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Fructose

Fructose suppliers and sourcing guide

Fructose is a monosaccharide found naturally in fruit and honey and is the sweetest of the common nutritive sugars. Commercial crystalline fructose is made from corn starch or sucrose: a glucose-rich syrup is isomerized, or sucrose is inverted, and the fructose is separated by chromatography, then concentrated and crystallized. It is sold as crystals, fine powder or liquid syrup, mainly for beverages, dry drink mixes and formulations where more sweetness per gram of sugar is wanted.

See suppliersWhat to ask for on the COA
Category
Sweeteners
Also known as
Crystalline fructose · D-fructose · Levulose · Fruit sugar
Facts checked
November 2026

Forms and grades of fructose

Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.

  • Crystalline

    Granular crystals, the standard grade for dry mixes and beverages.

  • Milled powder

    Fine powder for fast dissolving in dry blends; it cakes more easily than the crystalline grade.

  • Fructose syrup

    Liquid high-purity fructose for beverages and syrups where a liquid sweetener is easier to dose.

  • Non-GMO

    Fructose made from non-GMO corn or from sucrose, offered by some suppliers alongside conventional grades.

What to check on the COA

Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.

Fructose assay (HPLC)
Fructose content on a dry basis by HPLC, with glucose and other sugars reported.
Loss on drying
Moisture by oven drying or Karl Fischer; crystalline fructose is hygroscopic, so moisture predicts caking.
Color and clarity of solution
Color and turbidity of a standard solution, which flag heat damage or refining problems.
Ash or conductivity
Residue on ignition or conductivity ash, which reflects refining.
Particle size
Sieve analysis for crystalline and milled grades.
Microbiology
Total plate count, yeast and mold against the supplier's specification.

Storage, lots and expiry

Storage and shelf life

Crystalline fructose is very hygroscopic and cakes readily, so keep it sealed in moisture-barrier bags in a cool, dry place and reseal opened bags right away. Fructose browns at lower temperatures than sucrose, so avoid hot storage areas. Shelf life follows the supplier's specification, with moisture and flow checked on aged lots.

Lots and expiry dates

Record assay, moisture and particle size for each lot, and note warehouse humidity when caking problems appear. Note the feedstock (corn or sucrose) when non-GMO or organic programs require it.

Regulatory status

Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.

  • FDA's Substances Added to Food inventory lists levulose, with other names including fructose, D-fructose and fruit sugar, and technical effects including nutritive sweetener, formulation aid and processing aid.

    Source: hfpappexternal.fda.gov (opens in a new tab)

This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.

Fructose suppliers

Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.

We are checking fructose suppliers now

Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.

Sell fructose? Request a listing

Frequently asked questions

What forms of fructose can brands buy?

Common forms include crystalline, milled powder, fructose syrup and non-GMO. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.

What should the COA for fructose include?

Expect fructose assay (HPLC), loss on drying, color and clarity of solution, ash or conductivity, particle size and microbiology, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.

How should fructose be stored?

Crystalline fructose is very hygroscopic and cakes readily, so keep it sealed in moisture-barrier bags in a cool, dry place and reseal opened bags right away. Fructose browns at lower temperatures than sucrose, so avoid hot storage areas. Shelf life follows the supplier's specification, with moisture and flow checked on aged lots.

What is the regulatory status of fructose?

FDA's Substances Added to Food inventory lists levulose, with other names including fructose, D-fructose and fruit sugar, and technical effects including nutritive sweetener, formulation aid and processing aid.

More sweeteners

All 37 sweeteners

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