The carbohydrate composition of a glucose syrup depends on the method used to produce that syrup, notably whether an acid or enzyme or combination of these techniques are used to hydrolyze the starch. The properties of syrup (or dried glucose syrup) in isolation or in a food product depend on its composition and in broad terms on its molecular weight. There is a logarithmic relationship between molecular weight and DE and molecular weight decreases as DE increases. It should be noted that syrups of the same DE but manufactured by different techniques will have slightly different molecular weights.
| DE | Average molecular weight |
| 15 | 1212 |
| 19 | 1019 |
| 25 | 760 |
| 33 | 580 |
| 37 | 558 |
| 42 | 479 |
| 49 | 392 |
| 55 | 313 |
| 67 | 244 |
| 100 | 180 |
The table above illustrates the relationship between DE and average molecular weight calculated from freezing point depression measurements. The importance of demineralizing a syrup before such determinations are made is obvious. Demineralization is also of significance for the accurate measurement of other properties of glucose-type syrups such as boiling point elevation and osmotic pressure.