• Allulose is one of the newest sugar substitutes to take the health food market by storm.
• Ingredients companies join forces to bring allulose to European and UK markets.
The Allulose Novel Food Consortium (ANFC) consists of four ingredient companies: South Korea's Sanyang Corporation, Japan-based Matsutani Chemical Industry, US-based Cosun Beet Company and Ingredion. Their aim is to put allulose - a "new food" already approved in Japan, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea and the US - on European menus in an effort to reduce the calorie content of some foods, they say FoodNavigator.
Allulose, whose chemical makeup is almost identical to that of fructose and glucose, is found naturally in figs, raisins, jackfruit, wheat and maple syrup. It was first identified in wheat in the 1940s, with scientists classifying it as a "rare sugar" because it occurs naturally in very small amounts.
With slightly different hydrogen and oxygen structures than simple sugars, allulose has only 10% of the calories of conventional sugar, while offering 70% of the sweetness. It also retains the functional properties of sugar including volume, browning, taste and texture. In addition, allulose does not crystallize in dairy products.
The physiological impact of allulose is different from other sugars because it is not metabolized, most of the allulose we consume being eliminated from the body.
Allulose is already used in some countries
Allulose has received regulatory approval for marketing in a number of countries around the globe. And in some of these countries, notably the US, Colombia and South Korea, the ingredient is not classified as sugar on the nutrition label.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) deemed allulose safe for human consumption in 2012, and it began to be produced commercially as early as 2015. In an April 2019 ruling, the FDA said that although manufacturers must to list it as an ingredient and include it in the total carbohydrate count for all packaged products, they do not have to declare it as "added sugar", because it is not metabolized in the body.
In Europe, allulose is classified as a "novel food", which means it must be authorized by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the UK Food Safety Authority to be sold on the market.
Pending EFSA approval, German researchers are trying to identify whether the characteristics of allulose could make it attractive to European markets. They conduct comparative analyzes of consumer preferences for sweeteners such as allulose, stevia, xylitol and erythritol. Data obtained so far certify the possibility of allulose becoming a success on the European market. "Our data show that allulose has potential." explains Dr. Kristin Jurkenbeck from the University of Goettingen to FoodNavigator.
According to the study published in the journal "Nutrients", in which participants were interviewed about what characteristics they consider important in choosing certain foods, they stated that they are attracted to natural, locally sourced, low-sugar and additive-free products.
Regarding the four sweeteners analyzed, the study participants considered the taste as defining in the choice of the sweetener product. This criterion is followed by how the sweetener affects blood glucose levels. Equally important are the price, the effect on the teeth and the caloric intake. The study found that allulose has the most attributes sought by consumers in an alternative to regular sugar.
Allulose is perceived as a natural sweetener
Ingredient manufacturers, including the Tate & Lyle company, are optimistic about the introduction of allulose on the European market, and its almost similar characteristics to conventional sugar will contribute decisively to the effort to reduce the consumption of sugars. Tate & Lyle representative Abigail Storms admits how difficult it is to get the taste of sugar with sweeteners. This approach requires both effort and a combination of several ingredients. Allulose brings to the sweetener market not only its similarity to sugar, but also a range of benefits such as reducing calories and blood glucose levels.
Allulose, also found in nature in certain fruits, is perceived by consumers as natural. But obtaining it industrially involves several aspects, especially since in its natural state it is found in very small quantities.
Commercial allulose is obtained from corn, widely criticized as a high-risk industrial monoculture that puts pressure on the environment both through water requirements and soil health. Once the corn is grown and harvested, it is fermented so that the fructose can be extracted. Enzymes (often created in-house by various allulose manufacturers) are then added to convert the fructose into allulose. However, in states where it has been approved for consumer use, allulose remains the consumer favorite when it comes to a healthy alternative. to regular sugar.
Article written by Gabriela Dan, Editor of Arta Albă
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