Rice syrup

A starch-based liquid sweetener (often from brown rice) that is mostly maltose with some maltotriose and glucose; used to bind and sweeten foods.

Should I eat Rice syrup?

Rice syrup binds well and tastes neutral, but health‑wise it is just added sugar with a very high glycemic punch. Source‑dependent inorganic arsenic can be a concern in brown rice syrups, so limit intake and avoid in infant foods.

Summary

Rice syrup is an enzymatically produced, maltose‑rich sweetener made from rice starch. It contains little to no fructose, yet its glycemic index is close to pure glucose, meaning it raises blood sugar rapidly. A 2012 study detected inorganic arsenic in brown rice syrup and in products using it; FDA now monitors arsenic in infant rice cereal, highlighting risk management needs for rice‑based ingredients. For most adults, treat it like other added sugars and keep portions small. For infants and toddlers, rice‑based sweeteners are best avoided.

Key Research Benefits

Fructose-free profile

Rice syrup is mostly maltose and maltotriose with very little fructose, which some people avoiding fructose prefer.

Vegan and typically gluten-free

Made from rice and enzymes, it fits vegan and gluten‑free diets when cross‑contact is controlled.

Key Research Risks

Fast blood‑sugar spikes (GI ~98)

It can raise blood glucose rapidly—often faster than table sugar—making portion size especially important.

Arsenic contamination risk (source‑dependent)

Brown rice syrups have tested positive for inorganic arsenic; regulators monitor rice‑based infant foods due to toxicity concerns.

Highly refined, nutrient‑poor added sugar

Produced by enzymatically breaking rice starch into sugars and concentrating it, leaving calories with minimal micronutrients.

Overview

What is it?

Source: Rice grain starch

Method: Liquefy & saccharify starch, then evaporate

Processing Level: 5 / 10

Why is it used?

Purpose: Maltose-rich syrup used to sweeten and bind foods.

Commonly found in: Granola bars, Cereal bars, Rice milk, Snack bites, Baked goods

Why manufacturers choose it: Neutral flavor, strong binding, and reliable performance.

Origin

Before refined sugar was common, East Asian cuisines converted grain starches to sweet syrups using malted barley enzymes. In Korea, liquid yeot (ssal-jocheong) made from cooked rice and barley malt has been used since at least the Goryeo period; in Japan, mizuame (“water candy”) from rice starch or other starches provided gloss and sweetness in wagashi. Modern rice syrup industrially saccharifies rice starch with enzymes and evaporates to a viscous syrup.

Process: Liquefy & saccharify starch, then evaporate

Steps

1. Cook/Liquefy: Cook milled rice into a slurry and liquefy starch.

2. Enzymatic hydrolysis: Add amylase enzymes (barley malt or microbial) to convert starch to sugars (mostly maltose).

3. Clarify/Filter: Remove insolubles; adjust carbohydrate profile.

4. Concentrate: Evaporate under heat to target solids/viscosity.

Chemicals

Amylase enzyme preparations (barley malt or microbial sources)

Research & Safety

Research Summary

Rice syrup is a starch‑derived sweetener made by using enzymes to convert rice starch into sugars that are mostly maltose, with very little fructose. Its glycemic index is about 98—close to pure glucose—so it tends to raise blood sugar rapidly compared with sucrose. Nutritionally, it provides calories with few micronutrients; being “fructose‑free” does not make it a health food. Brown rice syrup has been found to contain inorganic arsenic, a toxic element that rice plants can take up from soil and water; a 2012 peer‑reviewed study detected it in syrups and in products sweetened with them. Because young children are especially vulnerable, the FDA set a 100 ppb action level for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal, underscoring the need to control arsenic in rice‑based ingredients. Levels vary by rice source and processing, so choosing brands that monitor arsenic and limiting rice‑based sweeteners is prudent—especially for infants and toddlers.

Digestive Effects

Because its sugars are mostly glucose units, rice syrup is rapidly absorbed and can cause quick rises—and later dips—in blood glucose and energy. Large single servings of concentrated sugar may cause transient nausea or lightheadedness in some people, especially on an empty stomach. People with fructose malabsorption may tolerate rice syrup better than fructose‑rich sweeteners because it contains little to no fructose. It does not typically cause laxative effects.

Limit Consumption

Infants and toddlers should avoid rice‑based sweeteners; inorganic arsenic exposure from rice ingredients has raised concerns, and the FDA set a 100 ppb action level for infant rice cereal. Pregnant people may also wish to minimize arsenic from rice‑heavy products. Individuals with diabetes or insulin resistance should treat rice syrup like a high‑GI sugar and limit it. People with celiac disease generally tolerate rice syrup, but check labels for potential gluten cross‑contact if highly sensitive.

Fact Sheet

Regulatory Status

US FDA: Not a food additive; treated as a conventional food sweetener (general food).

EU Status: Permitted as a food ingredient; cereal sweeteners labeled per Directive 2001/111/EC (e.g., glucose syrup/glucose-fructose syrup depending on fructose content).

Codex INS: None (not classified as a food additive).

JECFA ADI: Not established (conventional sugar ingredient).

ESG & Sustainability

Environmental Footprint: Rice cultivation is water-intensive and can mobilize arsenic from soils/groundwater; footprint varies by region and farming practices.

Sustainability: Improved sourcing (low-As rice, soil/water management) reduces contaminant risk; organic certification addresses inputs but not arsenic per se.

Animal Welfare: Not animal-derived.

Carbon Footprint: Comparable to other plant syrups; dominated by rice farming and evaporation energy (supplier-specific).

Allergens and Diet

Allergen Status: None

Diet Compatibility: Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Non-GMO

Natural Alternatives

Date paste/syrup

Source: Dates (fruit)

Processing Level: Light

Common Uses: Bars, bites, bakery

Replacement Benefit: Retains fruit fiber and antioxidants versus refined syrups.

Why it's not used: Rice syrup is cheaper, clearer, less viscous variability, and offers superior binding without fruit flavors/fibers affecting texture.

Honey

Source: Honeybee nectar

Processing Level: Light

Common Uses: Bars, glazes, cereals

Replacement Benefit: Contains small amounts of bioactives; similar calories but sometimes lower GI than rice syrup.

Why it's not used: Rice syrup is vegan, neutral-tasting, and has predictable binding; honey is not vegan and can flavor products strongly.

Maple syrup

Source: Maple tree sap

Processing Level: Light

Common Uses: Bars, sauces, bakery

Replacement Benefit: Contains trace minerals and polyphenols (still an added sugar).

Why it's not used: Rice syrup binds better and is less assertive in flavor; maple is pricier and can crystallize differently.

Citations

Arsenic, Organic Foods, and Brown Rice Syrup

2012-02-16

Jackson BP, Taylor VF, Karagas MR, Punshon T, Cottingham KL • Environmental Health Perspectives

FDA final guidance: Inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereals (100 ppb action level)

2020-08-05

U.S. FDA • U.S. Food & Drug Administration

Brown rice syrup

2025-06-01

• Wikipedia (summary with primary refs)

Sugar and the glycemic index

2022-01-10

• Sugar Nutrition Resource

Functional properties of syrup from malted and unmalted rice

2020-09-23

Ofoedu CE, et al. • Journal of Food Science

GI Search – Glycemic Index

2025-09-22

• University of Sydney GI resource (summary link)