The Most Potential Sucrose Substitute Allulose

Allulose is a natural ingredient found in fruits and foods such as raisins, figs, kiwis and brown sugar. It is a white powder and its aqueous solution is a transparent colorless to light yellow liquid, which is stable at room temperature and pressure. It is an epimer of fructose, a rare monosaccharide that occurs naturally in nature but in very small amounts. Its sweetness and taste are quite similar or close to that of sucrose, but its calories are lower than sucrose. Per gram Allulose contains only 0.3 kcal, which is an ideal sucrose substitute for obese and diabetic patients. At the same time, allulose low-calorie sugar can be used in dairy products, beverages, baked products, candies, etc. Food products provide satisfyingly sweet products and satisfy consumers' craving for sweet satisfaction. Allulose is classified as hexose and ketose. It has special functions that are beneficial to human health, such as regulating blood sugar. It has been evaluated by the U.S. Food Regulatory Authority as the most potential sucrose substitute.

Allulose is a white powdery crystal at room temperature, soluble in water, methanol, ethanol, etc., and is a type of rare sugar. It is a type of sugar that naturally exists in nature, has a very small content, and is derived from a small number of plants and a small number of bacteria. At present, the consumption proportion of allulose in various application fields is 82% in food, 14% in medicine and health products, and 4% in other fields. Allulose can lower blood sugar. Since most of allulose is absorbed in the small intestine and excreted from the body through urine, it does not participate in human metabolism and therefore has very low calories. At the same time, studies have shown that allulose also has a variety of health care functions. The most significant effect is that allulose can enhance energy metabolism, promote postprandial fat oxidation, lower blood sugar and blood lipids, and improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. It is very friendly to patients with related diseases caused by excessive weight gain such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia, as well as fitness enthusiasts.

The sweetness of allulose is very similar to that of sucrose, and it can undergo the Maillard reaction, so it has great potential in the field of baking. The sweetness of allulose is equivalent to 70% of the sweetness of sucrose, but the calories are only 0.3% of sucrose. It also has similar taste and volume characteristics to sucrose. Compared with other sweeteners, allulose can undergo Maillard reaction with proteins or amino acids. Its reaction products have outstanding gel properties, foaming properties, emulsification stability and good antioxidant properties, which can improve food quality. It can also reduce oxidation losses and extend shelf life during food processing and storage. Therefore, allulose has great potential not only in sugar-free drinks but also in baking and cooking.

Allulose is a safe sweetener that is intolerant and has no toxic side effects. It is expected to be approved in China. In 2013, Japan's Matsutani Chemical Industry reported D-psicose's GRAS to the FDA, and received a positive reply in June 2014. The report pointed out that clinical experiments have proven that the daily intake of D-psicose by the human body is 31 to 33g (based on average body weight) with no side effects. In the European Union, the use of allulose was also approved in 2015. As the safety recognition of allulose increases, its applications in food, health products, medicine and other fields are becoming more and more widespread, and its production and demand are also increasing year by year. In 2019, the FDA announced that allulose would be excluded from the "added sugars" and "total sugar" labels and would not be involved in calorie calculations. The wave of "sugar reduction" has driven major companies to innovate, and a large number of food and beverages containing allulose formulas have emerged. In August 2021, the National Health Commission of China has accepted the application for D-psicose as a new food ingredient. In view of the long-term research on the safety of psicose abroad and the approval of its application in more countries and regions, the food-grade application of allulose is also expected to be approved by China. As our country accepts the approval of allulose and improves relevant domestic laws and regulations, the demand for allulose is expected to reach a higher level.