Researchers at the University of California, Davis, in collaboration with the Mars Advanced Research Institute, have made a groundbreaking advancement in the realm of low calorie sweeteners, particularly with allulose. This development promises to overcome a significant challenge in adopting sugar alternatives: the cost of production.

Allulose, a rare sugar recognized as D – psicose, offers a palatable substitute for conventional sucrose. It delivers a taste and feel almost identical to regular sugar, positioning it as an appealing choice for those aiming to reduce sugar consumption. UC Davis scientists have pioneered a technique to produce allulose in high yields and purity using a specialized fermentation process that taps into the inherent capabilities of certain microorganisms.

This sugar alternative boasts about 70% of the sweetness of sucrose and is barely metabolized, making it an excellent way to reduce caloric sugar intake without compromising on taste. It does not significantly impact blood sugar or insulin levels, an added benefit for consumers mindful of their glycemic response.

Professor Shota Atsumi, a chemistry professor at UC Davis and the leading author of the study published in the journal npj Science of Food on October 14, remarked, “Allulose represents a promising sugar substitute, yet until now, we haven’t had an economically viable production method. Our innovation not only improves efficiency but also holds the promise of scaling up for mass production.”

The novel technique achieves more than 99% theoretical yield and a high degree of purity, which streamlines the production process by reducing the need for extensive purification required by traditional methods of allulose production. Previously, these methods struggled with lower yields and purity, necessitating costly and complex separation procedures.

Atsumi and his team, including Ph.D. candidate Jayce Taylor and Professor Justin Siegel, and several colleagues from the Department of Chemistry and the Mars Advanced Research Institute, uncovered a more cost-effective production pathway. They identified an industrial microorganism already possessing the necessary enzymes to create allulose but not naturally utilizing them. Through metabolic engineering, the team reprogrammed the organism to transform glucose into allulose with impressive efficiency, achieving a yield surpassing 60% and a purity over 95%, thus outstripping current manufacturing techniques.

Atsumi explained, “With a shift in flux, the cells are fully equipped for the task; they simply needed activation and the suppression of non-essential pathways.”

UC Davis has taken steps to secure patents for both the innovative process and the genetically modified organisms. Efforts are currently underway to upscale this process through discussions with industrial partners.

This research, detailed with contributions from additional co – authors including Dileep Sai Kumar Palur, Angela Zhang, Jake Gonzales, Augustine Arredondo, Timothy Coulther, Amiruddin Bin Johan Lechner, Elys Rodriguez, Oliver Fiehn from UC Davis, and John Didzbalis from Mars Incorporated, Virginia, has received financial backing from Mars, Incorporated.