Sugars & Sweeteners
Brown Rice Syrup in gelato
Brown rice syrup is a high-maltose liquid sweetener made by enzymatically breaking down cooked rice starch. In gelato it acts as a glucose-syrup-style secondary sugar: low sweetening power, moderate freezing-point depression, and added body.
Balancing parameters
Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Solids | 79% |
| Water | 21% |
| Sugars | 76.5% |
| Fat | 0% |
| MSNF | 0% |
| Protein | 2.5% |
| POD (sweetening power) | 26 |
| PAC (anti-freezing power) | 71 |
Typical use: 3-8% of the total mix as a partial sugar/glucose-syrup replacement; rarely used as the sole sweetener because of its low sweetening power.
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Open the balancerHow to use it in gelato
Use brown rice syrup as a partial replacement for glucose/dextrose syrups when a natural or vegan label is desired. Its high maltose content gives a product PAC around 71 (close to a low-DE glucose syrup) so it depresses the freezing point moderately without making the gelato overly soft. Its POD of roughly 26 means it sweetens far less than sucrose, letting you reduce perceived sweetness while keeping solids up. Maltotriose and dextrins add viscosity and chew, improving body and scoopability, and it provides mild anti-crystallization. Balance total sugars and PAC across the whole recipe, since it is much less sweet per gram than sucrose.
Origin & background
Brown rice syrup descends from traditional East Asian sweeteners such as Japanese mizuame and Korean jocheong, where cooked rice starch is saccharified using the amylase enzymes in sprouted barley or malt. As Wikipedia notes, the traditional process converts rice starch into a syrup high in maltose and low in glucose and fructose; modern industry replaces the malt with isolated enzymes to control the final carbohydrate mix.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_rice_syrup
- https://tools.myfooddata.com/nutrition-facts/483312/wt1
- https://www.recipal.com/ingredients/617926-nutrition-facts-calories-protein-carbs-fat-sweet-cloud-organic-brown-rice-syrup
- https://glucochem.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-brown-rice-syrup/
- https://bakerpedia.com/ingredients/brown-rice-syrup/