Changes in sugar profile during infant cereal manufacture

A sugar profile study of wheat-based, rice-based and oats infant cereals wa s conducted to determine changes produced during processing. Two extraction procedures were assayed, The fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, maltotri ose, isomaltotriose and raffinose contents of the cereals were analysed by gas liquid chromatography. In untreated flours, sucrose was the main sugar; glucose, fructose, maltose and raffinose were also detected. During hydrol ysis, there were increases in the maltose (2.1-7.6 g/100 g, depending on th e sample), glucose and fructose contents and maltotriose and isomaltotriose were also increased. Roller-drying reduced the maltose content. Four comme rcial samples with rice or wheat were analysed: the sugar composition was 2 0 g/100 g sucrose and 3 g/100 g maltose. Other ingredients in the formulati ons were also analysed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.