Hydrolysis of Diacetonefructose introduction

Diacetone fructose (CAS NO.20880-92-6) is also called 1,2,4,5-Di-o-isopropylidene-beta-d-fructopyranose , it may be obtained from a variety of natural and synthetic sources. High fructose corn syrups (HFCS) are conventionally manufactured by enzymatically isomerizing high dextrose conversion syrups. The enzymatic isomerization of dextrosesyrups can provide fructose syrups which compositionally contain from about 30%-52% fructose, 40%-54% dextrose, 1%-4% disaccharide and from about 3%-8% saccharides of a D.P.3 or higher. Substantial capital equipment investments, evaporating, recycling, quality control and other manufacturing expenses are incurred under conventional fructose enrichment processes. It would be desirable to manufacture food-grade, 55%+HFCS syrups by a technique other than chromatographic fractionation and separation.
Upon completion of the Diacetonefructose hydrolysis, the immobilized catalyst may be removed from the hydrolyzed solution, the hydrolyzate adjusted with an appropriate acid to about pH 3 to about pH 5 and any acetone residue removed from the hydrolyzate by conventional techniques such as by distillation, evaporation, etc. Notwithstanding the high fructose content, the acid hydrolysis produces an enriched fructose syrup products substantially free from objectionable flavoring and coloring bodies. This substantially reduces the carbon, cationic and anionic exchanged resin requirements for placing these syrups in a marketable condition for food applications. The immobilized catalysts provide syrups essentially free from ash residues which normally arise from salts formed by neutralizing water soluble catalyst with a base.