of the syrup used in the hydrolysis, a variety of products can be made, with the name "lycasin" normally being reserved for lycasin 80/55 (80 referring to the dry content and 55 to the dextrose equivalent). The other grades (e.g. 75/60 and 80/33) are referred to as Polysorb, [2] but should not be confused with the polyglycolic acid suture of the same name which is produced by a different company. [3]

Lycasin's known side effects in adults include bloating, intestinal gurgling or rumbling (borborygmi), and flatulence. [4] Some cases of extremely intense intestinal distress have been reported from consuming foods containing Lycasin, which led to many humorous reviews of German confectioner Haribo's Sugarless Gummy Bears. [5]

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Sugar Sweet-tasting, water soluble carbohydrates

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Corn syrup Syrup made from corn used as food additive

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Haribo German confectionery company

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Gummy bear Fruit gum candy

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Hans Riegel German entrepreneur

Johannes Peter "Hans" Riegel, also known as Hans Riegel Jr., was a German entrepreneur who owned and operated the confectioner Haribo since 1946.

Maltitol Chemical compound

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Gummy candy Category of gelatin-based chewable candy

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Gummibär German multilingual character

Gummibär or Gummy Bear is a German international multilingual character and virtual band that performs Gummy bear-related songs on various albums, including I Am Your Gummy Bear (2007) and La La Love to Dance (2010). The video for the song "I'm a Gummy Bear" has over 3.0 billion views on YouTube.

Dextrose equivalent (DE) is a measure of the amount of reducing sugars present in a sugar product, expressed as a percentage on a dry basis relative to dextrose. The dextrose equivalent gives an indication of the average degree of polymerisation (DP) for starch sugars. As a rule of thumb, DE × DP = 120.

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Coconut ice

Coconut ice is a British confectionery prepared using grated desiccated coconut or just grated coconut, condensed milk and sugar, which is formed to create a solid, soft candy. It typically has a chewy, soft and mildly grainy texture; some versions are semi-hard. Coconut ice is also available in South Africa, some areas of Australia and New Zealand.

Carly Mark is an American contemporary artist and writer working in a variety of media including sculpture, painting, and video. She is known for creating works that relate to commercial food packaging, specifically Haribo gummy bears.

References

  1. Mitchell, Helen Buss (2006). Sweeteners and Sugar Alternatives in Food Technology. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN   978-1-4051-3434-7.
  2. Altschul, Aaron M. (1993). Low-calorie foods handbook. New York: M. Dekker. ISBN   978-0-8247-8812-4.
  3. "Polysorb™ Braided Absorbable Sutures".
  4. Lee, A.; Wils, D.; Zumbé, A.; Storey, DM (2002). "The comparative gastrointestinal responses of children and adults following consumption of sweets formulated with sucrose, isomalt and lycasin HBC". European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 56 (8): 755–764. doi: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601389 . PMID   12122552.
  5. "What's in Those Haribo Gummy Bears?". The Atlantic . 17 January 2014.