<scp>d</scp> -Allulose: A New Generation of Potential Bulk Sweeteners in the Food Industry
Mengting Tao, Wenli Zhang, Wanmeng Mu
Abstract
RecommendationsS ugar is one of the most important and indispensable ingredients in the food industry.In 2024, the total global sugar production reached 187.9 million metric tons.However, the prevalence of chronic diseases associated with sugar metabolism, such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, is increasing.This has led consumers to seek healthy sugars that balance taste, nutrition, and functionality.Over the last century, the development of advanced biotechnology has promoted the industrial production of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), the largest starch sugar product and a major bulk sweetener competing with sucrose.However, the calorie content of HFCS is comparable to that of sucrose, and excessive intake may lead to health risks.Therefore, low-calorie functional sugars are expected to be developed as the new generation of commercially important bulk sweeteners.D-Allulose, the C-3 epimer of D-fructose, occurs naturally in minimal quantities in certain plants, such as Itea and wheat.It provides approximately 70% of the sweetness of sucrose but with less than 10% of the calories, making it a promising substitute.D-Allulose has demonstrated multiple health benefits, including antihyperglycemic, antihyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects.Moreover, it enhances gelling performance and flavor development through the Maillard reaction, enabling broader applications in food processing than nonreducing sugar alcohols.In the United States, the first GRAS notification regarding the use of D- allulose in foods can be traced back to 2012, and in 2019, the FDA excluded it from "added sugar" labeling, highlighting its significant market potential.It has been approved in many countries, including Canada, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.The European Union's regulation was initiated years ago, but it was recently concluded that its safety as a novel food remains unestablished as the applicant did not respond to requests for additional data from the EFSA.Several global commercial suppliers, such as Ingredion, Tate & Lyle, Apura Ingredients, and Vivion Inc., have provided D-allulose products, making it an established ingredient in the sweetener market.In China, D-allulose was officially approved as a novel food ingredient in 2025-07, and over 10 domestic companies are promoting its industrial-scale production.The most classic method for producing D-allulose is the enzymatic C-3 epimerization of D-fructose catalyzed by ketose 3-epimerase (KEase).In 1993, Izumori et al. identified the first KEase from Pseudomonas cichorii ST-24.Currently, there have been over 30 KEases identified from various microorganisms.