E1103 - Invertase

At a glance

Here is the quick overview of what invertase is and why it is used.

• What it is: A natural enzyme (also called β-fructofuranosidase) that breaks down sucrose into invert sugar.
• What it does in food: Softens fondants and centers, helps retain moisture, and slows sugar crystallization in confections.
• Where you’ll see it: On labels for chocolates with soft or liquid centers, fondant-filled candies, frosting, and some baked goods.
• Usual source: Produced by fermenting baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and then purifying the enzyme.¹
• Dietary notes: Used in tiny amounts; typically suitable for vegetarians and vegans (the enzyme itself is microbe-derived), but always check the full product label.

Why is Invertase added to food?

Invertase helps improve texture and shelf life in sugary products. By turning sucrose into a mix of glucose and fructose (invert sugar), it reduces graininess and keeps fillings smooth. This is why fondant and cream centers in chocolates soften and become syrupy after a short curing time. It can also help products retain moisture, which keeps them from drying out too quickly.

What foods contain Invertase?

You will most often find invertase in:

• Chocolate-covered cherries and other liquid-centered chocolates
• Fondant-filled and cream-filled candies
• Marzipan, truffles, and soft-centered pralines
• Icings, glazes, and some baked goods that benefit from a softer crumb

On labels, it may appear as “invertase” or “enzyme (invertase).”

What can replace Invertase?

There are a few ways to get similar results, depending on the goal:

• To reduce crystallization or add moisture: Use humectants such as glycerol or sorbitol.
• To make invert sugar without enzymes: Use acid inversion during cooking with an acid like citric acid.
• To adjust texture and stability in fillings: Hydrocolloids such as xanthan gum or emulsifiers like lecithins can help, although they do not create invert sugar. Note that these options do not fully copy the slow softening effect invertase has in confectionery centers.

How is Invertase made?

Commercial invertase is usually produced by fermenting baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). After fermentation, the enzyme is extracted and purified to meet food-additive specifications, which include composition, activity, and purity criteria.¹ These specifications are set in European Union law for additives listed with an E-number, including E 1103 (invertase).¹

Is Invertase safe to eat?

Invertase is an approved food additive in the European Union, where additives must meet safety and purity standards before use.² In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees the safety of food additives and enzyme preparations used in food manufacturing and requires that they be safe under their intended conditions of use.³ In practice, invertase is used at very low levels to carry out a specific technical effect in foods.

Does Invertase have any benefits?

• For food quality: It helps keep confectionery fillings smooth, slows sugar crystallization, and supports a pleasant, moist texture.
• For manufacturing: It allows confectioners to deposit firmer centers that later soften on their own, improving handling during production.
• For nutrition: Invertase itself does not provide nutritional benefits; it simply converts sucrose into glucose and fructose. The overall sugar content remains similar.

Who should avoid Invertase?

• People managing fructose intake: Foods treated with invertase may end up with more free fructose, which some individuals choose to limit.
• Those with severe yeast allergies: Although the enzyme is purified and used in tiny amounts, highly sensitive individuals may prefer to avoid products listing invertase.
• Anyone following specific dietary rules: Invertase is typically microbe-derived and considered vegan-friendly, but finished products (like chocolates) may contain dairy, eggs, or gelatine—check the full ingredient list.

Myths & facts

• Myth: Invertase and invert sugar are the same thing. Fact: Invertase is the enzyme; invert sugar is the result of its action on sucrose.
• Myth: Invertase adds sweetness by itself. Fact: The enzyme has no taste; sweetness changes only because sucrose becomes glucose and fructose.
• Myth: Invertase keeps working forever. Fact: Enzymes are inactivated by high heat and can slow down over time; in many baked goods they become inactive after baking.
• Myth: Invertase comes from animal sources. Fact: Food-grade invertase is typically produced from baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae).¹

Invertase in branded foods

You can spot invertase on ingredient lists of many confectionery products. It is common in chocolate-covered cherries, fondant-filled chocolates, flavored crèmes, and some soft-centered mints and truffles. On packaging, look for “invertase” or “enzyme (invertase)” in the ingredients panel. In some products, it may be paired with humectants like glycerol or sorbitol to fine-tune softness and moisture.

References

Footnotes

1. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 laying down specifications for food additives listed in Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/231/oj ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

2. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2008/1333/oj ↩

3. Overview of Food Ingredients, Additives, and Colors — U.S. FDA. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-ingredients-packaging/overview-food-ingredients-additives-colors ↩