Invert sugar

Invert sugar suppliers and sourcing guide

Invert sugar is sucrose that has been split, fully or partly, into equal parts glucose and fructose by heating with a food acid or by treatment with the enzyme invertase. It is sold as a syrup, either fully inverted or partly inverted (for example medium invert, a blend of sucrose, glucose and fructose), at a stated solids content. Bakers and confectioners use it because it holds moisture, resists crystallization and browns more readily than sucrose, and beverage makers use it as a liquid sweetener that needs no dissolving.

See suppliers What to ask for on the COA

Category: Sweeteners
Also known as: Invert sugar syrup · Liquid invert sugar · Inverted sugar syrup
Facts checked: November 2026

Forms and grades of invert sugar

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

Full invert syrup
Syrup in which nearly all the sucrose has been inverted, used where crystallization must be avoided.
Medium (partial) invert syrup
Roughly half-inverted syrup that keeps some sucrose, used in beverages, baking and canning.
Invert sugar cream
Partly crystallized, paste-like invert sugar used in confections, fondants and fillings.
Organic
Invert syrup made from certified organic cane or beet sugar.

What to check on the COA

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

Degree of inversion: Sucrose, glucose and fructose by HPLC (or polarimetry), which shows how far inversion has gone.
Dry solids or Brix: Refractometric dry solids, which sets how much sweetener each kilogram delivers.
Ash: Conductivity or sulfated ash on solids, which reflects how refined the starting sugar was.
Color: ICUMSA color or absorbance, since color rises with heat during inversion and with age.
pH and HMF: pH and hydroxymethylfurfural, which reflect the acid and heat used in processing.
Microbiology: Yeast and mold, including osmophilic yeast, and total plate count.

Storage, lots and expiry

Storage and shelf life

Keep invert syrup closed at moderate room temperature; cold storage can cause glucose to crystallize in high-solids syrups, and heat darkens the syrup and raises HMF. Prevent condensation on the surface, which can dilute the top layer and allow yeast growth. Shelf life is set by the supplier's specification, with solids, color and micro rechecked before using aged stock.

Lots and expiry dates

Record degree of inversion, solids and color for each lot, since these change sweetness, browning and moisture retention in finished products. Rotate stock first-expired, first-out because color increases with age.

Regulatory status

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

21 CFR 184.1859 describes invert sugar as an aqueous solution of inverted or partly inverted sucrose whose solids contain not more than 0.3 percent ash, produced by hydrolysis of sucrose with safe and suitable acids or enzymes.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)
21 CFR 184.1859 states that invert sugar is used in food with no limitation other than current good manufacturing practice.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)
Canada's Food Compositional Standards define invert sugar as the food obtained by the partial or complete hydrolysis of sugar.
Source: inspection.canada.ca (opens in a new tab)
Canada's Food and Drug Regulations (B.18.005) prohibit selling liquid invert sugar unless the label states its percentage of invert sugar content.
Source: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca (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.

Invert sugar suppliers

Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.

We are checking invert sugar 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.

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Frequently asked questions

What forms of invert sugar can brands buy?

Common forms include full invert syrup, medium (partial) invert syrup, invert sugar cream and organic. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.

What should the COA for invert sugar include?

Expect degree of inversion, dry solids or Brix, ash, color, pH and HMF and microbiology, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.

How should invert sugar be stored?

What is the regulatory status of invert sugar?

21 CFR 184.1859 describes invert sugar as an aqueous solution of inverted or partly inverted sucrose whose solids contain not more than 0.3 percent ash, produced by hydrolysis of sucrose with safe and suitable acids or enzymes. 21 CFR 184.1859 states that invert sugar is used in food with no limitation other than current good manufacturing practice. Canada's Food Compositional Standards define invert sugar as the food obtained by the partial or complete hydrolysis of sugar. Canada's Food and Drug Regulations (B.18.005) prohibit selling liquid invert sugar unless the label states its percentage of invert sugar content.

More sweeteners

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