Matsutani America Unveils Low-Calorie Sweetener with Health Benefits

13 Jul 2015 --- Matsutani America, Inc., a leader in the North American food ingredient market, has announced a new rare sugar, Astraea Allulose. Astraea Allulose is the first plant-based, low-calorie sweetener with proven physiological benefits.

“Not only does Astraea reduce calories in finished products, it provides physiological benefits such as helping to regulate blood sugar levels and lowering lipid accumulation in the body,” said Yutaka Miyamoto, Executive Vice President of Matsutani America. “Manufacturing companies can formulate with Astraea to create low-calorie products for all food and beverage segments without the drawbacks of long-lasting aftertaste and synthetic or chemical perception.”
 
Recommended applications include beverages, confections, dairy, bakery and sweet goods. Astraea Allulose can be used as a 100 percent table top granular sugar replacement, and as a replacement for hard candy and chewing gum at 50 percent.
 
Benefits

· Reduces calories in formulation

· True sugar flavor with no aftertaste

· Scientifically proven to attenuate blood glucose

· Scientifically proven to lower lipid accumulation

· Improves aroma and color

· Masks unwanted flavor
 
Characteristics

· Plant-based monosaccharide

· Non-synthetic, non-chemical

· 0.2 kcal/gram energy

· Sweetness level is 70 percent of sucrose
 
Astraea Allulose is a rare sugar monosaccharide—the simplest form of sugar and one of approximately 50 types that exist in small quantities in nature and as components of food.
 
“Until now, rare sugar has been almost entirely unavailable commercially, and it has also been exceptionally expensive. This has made it difficult to obtain the steady supply necessary for manufacturing and conducting proper research,” said Dr. Tetsuo Iida, Director of Rare Sugar Research and Development. 
 
The researchers at Kagawa University in Japan have discovered a way to produce rare sugars from the more common monosaccharides found in nature, allowing the university to partner with businesses for large-scale production. Astraea is created using a process known as “Izumoring,” coined by Professor Ken Izumori. When a monosaccharide reacts with a microbial enzyme, it causes the sugar to change from one type to another. A wide variety of high quality rare sugars can be made this way, according to Dr. Iida.