NANP Board Practice Exam

What is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) primarily made from?

1. Adding enzymes to cornstarch to convert glucose into fructose

2. Converting sucrose into glucose and fructose

3. Extracting sugars from sugar beets

4. Mixing glucose and lactose

The correct answer is: Adding enzymes to cornstarch to convert glucose into fructose

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is primarily made by adding enzymes to cornstarch to convert glucose into fructose. This process involves the initial breakdown of cornstarch into glucose, which is then enzymatically transformed into fructose, resulting in a sweetener that contains varying proportions of fructose and glucose. The enzymatic conversion allows HFCS to achieve high sweetness levels, comparable to that of sucrose, which is why it is a popular sweetening agent in various food products. Regarding the other options, the process of converting sucrose into glucose and fructose is not how HFCS is produced, as HFCS is derived from corn, not sucrose. Extracting sugars from sugar beets is related to the production of traditional sugar, but not to HFCS. Mixing glucose and lactose is unrelated to HFCS production, as lactose is a sugar found in milk and does not factor into the creation of HFCS from cornstarch.