Invert sugar is a mixture of glucose and fructose obtained by the hydrolysis of sucrose. Cane sugar comes from sugarcane which is the refined grain of sugar. Invert sugar is a liquid carbohydrate sweetener in which all or a portion of the sucrose present has been inverted. The sucrose molecule is split and converted to a mixture of glucose and fructose. Invert sugars help baked goods retain moisture and prolong shelf-life. Candy manufacturers use invert sugar to control graining. The resulting mixture of fructose and glucose is called inverted sugar syrup. Related to invertases are sucrases. Invertases and sucrases hydrolyze sucrose to give the same mixture of glucose and fructose. Invertases cleave the O-C (fructose) bond, whereas the sucrases cleave the O-C (glucose) bond. For industrial use, invertase is usually derived from yeast. Enzymatic treatment are now a major way of producing sweeteners, including syrups derived from sucrose or starch that contain mixture of glucose, maltose, fructose and other sugar. Glucose ahs 70-75% sweetening strength of beet sugar (sucrose) but fructose is twice as sweet as sucrose. Thus processes for the manufacture fructose are of considerable value, especially in the manufacture of candies and preserves, production of lactic acid and ethanol production from fermentation of cane sugar molasses. Invert sugar is 29-30% sweeter than the table sugar so the amount of sugar required for a particular degree of sweetness is also reduced enzymatic invert sugar does not involve the use of any chemical or acids unlike the conventional acid hydrolyzed invert sugar. Invert sugar is often incorporated in products where loss of water must be avoided. Commercially it is obtained from the inversion of a 96% cane sugar solution. Uses and Applications It can be used for carmellisation, enhancement of flavour and texture improvement. It improves the quality of the crust and makes the bread crumb softer. Yeast activation also becomes faster. When used for fruit processing, invert sugar increases the shelf life due to good humectants properties. It also enhances taste and flavor. It can be used for bee feeding and can be blended with honey. Chemically and physically it has the same properties as honey. As invert sugar restricts bacterial activity and is a chemically purer replacement of honey, it can be used in herbal cosmetics. Because of the glucose and fructose content, invert sugar provides instant energy and better taste. It is also popularly employed in the brewing Industry. The benefit of using invert sugar over regular sugar includes a better shelf life and more sweetness with lesser quantity when compared to the regular sugar. Besides bakery and honey making, Invert sugar is also used in Distillery and Pharma products. It is widely used in cough syrups for flavor enhancement. Market survey In the post-liberalisation era since the onset of the 1990s, the expanding demand for industrial products - of capital goods, intermediates and consumer durables and non-durables - has emerged as the most powerful stimulant to India's economic development and international capital inflows. The requirement for invert sugar syrup has been on the rise in India. The cost of pre-made invert sugar is significantly low because companies like Sai Sugar produce it in bulk. Overall invert sugar is widely produced in the state of UP and Uttrakhand in India because of high production of various grades of sugar and jaggery. The consumption of Invert Sugar is on the rise in India, and consumers demand quality products increasingly. By purchasing Invert sugar from the market, they are assured that the sugar syrup quality is uniformly maintained. Since Invert Sugar was commercially introduced India, it has seen a tremendous growth, especially in the last 2 years. Since India is expected to continue its growth trend in Confectionary and Pharma industry, the demand of Invert sugar is all set to rise. Companies like Bicardi, Parle and pretty much all confectionery and pharmaceutical companies use invert sugar today. Based on latest trends the usage of invert sugar is rising 50% every year and now penetrating in small bakery and Kirana shops too. The retail market is valued at Rs 9 tn, of which food, grocery and personal home products constitute Rs 6 tn. According to A.C. Neilson, 60% of the shopping needs are purchased at larger outlets for monthly baskets, but convenience stores command a 40% for daily top-up requirements'. Modern retail outlets constitute 5% of all sales. Honey makers widely mix about 20-30% of inverted syrup with honey to bring down the cost of product and keep up with the rising demand. Technically honey and invert sugar share a very close chemical structure. Few Indian Major Players are as under: Dhampure Specialty Sugars Ltd. Sangita Bio-Chem Ltd.