LONDON – Tate & Lyle, global provider of food ingredients and solutions, has launched Dolcia Prima, the company’s brand name for allulose, which is a low-calorie sugar that exists in nature and can be found in small quantities in some fruits and foods people eat every day.
The company says that allulose was first identified in wheat in the 1930s. Tate & Lyle’s Dolcia Prima “delivers the satisfying mouthfeel and sweetness of table sugar, but contains 90% fewer calories, so food and beverage manufacturers are expected to be able to significantly reduce the calories in products while maintaining the same taste and enjoyment of sugar that consumers demand,” according to a press release.
“One of the biggest challenges our industry faces is reducing calories while maintaining the taste experience consumers expect from their favorite foods and beverages,” said Abigail Storms, vice president, platform management, sweeteners, at Tate & Lyle. “Now food and beverage manufacturers can contribute to this public health challenge by using Dolcia Prima Low-Calorie Sugar.”
Dolcia Prima can be used in a range of applications including beverages, yogurt, ice cream and baked products to reduce calories or to make lower-calorie options taste even better. It is 70% as sweet as sucrose (sugar) and has the same temporal taste profile, meaning it provides a clean, sweet taste as well as the functionality of sugar.
Dolcia Prima can be formulated into many different food products that usually contain sugar because it delivers many of the benefits that sugar offers, such as adequate browning when baking, bulk and texture. It can also depress the freezing point when making frozen products. It is a highly soluble, liquid ingredient.
As part of its commitment to developing innovative ingredient solutions for the industry’s biggest health and wellness challenges, Tate & Lyle is working with several health organizations to educate health professionals and those that they counsel about allulose. One key focus will be to help people with diabetes to stay informed about the role that sugars and sweeteners can play in weight management and glucose response.
“We know that many people struggle to manage their weight. But for people with diabetes, it’s especially important to understand how sugars and sweeteners can help them achieve their lifestyle goals,” said Kristine Clark, Ph.D., R.D., director of sports nutrition and assistant professor of nutritional sciences at The Pennsylvania State University. “It’s important to inform all consumers that balancing a low-calorie eating plan can still allow them to eat foods they truly enjoy.”
Tate & Lyle is a member of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation (HWCF) and is collaborating in a multiyear effort designed to promote ways to help people achieve a healthy weight through energy balance; it focuses its efforts on two critical areas: families and schools. This first-of-its kind coalition brings together leading food and beverage manufacturers, trade associations, nongovernmental organizations and retailers.