Dextrose Alternatives: 4 Ingredients You Can Use

Corn starches are used to make dextrose monohydrate, also known as glucose powder. It contributes to the growth of beneficial bacteria during the process of making sausages.

Since it is a healthier alternative to sugar, dextrose is a valuable ingredient in meat fermentation.

If you want to use another ingredient for your sausages, there are plenty of dextrose substitutes you can use. 

Lactose, dextrose maltose, and fermento are some of the best substitute sugars.

The guide will go through each substitute and explain why they can replace the monohydrate.

What Makes a Good Dextrose Substitute?

Most people think that all of the ingredients that go into sausage produce salty and sour flavors.

Adding sugar to the mix is equally important as the general goal of sausage fermentation is to get the traditional tangy taste.

Adding sugar to sausages will not make them any less piquant and salty.

Sausage production needs the right amount of sugar to maintain the correct pH levels, which helps minimize the growth of bacteria.

While only dextrose monohydrate can cause the instant fermentation of lactic acid inside the meat, dextrose substitute needs more time to break down and do the same thing.

A substitute needs to be put in the ground for the process to take place. The alternatives should maintain the correct water levels within the sausages as well.

Alternatives to Dextrose

There are so many alternatives to Dextrose. But these are the best possible alternatives to Dextrose.

• Maltose
• Lactose
• Sucrose
• Fermento

Maltose

You can get malt sugar in a variety of foods, like cereals, fruit, and sweet potatoes. In the production of candy, maltose is used because it has less sugar in it.

It is convenient and helpful to use maltose since it has a tolerance for both warm and cold temperatures.

It is possible to use maltose as a substitute for dextrose because it helps in reducing the levels of harmful bacteria in sausages.

Reducing water levels inside meat products is a good way to dry them faster.

Health-wise, maltose is better than table sugar, and it can reduce the damages that one can get. The amount of calories is not different from the amount of sugar.

Apart from sausages, maltose can also produce other types of food such as cereals, candy, beverages, sauces, dressing, and baked goods.

Lactose

Lactose can be defined as sugar that is derived from milk and other dairy products.

When you check it carefully, the amount of milk within it is very low to the extent of two percent, because it’s not normally added to food directly but can be used to make food taste better.

Lactose is traditionally used for bread, cereals, salad dressings, baked goods, and sausages.

Lactose is less sweet than table sugar when compared to dextrose. People use it in combination with other types of sugar in curing and making sausages.

Sucrose

Sucrose is also known as table sugar, it’s the sweetest alternative to dextrose. That is the reason why you should use it less in sausage production.

You can find sucrose in fruit, honey, sugar maple, and many other food sources, apart from sugar cane and sugar beets.

It’s best to use sucrose with medium-fermented sausages because of their high levels of sweetness.

It is advisable to use sucrose with sausages that go through a longer fermentation process.

The pH levels of sausages are kept to a minimum with the help of sucrose. Sausages have a better curing color and better flavor with the help of sucrose.

The easiest dextrose substitute to come by is sucrose. It is also the most affordable option, and you can find it at any supermarket.

Fermento

Fermento is one of the replacements with dextrose. Primarily for semi-dried cured sausages, it acts as a starter culture that is necessary for the process of fermentation.

It provides the required sugar level to increase the taste, as well as link the smell and flavor.

Here are some of the advantages of Fermento:

• After using it, it makes the food smell good and starts the starter culture process which makes the fermentation process faster. When you have sausages and Fermento, the mixture begins smoking immediately and dries itself. Most people use the fermento when they need it because of the smell it has.
• The curing time in the process of making sausages can be shortened by using Fermento. Adding Fermento will speed up the process and make it take a few days.
• Lactic acid and bacteria are necessary for the process of meat fermentation when it is a starter culture. The color and taste of the meat can be affected by the flora in it. Lactic acid helps make food safe for consumption.
• It is possible to make food safe to consume by reducing harmful bacteria with meat. Bad bacteria in food can cause infections in the body and make food unsuitable for consumption. The main advantage of the Fermento is its ability to maintain and control the levels of bacteria inside the food to ensure that there is no food poisoning and other things.
• It reduces the growth of harmful bacteria while increasing the production of good bacteria, which is suitable for making sausages. Adding Fermento to the food will increase the growth of good bacteria and help the food dry.

FAQ

Where can you purchase these dextrose substitutes?

You don’t know where to get dextrose if you want to use it at some point, but you also don’t know where to get it to substitute.

If you need the replacements, it’s a good idea to visit any local store or online shop to order and get the deliveries at home.

Can one freeze summer sausages after fermentation?

It is possible to freeze summer sausages after they have been fermented. Before you store it, you need to wrap it in a large piece of paper, and it will stay for about ten months.

Conclusion

In the process of making sausages, dextrose monohydrate is an important ingredient.

It is a healthier alternative to sugar, has the correct pH levels, and is a good source of lactic acid.

There are other ingredients you could use instead of dextrose. Lactose, dextrose maltose, and fermento are some of the best substitute sugars.

It is usually combined with other types of sugar to enhance the flavor of maltose and lactose.

Sucrose is the sweetest and strongest type of sugar, and it is also the easiest to come by.

Fermento is a healthy option that will help grow helpful bacteria and minimize the growth of harmful bacteria.

Regardless of which dextrose substitute you choose, rest assured that you won’t go wrong with any of the options.