Allulose: overview
- Allulose is a rare sugar gaining attention for sugar-reduction applications
- It provides sweetness and functionality without raising blood glucose
- Brands are exploring allulose in confectionery products
- High intake may cause digestive discomfort, including bloating and diarrhoea
- Approved in several global markets, but not yet in the EU
Allulose is becoming an ingredient to watch.
A rare sugar that doesn’t behave like regular sugar in the body, but does behave like sugar in baking and confectionery, it could become the next big ingredient for manufacturers striving to meet the increasing clean-label demands of consumers.
Swiss chocolate maker Lindt & Sprüngli has recently applied for a patent for an allulose-containing chocolate with ingredients manufacturer Savanna Ingredients, indicating the direction of travel for major brands.
“Allulose remains one of the most closely watched ingredients in sugar reduction because it addresses challenges that many high-intensity sweeteners cannot solve on their own,” says Antonella Lisella, project manager at Kline and Company’s Food and Nutrition practice.
“Beyond sweetness, allulose can contribute bulk, browning, texture and mouthfeel, making it particularly valuable in applications where sensory quality is critical. As a result, manufacturers are increasingly incorporating allulose into broader sweetener systems rather than using it as a standalone sugar replacement.”
What is allulose?
Allulose (also known as D-Allulose, D-psicose) is a rare natural sugar that’s 70% as sweet as sucrose (regular sugar). It’s found naturally in very small quantities in foods such as figs, raisins, wheat and maple syrup.
When made by ingredients companies, it’s not extracted from foods. For example, Tate & Lyle convert corn kernels into starch, the starch into fructose and from there into its allulose product, which is then marketed as a sweetening ingredient.
“Both naturally occurring and manufactured allulose have the same formula and structure,” says Dr EJ Simpson, principal research fellow at the University of Nottingham’s David Greenfield Human Physiology Unit.
How does it act in the body?
Allulose differs from regular sugar because it doesn’t spike blood glucose or cause insulin release. It is also very low in calories at 0.4kcal per gram.
“Based on its chemical nature, allulose is a sugar,” says Hannelore Daniel, professor of nutrition physiology at Technical University of Munich. “It is in essence a twin of fructose but, in contrast to fructose, cannot be cleaved by the enzyme aldolase.”
In simple terms, that means it is minimally metabolised and does not deliver energy. “All allulose taken up in the intestine is excreted via kidneys and appears in urine,” says Professor Daniel. “It can’t affect glucose levels in blood and also does not cause a release of insulin.”
Why manufacturers are excited about it
Other sweeteners share those benefits, but allulose doesn’t have the slightly bitter aftertaste of some other sweeteners and it has similar properties to sugar, so it behaves in a similar way in food. This can help manufacturers replace regular sugar without losing the sensory qualities that consumers seek.
All of this is why major brands are experimenting with it over other sweeteners. “What is interesting about the Lindt-Savanna work is that it moves the conversation beyond sweetness,” says Lisella. “In chocolate, the challenge is not only to reduce sugar, it is to rebuild the functions sugar performs in the product. Allulose is attracting attention because it can contribute the attributes that determine whether reduced-sugar indulgence can truly compete with the original.
“From Kline’s perspective, the patent signals growing industry interest in ingredients that can help deliver both sugar reduction and sensory parity, particularly in technically demanding applications such as confectionery.”
Does it have drawbacks?
Its known drawbacks are digestive. “Allulose consumed in high quantities has been shown to cause gastrointestinal issues such as bloating, gas, cramps and diarrhoea,” says Dr Simpson. “However, potential negative effects of large quantities of allulose in the diet, particularly over the longer term, is still being studied in humans.”
And it’s not without controversy.
In the US, a federal appeals court recently revived a proposed class-action lawsuit against Chobani, filed by a couple who felt deceived by the company’s claim of ‘zero sugar’ in its Greek yogurt when it contains 4g of allulose.
The dispute centres on a regulatory grey area. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued guidance in 2020 saying that allulose did not need to be included in Total Sugars or Added Sugars on product labels, partly because ‘allulose is virtually unmetabolized in the human body’.
However, the guidance was issued under the FDA’s ‘enforcement discretion’ and the lawsuit was revived because that guidance does not change regulation. Federal regulations defining Total Sugars include monosaccharides, which includes allulose.
If it goes ahead, the result will be of great interest to manufacturers who use allulose as it may affect the claims they can make on pack.
Where is it currently approved?
Allulose is approved in many countries, including the US (with Generally Recognized as Safe approval), China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico.
However, it is currently not authorised for food use in the European Union because it falls under the Novel Food framework and requires regulatory approval that is not completed.
“Europe’s position is best understood as a dossier and process issue rather than a definitive verdict on allulose itself,” says Lisella. “The European Food Safety Authority did not conclude that allulose is unsafe, it concluded that safety could not yet be established based on the information available.
“Whether approval eventually occurs will depend on the willingness of industry stakeholders to invest in the regulatory process. Given the commercial interest in allulose globally, we would not be surprised to see further regulatory efforts in Europe, although timing remains uncertain.”
Who are the main suppliers of allulose?
“The allulose supplier landscape is still relatively concentrated and leadership is increasingly centred in Asia,” says Lisella. “Korean suppliers, particularly Samyang and Daesang, have played a key role in scaling production. Following China’s domestic regulatory approval, several Chinese manufacturers have expanded capacity and intensified global competitive pressure.”
According to Kline’s Alternative Sweeteners Intelligence Center, the leading suppliers include:
- Samyang (South Korea) – currently one of the most influential global suppliers and capacity leaders
- Tate & Lyle – a major supplier with strong presence in North America
- Daesang (South Korea)
- Shandong Sanyuan Bio (China)
- Shandong Bailong Chuangyuan (China)
- Baolingbao (China)
- Ingredion (in the US through strategic partnerships and commercialisation activities)
- Savanna Ingredients (Germany)
This is a notable aspect of the potential Ingredion acquisition of Tate & Lyle as both have allulose in their portfolios. Tate & Lyle was the first company to manufacture allulose cost-efficiently and at commercial scale, producing an allulose syrup in 2016.
As manufacturers battle to meet consumer taste and clean-label desires in a fast-changing landscape, allulose may well provide a solution.
