Definition:

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SWEETEST®Allulose Health Benefits:

SWEETEST®Allulose is a rare, low-calorie, physiologically active ketose that occurs naturally in very small amounts. It is currently produced on a large scale primarily through bioconversion, and is a popular functional ingredient in the food and health supplement industries. It belongs to the ketose family (monosaccharides containing six carbon atoms) and is an isomer of fructose and glucose. Its common name is D-allulose. It is considered an ideal substitute for sucrose and can be used in beverages, pastries, dairy products and other foods, as well as being added as a functional ingredient to health supplements.

■ Source

SWEETEST®Allulose occurs naturally in very small quantities in a few foods. Common sources include figs, raisins, maple syrup and beetroot juice. However, extraction is extremely expensive and cannot meet industrial demand. Currently, artificial synthesis is the main way to obtain allulose, involving the conversion of inexpensive raw materials using chemical or biological methods. The preferred method for bioconversion is to use common monosaccharides such as glucose and fructose as substrates.

Particularities of SWEETEST®Allulose:

Product Specifications:

SWEETEST®Allulose is available in the following specification and contents:

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☑ SWEETEST®Allulose syrup 20%/50%/95%/98%

Product quality standards:

● Food grade, In-house

▶ Regulating glucose metabolism

▶ Regulating lipid metabolism

SWEETEST®Allulose Applications:

In the food industry, SWEETEST®Allulose is a key ingredient and a major technological breakthrough in replacing sucrose. When added to baked goods, it significantly improves the foaming ability of egg whites, reducing hardness and enhancing elasticity. In ice cream, it prevents ice crystal formation, resulting in a smoother texture, and in bread it reduces moisture loss, keeping the product moist overnight. In beverages and dairy products, it can be used as a direct replacement for sucrose. It is more soluble than other sugar substitutes and does not have the health controversies associated with aspartame. In tea, it reduces astringency while preserving the original flavour. In zero-sugar charcoal-roasted yoghurt, a small amount of glucose is added for fermentation to meet the 'sugar-free' standard, and allulose also promotes the growth of bifidobacteria to enhance gut health. In sweets and condiments, allulose improves the soft, chewy texture and reduces the tendency of traditional sugar-free gummies to harden easily. It also reduces water activity and extends shelf life. In barbecue sauces and salad dressings, it replaces sucrose, delaying browning and extending shelf life without affecting the consistency or flavour of the product.

SWEETEST®Allulose is being precisely developed and applied as a functional ingredient in health and dietary supplements. The main dosage forms are powder, compressed tablets and capsules. Some products also contain additional ingredients, such as vitamin C and probiotics, to enhance their effectiveness. Key products include those for blood glucose management. Allulose-containing supplements can reduce postprandial blood glucose spikes by 10%-15% and insulin fluctuations by 20% by inhibiting intestinal glucose transporters (SGLT1/GLUT2). Taking allulose before meals can prolong carbohydrate digestion, inhibit fat absorption and aid weight management. Allulose selectively promotes the growth of bifidobacteria, increasing their numbers by 2.3 times in human trials, but caution is needed as patients with colitis may be at risk of gut microbiota dysbiosis.

The feed industry is a growing area of application for allulose in animal nutrition. Adding 0.5-1% allulose to feed can increase daily weight gain by 8-12%, reduce the feed conversion ratio by 5-8% and improve resistance to heat stress. Using allulose to replace some of the starch in high-end pet food can reduce calories by 30%, while regulating GLP-1 secretion can reduce food intake and help obese dogs and cats to lose weight. Furthermore, allulose can be used as a matrix material for sustained-release formulations. With a moisture absorption rate of less than 5% at 25°C and 75% RH, it is significantly more suitable than mannitol for preparing moisture-proof tablets. Allulose can also be combined with metformin in sustained-release capsules to synergistically reduce glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) by 1.5-2.0% whilst reducing gastrointestinal side effects.

SWEETEST®Allulose can inhibit glucose absorption and postprandial blood glucose fluctuations. It delays the entry of glucose into the bloodstream by competitively inhibiting intestinal glucose transporters, such as SGLT1 and GLUT2. It can also promote hepatic glucose metabolism and glycogen synthesis. It can induce hepatic glucokinase (GK) expression, thereby accelerating the conversion of glucose into hepatic glycogen while simultaneously inhibiting glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) activity and reducing gluconeogenesis. Furthermore, allulose can protect pancreatic β-cell function. Long-term allulose supplementation can slow the progression of β-cell fibrosis, reduce the release of inflammatory factors such as IL-6 and TNF-α, and maintain insulin secretion capacity.

SWEETEST®Allulose can inhibit fat synthesis and promote fat breakdown. It reduces fat production by downregulating the activity of key enzymes, such as fatty acid synthase (FAS) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), while simultaneously activating carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1) to promote mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation. Allulose can reduce visceral fat and improve lipid metabolism. It lowers plasma triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, while increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Allulose can also regulate appetite and energy balance. It stimulates intestinal L cells to release glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which inhibits the appetite centre via vagal nerve signals, thereby reducing food intake.

▶ Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory

SWEETEST®Allulose exhibits significantly higher antioxidant activity than glucose and fructose. Its ability to scavenge DPPH free radicals is 1.2 times greater than that of vitamin C. Allulose can regulate inflammatory signalling pathways by inhibiting the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. This reduces the expression of pro-inflammatory factors such as IL-6 and MCP-1. It can also improve vascular endothelial function and has anti-atherosclerotic effects. It can also increase nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, inhibit the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecules (VCAM-1 and ICAM-1) and reduce monocyte adhesion.

☑ SWEETEST®Allulose powder 98%/98.5%

■ Physical and chemical properties

SWEETEST®Allulose is readily soluble in water (with a solubility of approximately 250 g/100 mL at 20°C), slightly soluble in ethanol and insoluble in ether. It is a zero-sugar, zero-carbohydrate compound with a sweetness intensity of 70% that of sucrose. Its sweetness intensity and curve are similar to those of sucrose, and it has a cooling sensation. It is low in calories, with a calorific value of 0.4 kcal/g. Its melting point is approximately 159-161°C. It is stable under acidic conditions (pH 2-7) and when heated below 100°C, making it suitable for food processing. Allulose is a reducing sugar that undergoes Maillard reactions, resulting in good colouring properties. It has a high osmotic pressure, which inhibits microbial growth and extends shelf life. It also exhibits good hygroscopic resistance, lowers the freezing point and is highly stable. Allulose exists in D- and L-forms, with D-allulose being found in both natural and commercial products (the active configuration).

▶ Optimising gut microbiota

SWEETEST®Allulose can regulate the composition of gut microbiota. It promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, while inhibiting harmful bacteria, such as Escherichia coli and Bacteroides. It can also enhance intestinal barrier function by increasing the expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1 and OCLN) and thickening the intestinal mucus layer. Allulose can also promote the production and metabolic regulation of short-chain fatty acids. Butyrate, which is produced during allulose fermentation, can activate the AMPK pathway, thereby enhancing hepatic fatty acid oxidation. Conversely, propionic acid reduces fat synthesis by inhibiting hepatic acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC).

■ Production technology characteristics

Currently, industrial production of SWEETEST®Allulose primarily relies on biotransformation, utilising isomerases to catalyse the conversion of fructose to allulose. This method offers advantages such as high selectivity and purity, as well as being environmentally friendly. The process begins with the use of D-allulose 3-epimerase (DAEase). This enzyme can be cloned and expressed in microorganisms such as Bacillus subtilis and Agrobacterium, and a highly active enzyme preparation can be obtained through fermentation, separation and purification. Next, the fructose substrate (at a concentration of 30-50%) is mixed with the enzyme preparation and the mixture is reacted at a pH of 6-8 and a temperature of 50-60 °C for 4-8 hours. This achieves a fructose conversion rate of 20-30%. Finally, the reaction solution undergoes decolorisation (activated carbon), ion exchange chromatography, concentration and crystallisation to obtain allulose crystals with a purity of at least 98%. While this process produces high-purity products with few by-products and meets food-grade requirements, the cost of the enzyme preparation is relatively high. Currently, immobilised enzyme technology (whereby the enzyme is immobilised on a carrier for repeated use) is being used to reduce costs and enable large-scale production. Other processing methods include using glucose or sucrose as the raw material, followed by fermentation, purification, crystallisation and drying using Escherichia coli AS10.