HFT News
Cargill Health & Food Technologies Introduces New, Unique, Naturally-Occurring Sugar to the U.S.
The 'Better for You' Sugar is Now Affordable and Commercially Available for the Food Industry
Minneapolis, Minn. - February 26, 2002 - Cargill Health and Food Technologies, a division of Cargill, introduces Trehalose - a unique, naturally-occurring sugar with about half the sweetness of sucrose. Trehalose, a 'better for you sugar,' has been shown to elicit a blunted insulin response and is gentler for teeth than sucrose. As a multi-function sugar, its key properties include enhancing flavor release, acting as a nutritive sweetener, preserving cell structure, performing as a coloring agent, stabilizing proteins and as a humectant. This breakthrough ingredient has a wide range of applications including nutrition bars, sports drinks, bakery products, ice cream and confections.
Trehalose is a type of sugar made from cornstarch and occurs naturally in many plants, and in foods such as honey, lobster and yeast. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognizes Trehalose as a "GRAS" (generally regarded as safe) ingredient.
"This is a great breakthrough on the ingredient front as we believe Trehalose will spur the creation of a new generation of products - healthier foods with a clean, fresh taste," said Jim Kappas, Director of Marketing, Cargill Health and Food Technologies. "We are particularly excited because Trehalose's unique properties are showing promising clinical benefits and it is easy to use in a wide range of applications. Sports drinks, nutrition bars, ice cream and more can all be enhanced with Trehalose."
Trehalose is a non-reducing sugar and remains stable under low pH conditions. Even at elevated temperatures, it does not undergo Maillard Browning. Trehalose's high stability enables product flavor and texture to be retained, even after heat processing and prolonged storage. Additionally, Trehalose has a clean flavor that does not leave an aftertaste. This sugar enhances the flavor of the food, improving the flavor release - particularly in fruit preparations and beverages.
Trehalose has an uncharacteristically high glass transition temperature relative to other disaccharides. Combined with Trehalose's high process stability and low hygroscopicity, it is an effective protein protectant, capable of extending the shelf life of products such as nutrition bars.
Furthermore, as crystalline Trehalose is stable and remains free-flowing up to 94% relative humidity, it can reduce product caking when blended with other sugars and food ingredients. Trehalose-coated ingredients have greater stability, benefiting from its low hygroscopicity. With enhanced moisture resistance, products can enjoy a longer shelf life.
A stabilizer of cell wall during dehydration and freezing, Trehalose stabilizes protein structure and functionality. As such, Trehalose can be used in yeast and lactic cultures as well as in any application where cell integrity must be maintained for optimal product quality.
In addition to enhancing the flavor and texture of food, Trehalose may offer some important health benefits. A number of recent studies suggests that Trehalose elicits a blunted insulin response relative to other sugars. As a result, Trehalose may be digested and absorbed at a slower, more sustained rate than other sugars - possibly providing greater endurance to the consumer.
Trehalose has been shown to have a significantly lower cariogenic potential compared with sucrose. As a result, Trehalose may be used in more 'tooth friendly' products, but without the laxative effect of many non-cariogenic bulk sweeteners.
About Cargill Health and Food Technology
Cargill Health and Food Technologies, a division of Cargill, is a leading developer, processor and marketer of science-based, health promoting ingredients for the global food industry.