Cannabaceae

Mizuame
TypeSweetener
Place of originJapan
Main ingredientsGlutinous rice and malt or potatoes

Mizuame (水飴, literally "water candy", also known as millet jelly) is a sweetener from Japan. A clear, thick, sticky liquid, it is made by converting starch to sugars. Mizuame is added to wagashi to give them a sheen, eaten in ways similar to honey, and can be a main ingredient in sweets. Some Mizuame are produced in a very similar fashion to corn syrup and are very similar in taste.

Two methods are used to convert the starches to sugars. The traditional method is to take glutinous rice mixed with malt, and let the natural enzymatic process take place, converting the starch to syrup[1] which consists mainly of maltose.[2] The second and more common method is acid hydrolysis of potato starch or sweet potato starch by adding acid, such as hydrochloric, sulfuric or nitric acids,[1] to make glucose syrup. If done by the first method, the final product, known as mugi mizuame (麦水飴), is considered more flavorful than the acid version.[1]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Davidson, Alan (2002) [1999]. "Mizuame". The Penguin companion to food. London: Penguin books. p. 611. ISBN 0-14-051522-4. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  2. ^ "(T.D.40064) Mizuame – Glucose". Treasury decisions under customs and other laws. 45. Washington: United States Department of the Treasury: 339–341. 1924. hdl:2027/osu.32437011695406 – via HathiTrust.

External links[edit]

  • Media related to Mizuame at Wikimedia Commons

One thought on “Cannabaceae

  1. Well, that’s interesting to know that Psilotum nudum are known as whisk ferns. Psilotum nudum is the commoner species of the two. While the P. flaccidum is a rare species and is found in the tropical islands. Both the species are usually epiphytic in habit and grow upon tree ferns. These species may also be terrestrial and grow in humus or in the crevices of the rocks.
    View the detailed Guide of Psilotum nudum: Detailed Study Of Psilotum Nudum (Whisk Fern), Classification, Anatomy, Reproduction

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