Sugar composition containing cyclic tetrasaccharide, use thereof, and production method therefor

Abstract

The present invention aims to provide a saccharide composition suitable for a cyclic-tetrasaccharide-containing starch syrup which has low viscosity, low water activity, low coloration property, and low calorie content, and which is unlikely to cause precipitation of crystals of saccharides during storage, and to provide a use of the composition and a production method for the composition. The object is achieved by providing a cyclic-tetrasaccharide-containing saccharide composition having the following characteristics (1) to (3): (1) the saccharide composition includes a branched cyclic tetrasaccharide in addition to the cyclic tetrasaccharide, wherein the content of the cyclic tetrasaccharide with respect to the total solid content of the saccharide composition obtained by allowing glucoamylase and α-glucosidase to act on the above saccharide composition is 38% by mass or higher, on a dry solid basis; (2) the ratio of α-1,4-linked glucose in the total glucose residues constituting the saccharide composition in methylation analysis is over 9% and 15% or lower, and (3) the ratio of α-1,4,6-linked glucose in the total glucose residues constituting the saccharide composition in methylation analysis is less than 6%; and providing a use of the composition and a production method for the composition.