“There has been a great deal of interest and use of allulose across a wide range of food product applications – bakery, beverage, dairy for example are areas where we are getting a lot of interest” because the natural sugar not only delivers the taste profile of sugar with a sweetness similar to sucrose, but it also delivers functional benefits, such as browning in baked goods and a lower freezing point to give a great melt profile to frozen products, said Jim Carr, VP of applications and technical services at Tate & Lyle.
But, he added at IFT19 in New Orleans earlier this month, “the real breakthrough” for the ingredient is being exempt from sugar labeling, which means “manufacturers are now able to formulate new products with allulose replacing sugar and go to low-calories products” that taste and feel like sugar.
The ingredient not only checks several on-trend consumer demands, but it also is easy to use, Carr said.
He explained the product comes as a 71 solid syrup similar to corn syrup so it can easily be incorporated into products that already might use a bulk liquid sweetener. It also comes in a crystalline form that “has great solubility” and “is easily incorporated into dry mixes.”
Allulose also plays well with other ingredients, Carr said, noting it is “synergistic with high intensity sweeteners like sucralose and stevia” by rounding out their flavor profile to create a time intensity taste profile of upfront sweetness and a very sugar like taste at the end.
As such, the ingredient compliments Tate & Lyle’s broader portfolio of sugar-replacement and calorie reduction options, including stevia and monk fruit, Carr said.
With that in mind, he said, Tate & Lyle is well-positioned to help manufacturers find full solutions that allow them to develop products that taste great and deliver on that indulgent experience that consumer still want.
“As we engage customers, we like to stress that a solution approach is the best way to do sugar replacement and calorie reduction,” he said. “So, we like to propose a portfolio of ingredients that can be selected for their benefits. So, allulose plus high intensity sweeteners or a bulking agent like one of our fibers normally delivers some great results and are cost effective and the best tasting solution for customers.”
