FAQs
It's not every day that an innovation this big comes along. Tate & Lyle's proprietary process to develop allulose on a broad scale gives manufacturers for the first time a great-tasting, low-calorie solution that has all the taste and functionality of sugar without all the calories.
With a breakthrough this big, we understand if you have a few questions. Here are some answers:
Get the facts
Learn even more about DOLCIA PRIMA® Allulose, the breakthrough sweetening innovation.
What is Allulose?
<p>Allulose is one of many sugars that exists in nature. Allulose was first identified in wheat in the 1930s and has since been found in small quantities in certain fruits including figs, raisins and jackfruit, and in foods such as caramel sauce, maple syrup and brown sugar.</p>
How is DOLCIA PRIMA® Allulose produced?
<p>Tate & Lyle has developed a proprietary process to commercialize allulose. The simple way of explaining the process is that we take the carbohydrate from corn and then go through an enzymatic conversion process to produce allulose. Our carbohydrate source is corn, which enables cost-effectiveness and scale. In addition to corn, different sources of carbohydrate could be used (such as sucrose from sugar cane or beets)</p>
So it's a sugar?
<p>That's right. Allulose is one of many sugars that exists in nature. The sugar that people typically think of is sucrose, an established benchmark for taste and functionality, along with the associated calories. Allulose, being a sugar, has that same functionality and sweet taste, but it is low in calories. </p>
How does DOLCIA PRIMA® Allulose compare to sugar?
<p>DOLCIA PRIMA® Allulose delivers the taste, texture and enjoyment of sugar with 90% fewer calories. It is 70% as sweet as sucrose and has a temporal profile very similar to sugar, with an almost identical perception of sweetness over time. This similarity is important for enabling food and beverage manufacturers to make great-tasting products with fewer calories. </p>
How does DOLCIA PRIMA® Allulose compare to other sources of sweetness?
<p>DOLCIA PRIMA® Allulose differs from other low-calorie sweetening options in a number of key ways, including the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>It provides the bulk and texture that – until now – only sugar could provide.</li>
<li>It has the taste profile of sugar, with a clean, sweet taste.</li>
<li>It is typically used in similar quantities as sugar to achieve desired results.</li>
<li>It labels as "allulose" in the ingredient list on product labels.</li>
<li>DOLCIA PRIMA® Allulose works in synergy with high-potency sweeteners, such as sucralose and stevia, to create an even better sweetening system.</li>
</ul>
How does DOLCIA PRIMA® Allulose taste?
<p>DOLCIA PRIMA® Allulose has a clean, sweet taste. It has a temporal profile that very closely matches that of sugar, with an almost identical perception of sweetness over time.</p>
<p>In fact, consumers ranked products made with DOLCIA PRIMA® Allulose at parity with sugar-sweetened versions in taste tests across a variety of foods.</p>
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<p><em>(Source: Consumer research conducted by FoodMinds for Tate & Lyle, September 2014)</em></p>
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Is It Safe?
<p>DOLCIA PRIMA® Allulose is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as a food and beverage ingredient. Based on the FDA's guidance, people of all ages can enjoy allulose.</p>
In what types of foods and beverages can DOLCIA PRIMA® Allulose be used?
<p>DOLCIA PRIMA® can be used in a range of applications including beverages, yogurt, ice cream and baked products to reduce calories compared with a full-calorie version.</p>
<ul>
<li>Beverages (nonalcoholic)</li>
<li>Cereals</li>
<li>Chewing gum</li>
<li>Confections and frostings</li>
<li>Frozen dairy desserts (ice cream, soft-serve, sorbet)</li>
<li>Yogurt and frozen yogurt</li>
<li>Dressings for salads</li>
<li>Gelatins, pudding and fillings</li>
<li>Hard candies</li>
<li>Soft candies</li>
<li>Jams and jellies</li>
<li>Sugar</li>
<li>Sugar substitutes</li>
<li>Sweet sauces and syrups</li>
</ul>
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What are the physical properties of DOLCIA PRIMA® Allulose?
<p>DOLCIA PRIMA® Allulose has attributes that make it ideal for use in formulating a variety of foods and beverages. DOLCIA PRIMA® functions like sugar in recipe formulations but without all the calories, meaning that it:</p>
<ul>
<li>Tastes just like sugar</li>
<li>Browns when baking</li>
<li>Adds bulk and texture to products</li>
<li>Depresses the freezing point in frozen products</li>
</ul>
Why should food and beverage manufacturers use DOLCIA PRIMA® Allulose?
<p>Tate & Lyle consumer research shows there is a strong interest in low-calorie products that taste better. To date, reduced-calorie options have not completely met that need due to formulation challenges. DOLCIA PRIMA® Allulose aims to target that need with a great-tasting solution for food and beverage manufacturers that functions like sugar.</p>
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