Maltose

A disaccharide formed by the condensation of two sugar molecules via an α-glycosidic bond. It is the main component of maltose. It is produced by the action of malt amylase on starch. It is used as a nutritional supplement and also for preparing culture media.

From a chemical perspective, maltose—or malt sugar—is a chemical term that belongs to the class of disaccharides. It appears as white needle-shaped crystals. However, commonly available maltose is typically non-crystalline, and during cooking, the addition of sucrose causes the white maltose to turn golden yellow, enhancing its color, aroma, and flavor.

Candy

Candy

Maltose, also known as glutinous rice candy, is made from wheat and glutinous rice. It has a sweet, delicious flavor and is rich in nutrients. It helps strengthen the stomach and aid digestion, making it a food suitable for people of all ages.

In nature, maltose is primarily found in germinating grains, especially in malt, hence its name. Under the action of amylase, starch undergoes hydrolysis to produce maltose, which in turn undergoes further hydrolysis to yield two molecules of glucose. Maltose can be crystallized and used as a sweetener, though its sweetness is only about one-third that of sucrose. Maltose is an inexpensive substance.

Nutritious foods are easily digested and absorbed by the human body. The maltose molecule contains an aldehyde group, making it a reducing sugar with reducing properties. Consequently, it can undergo the silver mirror reaction with Tollens' reagent and also react with freshly prepared alkaline copper(II) hydroxide to form a brick-red precipitate. Under certain conditions, maltose can be hydrolyzed into two molecules of glucose.

Colorless or white crystals; crude products appear as a thick syrup. Crystalline maltose containing one molecule of water melts and decomposes at 102–103°C. It is readily soluble in water and slightly soluble in ethanol. As a reducing disaccharide, it exhibits an aldehyde group reaction, can undergo the silver-mirror test, and when heated together with Fehling’s reagent (prepared from solutions of copper sulfate, sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide, and sodium citrate), it forms a brick-red precipitate of cuprous oxide. It can...

Bromine water decolorizes upon oxidation to yield maltose acid. In the presence of dilute acid heated or under the action of α-glucosidase, it is hydrolyzed into two molecules of glucose. It is used as a food additive and nutritional supplement. It is typically produced by the enzymatic hydrolysis of starch, in which enzymes from malt are mixed with starch paste and fermented at an appropriate temperature.

The production of maltose generally involves the following steps: First, wheat is soaked and allowed to sprout until the sprouts reach a length of three to four centimeters. The sprouts are then harvested, chopped finely, and set aside for later use. Next, glutinous rice is thoroughly washed and simmered in a pot until cooked through; it is then mixed evenly with the chopped malt sprouts. The mixture is left to ferment for 3 to 4 hours, during which time it will gradually release a liquid. Afterward, the liquid is strained out and vigorously reduced over high heat until it thickens into a paste. Once cooled, it solidifies into amber-colored sugar blocks. Before consumption, these blocks are heated up.

Then, use two wooden sticks to stir it until the sugar cubes are stretched into a silvery-white consistency, much like noodles.

Maple syrup

The sugar maple, also known as maple syrup, is a tall, deciduous tree that can grow up to 40 meters in height with a trunk diameter ranging from 40 to 100 centimeters. It can live for up to 500 years. Unlike other maple species, this sugar-rich maple turns golden yellow in the late autumn, whereas other maples turn red. The tree trunk contains abundant starch, which transforms into sucrose during winter. As temperatures rise, this sucrose liquefies into sweet sap. If you drill holes into the tree, the sap will flow out continuously.

The sap flowing from trees is boiled down to produce a sugar known as maple syrup or acer syrup. Maple syrup is rich in minerals and organic acids, and it contains fewer calories than sucrose, fructose, corn syrup, and other sweeteners. Yet, it boasts significantly higher levels of calcium, magnesium, and organic acids compared to other types of sugar, making it an excellent choice for nourishing weak bodies suffering from nutritional imbalances. Maple syrup is less sweet than honey, with a sugar content of about 66% (honey contains roughly 79%–81% sugar).

Sugar content as high as 99.4%.

Between May and August each year, maple trees store starch in their roots, preparing nutrients for the following year. As soon as the early spring snow and ice begin to melt, the starch stored in the maple roots starts to convert into sugar—this is precisely the season when maple syrup producers begin collecting sap and making maple syrup. The maple syrup season is very short, typically running from mid-March to mid-April, lasting only about six weeks in total. The production season...

This maple syrup is produced around early April, near the end of the harvest season. It boasts a rich, distinct maple aroma and is an indispensable flavoring ingredient for baking cookies, cakes, and desserts. Canada’s renowned, internationally acclaimed specialties—maple candies and maple ice cream—are both made primarily with this grade of maple syrup.

Making maple syrup is also very simple: you just heat the maple sap, gradually evaporating the water content until it finally becomes a slightly thick and viscous maple syrup. Typically, only 1 kilogram of maple syrup can be produced from 40 kilograms of maple sap. Only maple trees that are at least 40 years old or have a diameter of 25 centimeters or more will yield useful sap. To ensure the healthy growth of maple trees, the amount of sap collected must not exceed a certain limit.

5% of the quantity. Therefore, maple syrup is very expensive—such as a 236ml bottle of pure maple syrup, which costs as much as $4.99.

Cooking-specific maple syrup is characterized by its caramel-like flavor. Due to its intense aroma, it’s widely used in cooking, baking, and as a seasoning for certain specialty foods. In Europe, the U.S., and Japan, it’s even used as a flavoring agent to create popular maple-flavored cigarettes.

Zongzi candy

Zongzi candy is one of the earliest types of Chinese confectionery. It is primarily made with sucrose, combined with rose flowers, maltose, and pine nut kernels.

Its shape resembles that of a triangular zongzi, hence the name “Zongzi Candy.” The Zongzi Candy is hard and transparent, with a glossy surface. You can clearly see rose flowers and pine nut kernels evenly distributed throughout the candy, giving it the appearance of exquisite crystal stones. When eaten, it’s sweetly moist, fragrant, and delicious, with a delicate aroma of pine nuts and roses. Due to climatic influences, it’s not suitable for production during the summer months.

Ingredient formula: Sucrose, pine nuts, dried rose flowers, liquid glucose, vinegar essence.

Preparation method:

1. The sugar-cooking method is the same as that for peanut candy.

2. Pine nut kernels and rose flowers must be roasted before use; otherwise, they should not be used, as residual moisture in the pine nut kernels and rose flowers could easily cause sugar to crystallize when added to the sugar paste.

3. After cooling and boiling the sugar to 160℃, pour it onto a cooling table equipped with flowing water for rapid cooling. While the sugar paste is still hot, sprinkle pine nuts and dried rose petals onto its surface, then use a spatula to fold the paste back and forth. As you fold the sugar paste, it continues to cool, and the moisture gradually evaporates, causing the sugar paste to slowly solidify into soft candy.

4. Molding: Assemble personnel and work quickly to place the gummies onto the countertop, divide them into small pieces, and knead the sugar until it forms round strips (be sure to keep the dough at room temperature).

5. Sugar Cutting: Use scissors to cut sugar. When cutting sugar, be sure to rotate the sugar piece after each snip—no matter from which angle you view it, the resulting sugar shape will always be triangular. If you switch to machine production, you can still achieve the same triangular shape.

6. Packaging: Package the sugar only after it has cooled completely to prevent it from sticking together.

7. Quality Standards:

Color: Light yellow-brown, transparent and glossy. Shape: Triangular, with no chipped edges or short corners; approximately 240–250 pieces per kilogram.

Osmanthus Sugar

Osmanthus sugar is made by frying rice coated with oil and then caramelizing it. The filling sugar is crafted using white sugar and osmanthus flowers, with carefully controlled heat to ensure even distribution of sesame seeds and neatly arranged sugar strands. The osmanthus flowers used in its preparation must be fresh and fragrant; they are harvested from the trees when in full bloom. After being mixed with white sugar and sealed tightly, they become the raw material for the filling sugar. The selection of osmanthus flowers for this delicacy is extremely stringent, and the production process itself is highly meticulous.

Originally known as “Yangtang” in Zoushi, this is a traditional seasonal specialty product of Zoushi. As early as ancient times, there was a folk song that went: “The wine from Taoyuan (referring to the county seat), the sugar from Zoushi, and the youtiao from Hefu—each one a zhang long!” While the claim about the youtiao being a zhang long is purely an exaggeration, the famous liquor from Taoyuan and Zoushi’s “Yangtang” truly live up to their reputations.

The “Yangtang” candy from Zou City originated in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Its predecessor was the Guanzi candy, a traditional sweet from the rural area of Taoyuan. Guanzi candy is coated with sesame seeds on the outside and solid inside; at first glance, it looks exactly like the later osmanthus candy. However, its flavor is quite different: it lacks the fragrance of osmanthus, the sweetness of the sugar core, and the crispness of the outer coating. One year, a pastry chef from Zou City traveled downriver to Nanjing with a timber merchant and happened to see some local pastries there—several...

The fragrance of osmanthus was truly inspiring. After returning home, I decided to add osmanthus powder into the tube candies. At first, the aroma was there—but without a sugary center, they still felt rock-hard when you bit into them.

Soon after, the provincial governor issued an order calling for the collection of local specialties from various regions. The master craftsman once again set off for Nanjing to seek guidance and skillfully formulated an excellent recipe, devoting himself day and night to its development. After much effort, he finally succeeded in creating a candy that resembled pipe candy—hollow, with a round stem, and delightfully sweet and fragrant.

This sugar was presented to the county magistrate and the military commander, and as a tribute, it was forwarded to the imperial court—both receiving high praise and being designated as “superior quality.” From then on, its reputation soared, and its sales steadily expanded. As Hong Kong merchants who purchased oil and timber began shipping it overseas, the sugar soon found markets far beyond China’s borders. It was thus nicknamed “foreign sugar.” Later, as history progressed, the production methods for “foreign sugar” continued to evolve and improve, and its quality steadily rose as well.

“Yangtang” thus evolved into osmanthus sugar and was recognized as a high-quality national product, earning the Silver Medal twice.

Tamarind Candy

Candy

Candy

Tamarind candies are a type of confectionery made from tamarind as the primary ingredient through a specialized processing method. The raw material is sourced from locally grown, naturally pure, and pollution-free tamarind trees, which undergo a unique refining process to ensure they are completely free from contaminants—making them a genuinely natural, eco-friendly food product. These candies have a gel-like texture, an exceptionally smooth and delicate mouthfeel, and an outstanding flavor profile. As you savor their delightfully sweet-and-sour taste, you’ll truly appreciate the richness of life. Rich in various vitamins, tamarind candies stimulate the appetite and help cool down the body during hot weather—they’re a perfect treat!

Fashionable casual food for vacation fun and relaxation.

Starch sugar

Sugars produced from starch-containing grains, tubers, and other raw materials via acid hydrolysis, acid-enzyme hydrolysis, or enzymatic methods—including maltose, glucose, and fructose-glucose syrup—are collectively referred to as starch sugars.

Starch sugar has a long history in China. As early as the 6th century, the "Qi Ming Yao Shu" mentioned sugar and provided a detailed description of how to produce sugar from rice. For a long time, China's sugar production and consumption have been dominated by sucrose, with starch sugar playing a secondary role. The state has vigorously supported and promoted the development of starch sugar. By the later stage of the Ninth Five-Year Plan, thanks to technological advances in the starch-sugar industry, both yield and quality have improved significantly.

High yields and reduced material consumption; enterprises are adopting intensive, large-scale operations, leading to a significant drop in the cost of starch-sugar products. As a result, the starch-sugar market is steadily expanding and has become an important complement to the sugar market. Starch sugars have broad consumer applications and high consumption volumes, making them a cornerstone product in the deep processing of starch. For a long time, they have been widely used in numerous industries, including food, pharmaceuticals, and papermaking. Along with the deep processing of corn, the food industry...

Thanks to industrial development, advances in biotechnology—including enzyme preparations—and shifts in consumer spending patterns, China’s starch-sugar industry has achieved remarkable progress. The industry is now moving toward diversified, personalized, specialized, and large-scale production, with output increasing significantly and the product mix becoming increasingly sophisticated.

In 2005, starch sugar production reached 4.2 million tons, with an output value of 9.24 billion yuan. China’s starch sugar production ranks second in the world, behind only the United States. The starch sugar industry is one of the important pathways for agricultural industrialization and the deep processing of grain. Therefore, the starch sugar industry plays a significant role in China’s national economic development.

Toffee

Toffee (translated as "tuo fei" in Hong Kong) is a Western-style candy made from brown sugar or molasses and cream. It’s a hard, chewy confection that’s prepared by boiling the molasses and brown sugar to a very thick consistency, then stirring the mixture by hand or with a machine until it becomes glossy and retains a solid shape. That’s how toffee is made.

Lollipop

The lollipop was invented by Spanish confectioner Enrique Bernat Forniados, who inserted a small stick into the candy to make it handheld.

Lollipops are one of children’s favorite candies, and candy manufacturers around the world produce them in various forms. Besides the traditional hard-candy lollipops, there are now many different styles available—for example, marshmallow lollipops can be shaped into more intricate cartoon characters. Some lollipop sticks even come with built-in whistles or lighting features.

Coconut candy

Coconut candies are meticulously crafted using fresh coconut juice from Hainan Island, maltose, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and milk through a special scientific process. They come in various flavors, including traditional crispy coconut hard candies, soft coconut candies, and coffee-flavored candies. Upholding the tradition of candy-making in Hainan, these candies boast a rich, fragrant aroma and a pure, authentic taste. Not only do they preserve the original flavor of coconut, but they also offer a sweet and delicious taste that is truly delightful.

Coconut candies are highly nutritious. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine in China, coconut candy has a sweet taste and a warm nature, and it can help generate body fluids and promote diuresis. Moreover, coconut leaves contain even more nutrients, including fructose, glucose, sucrose, proteins, fats, vitamin B, vitamin C, as well as trace elements and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron.

Sugar is not the primary culprit behind disease. According to epidemiological research, there is no direct correlation between sugar intake and the incidence of obesity; rather, it is fat intake that is closely linked to obesity. Moreover, the risk of diabetes has nothing to do with how much sugar one consumes, since diabetes is caused by impaired function of the pancreatic islets. Likewise, sugar consumption does not directly affect elevated blood lipid levels. In fact, what really matters is...

The primary dietary factor influencing lipid profile changes is saturated fatty acids. Elevated blood lipid levels are likely to occur only when intake of sucrose or fructose is very high—this is due to fructose’s unique metabolic pathway in the liver. Therefore, under typical consumption levels, sugars do not typically cause an increase in blood lipids.

Sugar is certainly not the sole culprit behind tooth decay. As everyone knows, the UK has consistently maintained a relatively high per capita consumption of sugar, yet its incidence of dental caries remains low. By contrast, in our country, where candy consumption in grocery stores is relatively low, the prevalence of dental caries is significantly higher. The belief that frequent sugar consumption easily leads to tooth decay stems from the fact that sugar, when left lingering in the mouth over an extended period, can serve as a nutrient-rich medium for bacteria that cause cavities—if one consumes...

After finishing eating sugar, promptly removing the sugar from your mouth by rinsing or using other methods will prevent tooth decay.

Vitamin class

Vitamin candies represent a new category of confectionery—they contain one or more vitamins, allowing people to supplement their bodies with the vitamins they need simply by eating them. Most people have tried regular candies, but vitamin candies—many may never have tried them, or even heard of them.

Generally speaking, people can normally obtain vitamins through their diet. However, modern individuals often suffer from vitamin deficiencies due to factors such as stressful work and an imbalanced diet. As is well known, although the body contains only small amounts of vitamins, they are extremely important and directly influence people’s immune systems. Therefore, people should consciously supplement their vitamin intake—for example, taking vitamin candies is one relatively convenient method.

A convenient and practical method.