“Syrup” on a label is a general name for a thick liquid made of sugars dissolved in a little water. It may be a simple sugar syrup of sucrose and water, glucose syrup made from starch, fructose or high-fructose syrup, invert syrup, or a blend; the word alone does not say which.
Because it is liquid, syrup spreads sugars evenly through a dough or coating, keeps biscuits and cakes moist, gives a glossy finish and helps coatings stick. On Honey Butter Almond (Tom’s Brand) it is the first ingredient after the almonds, helping form the sweet coating that holds the honey-butter seasoning on each nut. In Koala’s March White Milk it is part of the biscuit shell, along with flour, egg and sugar.
Unlike crystal sugar, syrups bring a little water and often reducing sugars such as glucose and fructose, which brown faster in the oven. Sugar and starch syrups are not major allergens.
