Sugar reduction is one of the major sustainability project on which every organisation is working on. Either it’s bakery industry or beverage or confectionery, sugar reduction is a main agenda. While many companies are coming up with the artificial sweeteners as solution, other are focusing on natural alternatives such as stevia. There are many products which contain polyols, or fructo-oligosaccharides as sugar alternatives which give them added advantage of being dietary fibres. But at the end, every alternative that has been explored, required to be added in final good either with small quantity of sugar or without sugar.
But what about natural sugar in the food? Is there any way to eliminate it or reduce it?
Well, this challenge has been taken up by an Israel-based start-up, Better Juice Ltd. in collaboration with Hebrew University, Israel. The technology developed is known as better juice technology and can reduce the natural sugar (Sucrose, fructose and glucose) present in food into oligo-saccharides and dietary fibers, henceforth reducing the total sugar content in beverage without adding any additional ingredient in final good.
So how did they do it? Would you like to go through their journey of achieving this milestone?
Eran Blachinsky, who is PhD, founder and CEO of Better Juice Ltd. started this project with Hebrew University in 2017. They developed lab prototypes in their extensive research and collaborated with GEA Engineers for the scale-up and commercialisation of the same. The patent of this technology lies with Hebrew University and exclusive licensing right to technology with Better Juice Ltd. The technique behind this is the utilisation of non-GMO microorganisms which have tendency to convert simple sugars into non-digestible compounds or dietary fibers. While conversion, there is no impact on color, aroma, taste or micronutrient profile of the product. There is a need to install better juice continuous flow bioreactor or column into the continuous juice processing line. The column contains immobilised non-GMO micro-organismswith active enzymes. When the juice is passed through it, it needs to be hold for some time, depending upon the % of conversion required where the enzymes from the immobilised microorganisms works on it and convert simple sugars (Monosaccharaides and disaccharides) into dietary fiber and other non-digestible compounds. The final product at the end of processing line will remain same juice with less sugar (30-80% reduction) without addition of any food preservative. In short, these immobilised micro-organisms acts like processing aids, causing no harmful impact on the product.
The percentage reduction in sugar depends on the flow rate of the juice. Low flow rate leads to more holding time, resulting in more sugar reduction and vice-versa. Talking about the sensory profile of the juice after processing, juice becomes comparatively lesser sweet, and perceived to have increased acidity and flavour. As per their consumer research, it was found to give better taste than original due to enhancement in flavour.
The actual heroes behind this sugar reduction are enzymes.
Sucrose is converted to Fructo-oligosaccharides – by glucosyltransferase and fructosyltransferase
Glucose is converted to Gluconic Acid – by glucose oxidase and catalase
Fructose is converted to Sorbitol – glucose-fructose oxidoreductase
Now the major question arise is why do we need to immobilise microorganisms in the column instead of directly putting enzymes there?
When the enzymes are directly immobilised in the column, they have tendency to make permanent connection with the carrier in the immobilised matrix. Due to this, removal of deactivated enzymes from the matrix become difficult henceforth their reusability decreases. This is the reason why microorganisms, containing those enzymes, are immobilised in the column. The non-GMO microorganisms utilised in Better Juice column are Zymomonas mobilis for glucose & fructose and Aureobasidium pullulans for sucrose. It cause good recovery, reuse of the enzyme and improvement in enzyme stability.
Though technology has been explored in juices as of now, it is assumed to have wider range of application e.g. concentrates, jams, purees, sports nutrition, pulped juice, fruit yogurt, ice cream, etc.
So what are your thoughts on this?
Would you like to try naturally sugar reduced juice?
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