Re: Erythritol
"Even though it is found in fruits, commercial erythritol is produced through the fermentation of corn sugar."
Wouldn't fermentation of corn sugar be a bad thing on many levels?
I've heard & read that ALL corn is now contaminated with fungus. Then fermentation of fungal laden corn SUGAR? As in corn SYRUP and high fructose corn sugar?
Wouldn't all this be something to avoid? Or am I confused again?
Marci
Corn can be contaminated with certain fungi such as ergot or Aspergillus
niger. Not all corn though is going to be contaminated. If there was widespread contamination I would think they would have a hard time making erythritol since the fungi could interfere with the proper fermentation process if overgrown. So they have to keep invading microorganisms to a minimum. This can be easily done during the fermentation, which will generate acids that keep fungus controlled or kill the fungus. The corn could also be pretreated to address any possible fungal contamination.
By the way, peanuts are way higher in fungal contamination than corn. Rice is also frequently contaminated with A. niger, but again in low levels.
Bottom line though is the final product must conform to certain standards, which includes pathogen level within certain limits. Therefore processing techniques will include methods to deal with fungi in the product.
And I know fermentation has a bad name, but it is not inherently bad. Kefir is fermented. Yogurt is fermented. So is miso, tofu, sauerkraut, and many other beneficial foods.