Brown rice syrup facts for kids
| Brown rice syrup | |
Rice syrup
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Quick facts for kids Korean name |
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|---|---|
| Hangul |
물엿, 조청
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| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | mullyeot / jocheong |
| McCune–Reischauer | mullyǒt / choch'ǒng |
| IPA | [mul.ljʌt̚] / [tɕo.tɕʰʌŋ] |
Brown rice syrup is a sweet liquid used as a sweetener. It's also called rice syrup or rice malt. This syrup is full of natural sugars.
It's made from cooked rice starch. Special helpers called enzymes are added. These enzymes break down the starch in the rice. After that, the liquid is strained. Then, it's heated to make the water evaporate. This makes the liquid thicker until it becomes a syrup.
The enzymes can come from sprouted barley grains. This is the old, traditional way. Or, they can come from special bacteria or fungi. This is the modern, factory way of making the syrup.
Contents
How Brown Rice Syrup Is Made
Traditional Way to Make Rice Syrup
In the old days, people made brown rice syrup by hand. They would add a small amount of sprouted barley grains to cooked, whole brown rice. This was mixed in hot water. It's a bit like how beer is made.
The enzymes from the barley malt break down the rice. They turn the complex parts of the rice into a sweet liquid. This liquid has simple sugars and other tiny bits. Then, the liquid is separated from the grains. It's boiled to make the water disappear. This leaves a thick, sweet syrup. This syrup is mostly a sugar called maltose. It has very little glucose or fructose.
Modern Way to Make Rice Syrup
Today, brown rice syrup is often made in factories. First, brown rice is processed. This removes the protein and other parts. What's left is a modified rice starch. This starch is then heated with special enzymes. These enzymes break down the starch into smaller pieces called dextrins.
These dextrins are then treated again with more enzymes. These enzymes turn the complex dextrins into simple sugars, mostly maltose. The liquid is then boiled to get rid of water. This makes the syrup the right thickness.
Modern brown rice syrup is usually free of protein and fiber. It often contains 65–85% maltose. It also has some maltotriose and dextrins. Only a small amount is glucose. Makers can even change the mix of sugars in the syrup.
The enzymes used in factories come from tiny living things. These include certain types of bacteria or fungi. They are grown in special containers called bioreactors. This is similar to how some medicines, like antibiotics, are made.
You can often find brown rice syrup in stores. It might be called maltose or maltose syrup. This is because it has a lot of maltose in it. This type is almost always made using the modern factory method.
Brown rice syrup can last for about a year. Once you open it, keep it in a cool, dry place. This syrup is used in some drinks, like rice milk. Many companies in the United States, Europe, and Asia make brown rice syrup.
What Is Glycemic Index?
The glycemic index (GI) tells us how quickly a food raises your blood sugar. Foods with a high GI raise blood sugar fast. Foods with a low GI raise it slowly.
Brown rice syrup has a very high GI of 98. For comparison, regular table sugar has a GI of 65. Pure glucose sugar has a GI of 100. This means brown rice syrup raises blood sugar almost as fast as pure glucose.
Keeping Food Safe
Sometimes, brown rice syrup can contain tiny amounts of a substance called arsenic. Arsenic can be harmful if there's too much of it. This is because rice plants can naturally take up arsenic from the soil.
Scientists have studied this to make sure our food is safe. They recommend that rules are made to limit arsenic levels in food. This is especially important for foods made for babies and young children. Food safety experts work hard to make sure all the food we eat is safe and healthy.
See also
In Spanish: Jarabe de arroz marrón para niños
