Is Corn Syrup Flammable? (Can It Catch Fire?)

Sugar has gradually been replaced with corn syrup over the years. Slowly, the high fructose corn syrup has crept into more of our foods, and it’s used for a variety of dishes and recipes.

It is also increasingly used in processed foods like cookies, crackers, catsups, cereals, flavored yogurts, ice cream, preserved meats, canned fruits and vegetables, soups, beers, and many others.

When using corn syrup in a recipe, you might often wonder whether corn syrup can catch fire; so, is corn syrup flammable? And if so, what safety measures should be adopted?

Well, corn syrup is not flammable. The ingredients used in corn syrup are highly diluted with water which makes it non-flammable.

Now, let’s quickly look at the compositions of corn syrup and their relationship with catching fire!

What is Corn Syrup Made Of?

Is Corn Syrup Flammable

Have you ever wondered about the ingredients in your corn syrup? If yes, then you’re definitely on the right page.

As mentioned, corn syrup has gradually replaced sugar probably because it is cheaper and sweeter and is more quickly absorbed into your body.

What is this popular syrup made of? As the name suggests, corn syrup is made from corn, primarily cornstarch.

The cornstarch is broken down by either diluting it with acid or by combining it with enzymes that have popularly earned it the name glucose syrup.

It is also called glucose syrup because it’s not in all cases the starch used in corn syrup is obtained from corn. Sometimes, wheat, potatoes, rice, and other plants can serve as starch sources.

Commercially, corn syrup comes in either light or dark honey-like color. The difference being that light corn syrup has been clarified and decolorized.

In contrast, the dark syrup is made by combining corn syrup with molasses and caramel coloring, which gives it its darker shade.

In terms of use, there is no distinctive difference in the way the products are being used. However, the dark syrup has a more distinctive flavor and is used as a table syrup.

Is Corn Syrup Flammable?

Most people think that since corn syrup is made from cornstarch, it should be flammable since the parent ingredient: cornstarch is flammable.

However, this isn’t the case. Although made from corn starch, corn syrup has been diluted and has high water content, making it non-flammable.

Thus, the answer to the question is corn syrup flammable? It’s a big No. corn syrup is made from a mixture of fructose, glucose, and water. Due to its high water content, it doesn’t burn that well. In fact, it may take some time with even high temperatures for corn syrup to heat up.

What Happens to Corn Syrup When Heated?

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is popularly fed to bees by most beekeepers. Current research has revealed that heating high fructose corn syrup results in hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) – a potentially dangerous toxic substance.

As mentioned, HFCS is used by most commercial beekeepers to increase reproduction and honey production.

However, this corn syrup is exposed to warm temperatures; the syrup can form HMF, which kills honeybees. In humans, heating corn syrup may result in DNA damage.

Can Cornstarch Catch Fire?

Yes. Cornstarch can catch fire. Cornstarch can be a fire hazard if it’s not stored properly.

Take, for instance, the incident in New Taipei, Taiwan, which escalated when the staff saw small amounts of corn starch in the air were burning and tried to use CO2 extinguishers to try and extinguish it.

This, of course, pushed far more dust into the air and turned the place into a complete inferno.

It’s easy for you to assume that since cornstarch is flammable and used to produce corn syrup, that corn syrup should be flammable. However, this is not the case.

While corn syrup is made from corn starch, it is diluted with either acid or combined with enzymes, making it non-flammable.

Also, corn syrup is a mixture of fructose, glucose, and water. With such high water content, corn syrup cannot be flammable.

Is Corn Syrup Hazardous?

Corn syrup has gradually replaced sugar because it is believed to be healthier. But is that always the case? Health researchers have revealed that corn syrup might not be as healthy as we think.

Eating too much high fructose corn syrup can lead to obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Conclusion

In answer to the question, Is corn syrup flammable? We know that this substance is not flammable even though it is made from quite flammable corn starch.

Gradually, corn syrup has replaced sugar and is used in lots of processed food. However, health professionals have warned that corn syrup is consumed moderately not to constitute a health hazard.

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