FDA Success Presents US Trade Way

April 18, 2019 — The commercial adoption of allulose by the general public in the United States seems narrower than ever after the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it would allow the low calorie sweetener to be excluded from total sugars and added account on Nutrition and Supplement Labels of Facts when it is used as an ingredient. This followed a long process that was only extended by the closure of the US government at the end of the year.

"The key behind allulose being excluded from the label statements" total sugars "or" added sugars "is that the latest data suggests that allulose is different from other sugars in that it's not metabolized by the human body in the same way as table sugar, "says Susan Mayne, Ph.D., director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition." It contains less calories, produces only a negligible increase in blood sugar or insulin and does not promote tooth decay, "she adds.

The news, announced yesterday, was well received by leading suppliers Tate & Lyle and Ingredion (which has partnered on allulose with Japan's Matsutani, a pioneer in the field of research and development of rare sugar).

Click to enlargeIngredion says the announcement marks a "turning point" in the larger deployment of allulosis in the United States."Leading the marketing of allulose in 2015 with DOLCIA PRIMA Allulose has given us the opportunity to be the first to work with food and beverage manufacturers on their challenges related to the reduction of allergy. calories using this ingredient, "Abigail Storms, vice president of global strategic marketing at Tate & Lyle said.

"We've seen some incredible solutions, but tagging has been a big challenge so far. I am excited about the impact we can now have with our customers on reducing the consumption of sugar in brands of all categories in the United States. This is a breakthrough in our ability to provide consumers and customers with solutions that are relevant to the current crises of obesity and diabetes, "she added.

Afrouz Naeini, Head of Ingredion's Regional Platform for Sugar Reduction in the United States and Canada, said the announcement marked a "critical turning point" in the increased deployment of allulose in the United States. United. "This decision opens a new door for product formulators and developers as they seek to develop products that meet consumer demand for reduced calories and sugar," she said. . Food IngredientsFirst.

Allulose is a low-calorie sweetener that occurs naturally in small amounts in wheat, some fruits (including figs and raisins) and a variety of other foods. It can also be manufactured. It's one of the many rare sugars that exist in nature in very small quantities.

Click to enlargeTate & Lyle, which produces allulose DOLCIA PRIMA (a rare low calorie sugar), is pleased with this news. This trendy ingredient contains 70% sugar, which helps manufacturers reduce sucrose content in their recipes and to develop low-calorie foods and beverages to meet growing consumer demand. Allulose has 95% fewer calories than sucrose.

The launches containing the ingredient up to now have been few and far between, but scientific support is increasing. Innova Market Insights indicates that patent activity is flourishing in natural sweeteners, with 42% growth in publications on allulose, an indicator of this research trend (global, 2018 vs. 2017).

According to the 2016 FDA rule on nutrition labeling, the amount of allulose must be counted in the amount of total carbohydrates, total sugars and added sugars declared on nutrition labels and supplements. In addition, according to the 2016 rule on the nutritional value of allulose, the allulose must count for 4 calories per gram of sweetener indicated on the Nutrition and Supplements labels. This new draft directive states that the FDA intends to exercise a discretionary power of enforcement in order to allow manufacturers to exclude allulose from the amount stated in the declaration of total and added sugars. In addition, the document states that the FDA intends to exercise control discretion to allow manufacturers to use 0.4 calories per gram of allulose at the time of the test. Calculation of calories from allulose in a portion of a product. However, manufacturers must continue to include allulose in the total carbohydrate statement.

The FDA plans to issue additional guidelines in the near future to help manufacturers comply with new labeling requirements, including instructions for reporting added sugars on honey packaging, syrup containers, and containers. Maple and some cranberry products. In the meantime, the agency has addressed the unique properties of allulose in the published draft guidelines.

Danielle Schor of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FDA) told FoodIngredientsFirst: While considering data and information from the industry, the agency also conducted an independent review of scientific evidence. It was a unique guide for what is a unique ingredient. "The draft guidance document is specific to allulose. It does not treat or include other sweeteners. High intensity sweeteners that are not chemically "sugars" are not included in the sugar declaration, "she explains.

On May 20, 2016, the FDA announced the new Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods to reflect new scientific information, including the link between diet and chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease. The new label will help consumers make more informed food choices. The FDA published the final rules in the Federal Register on May 27, 2016. The new label already appears on the packaging even before its use is required. Manufacturers with annual sales of US $ 10 million or more must upgrade to the new label by January 1, 2020; Manufacturers with annual food sales of less than $ 10 million have until January 1, 2021 to comply.

Click to enlargeOn May 20, 2016, the FDA announced the new Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods to reflect new scientific information, including the link between diet and chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease. Mayne points out that allulose will still count for the caloric value of the food on the label – but the guidance indicates that the FDA intends to use its control discretion to use of a revised and reduced number of calories. As for other ingredients, allulose should always be declared in the ingredient list.

"This is the first time that the FDA has declared its intention to not include sugar in total or added sugar statements on labels, reflecting our flexible and scientific approach to product labeling." food. This directive is one of many guidelines that the FDA has already published or will publish soon to help manufacturers comply with the new labeling requirements, "she said.

The FDA made its decision after reviewing the data and information provided in citizen petitions and other information submitted to them. They received a citizen petition from Tate & Lyle asking that allulose be exempted from the statement "Total Carbohydrates", "Total Sugars" and "Added Sugars" on the Nutrition Facts label. The FDA has also reviewed a citizen petition calling for the use of a general caloric caloric factor of 0.4 calories per gram (kcal / g) from The Food Lawyers and another citizen petition. requesting the use of a general caloric value of allulose 0.2 kcal / g Tate & Lyle. "We reviewed these citizens' petitions (as well as the comments submitted to the list) together with the comments on a proposed rule entitled" Food Labeling: Revision of Nutrition and Supplement Labels "(79 FR 11880, 3rd of March). 2014). We also conducted an independent review of the scientific evidence related to allulose and metabolism, caloric value and dental caries, "according to a statement by the FDA.

Tate & Lyle, which produces allulose DOLCIA PRIMA (a rare low calorie sugar), is pleased with this news. "Our regulatory, legal, nutrition and marketing teams collaborated with the FDA to show the potential benefits of allulose for the health of US consumers, if they were labeled clearly and appropriately," states Storms. "It's very rewarding to make this decision and unleash the significant potential of allulose to significantly reduce calories while providing exceptional taste and functionality," she adds.

A statement from Tate & Lyle says the FDA's decision will pave the way for US food and beverage manufacturers to reap the full rewards of products containing allulose. It is the ability to reduce both calories and sugar in the final consumer products where the ingredient is used. "It also allows consumers to better understand the true benefits of allulose, without confusing those who pay close attention to ingredient lists and nutrition labels. Research has shown that listing an ingredient as "sugar" and "added sugar", but that it provides virtually no calories, is confusing for consumers, "reads a statement.

One of the most interesting business stories in 2018 was Ingredion's entry into a relationship with Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Japan's leading producer of specialty ingredients. The transaction, announced last December, will allow Ingredion to manufacture ASTRAEA Allulose in Mexico and market it across the Americas.

The success of the FDA will present a larger platform to raise awareness of the sweetener. Naeini highlights the results of a recent study conducted by Ingredion with more than 1,000 US consumers. Although it shows that consumers are still not very aware of allulose, this is to be expected given its limited commercialization. However, she notes that the results show that sharing information and educating consumers about the benefits of allulose have a significant impact on the positive acceptability of the ingredient and the decision to buy products containing allulose.

Research has shown strong consumer interest in low-calorie sweeteners that can give sweet taste and pleasure, especially for the sugar-free segment (13% of the US population) that manages diseases such as diabetes. "Allulose offers this segment the opportunity to experience an indulgent sweet taste in products that they could no longer enjoy." Finally, after being informed of the characteristics of allulose, more than 70% of consumers have expressed interest in buying and trying products containing allulose, "she concluded.

By Robin Wyers

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