Canadian natural sweetener producer, NutraEx Food, has launched its latest sweetener solution – BI-Sugar. The plug and play ingredient inhibits the digestion of sugar through the active compound L-arabinose.
NutraEx produces BI-Sugar using its patented dry-embedding technology, bonding L-arabinose to sucrose and another natural sweetener, such as stevia or monk fruit. This enables the reduction of calories from the sucrose, with the added benefit of L-arabinose functioning as a glycemic inhibitor, with research indicating that it can delay and partially block the conversion of sucrose into glucose and fructose.
The company sources L-arabinose from China-based Healtang Biotech Co., under an exclusive distribution agreement.
Healtang general manager, Fred Bai, said that the compound has already seen tremendous success in the Chinese food and beverage industry, and the company is confident it will be equally popular in the US.
“Just 5 per cent L-arabinose can lower the glycemic index of regular sugar, highlighting its vast potential as a cost-effective tool in any food company’s sugar reduction strategy.”
Through this process, BI-Sugar could help to prevent the blood sugar spike associated with sucrose intake, resulting in longer-lasting energy.
NutraEx co-founder and chief marketing officer, Harvey Martens, said that BI-Sugar was a functional solution empowering food and beverage manufacturers to take their sugar reduction strategies to a new level.
“Our unique embedding process means the ingredients in BI-Sugar work together in synergy for perfectly balanced, bright clean sweetness,” he said.
“With embedding, there is also no separation or settling of different volume density ingredients during storage, transportation, or handling by machinery.”
NutraEx is presenting BI-Sugar to industry at the food technology exposition, IFT First, in Chicago from 14-17 July. Attendees will have the opportunity to blind taste test sugar cookies made with BI-Sugar.
