The laws of chemistry and physics have not changed since the Big Bang. Not all these laws are known, and we continually learn more, leveraging novel approaches, processes, and/or formulations to create truly new products. 

In our May column, we discussed the so-called “rare” sugars. These are sugars found in nature but at ultra-low levels. The most commercially available rare sugars are tagatose and allulose, recognized as providing sucrose-like sweetness (~ 0.90 and ~0.70, respectfully) at significantly lower caloric contributions (1.5 and 0.20 calories per gram, respectively).

There is a growing mandate from health authorities to reduce consumption of sugars (i.e., mono- and di-saccharides). For example, the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans call for significant reduction in calories from “added sugars.” Excluding lactose (which could eventually be included), current frozen desserts can contribute up to 22 grams of added sugars per serving, representing approximately 80% of total calories. The numbers will surge as serving sizes are increased to reflect the amounts typically consumed by Americans.