Ingredion Launching Low Calorie Sugar Solution Across Americas

(Food & Drink) – Ingredient solutions provider Ingredion has joined forces with Matsutani Chemical Industry to manufacture a new lower calorie sugar in Mexico and market it across the Americas.

Available in 2019, Astraea Allulose will enable food and beverage manufacturers to reduce calories from sucrose and other caloric sweeteners in a wide range of products – including beverages, dairy, bakery and confectionery items.

The rare sugar solution purports to be 70% as sweet as sugar but is absorbed by the body rather than metabolised, meaning it’s nearly calorie-free.

“Reducing sucrose is an emerging global trend and can be a challenge for manufacturers, who are looking to match the sweet taste of sugar while achieving the same functional benefits in their products,” said Tony DeLio, Ingredion’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Chief Innovation Officer.

“By combining our manufacturing network and global footprint alongside Matsutani’s pioneering work in rare sugars, we will bring exciting opportunities grounded in innovation to meet the needs of the evolving food industry ahead of sugar labelling changes.”

Yoshinobu Matsutani, Executive Vice President at Matsutani, added: “Matsutani spent more than 15 years developing, researching and refining the world’s first rare sugars including ASTRAEA Allulose.

“Matsutani has also produced more clinical studies and conducted more research on rare sugars than any other allulose supplier.”