Ingredion Launches Line of Low-Sugar Glucose Syrups to Aid in Sugar Reduction

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Responding to continuing demands for sugar-reduction solutions, ingredient supplier Ingredion Inc. (Westchester, IL) has launched a new line of low-sugar glucose syrups in markets in the U.S. and Canada.

Sweeteners in the line, called Versasweet, purportedly have a lower percentage of mono- and disaccharides, or DP1 + DP2, than standard glucose syrups, allowing formulators to reduce DP1 + DP2 levels by 50 percent or more (depending on the syrup they replace) in dairy, confectionery and bakery applications. With roughly one third sucrose’s sweetness, per Ingredion testing, the corn- and tapioca-based sweetener range exhibits a clean taste, comparable functionality to traditional glucose syrup, heat and acid stability and low Maillard reactivity, the company says.

The ingredients help formulators lower added sugars on Nutrition Facts panels-and at just the right time. A 2017 Mintel Sugar Reduction Trends report found that more than 80 percent of consumers check the sugar content of foods and beverages before choosing them; meanwhile proprietary Ingredion research revealed that 61 percent of consumers claim that “added sugar” on product labels would negatively impact their purchase intent.

“The challenge for food manufacturers has been to reformulate to a lower sugar product with minimal or no changes to the ingredient declaration list or existing processes,” said Nate Yates, director of Ingredion’s Sweetness Springboard, North America, in a press release. The new line of low-sugar glucose syrups help manufacturers who already use glucose syrup clear this hurdle.

Afrouz Naeini, Ingredion’s senior marketing manager of sweetness and beverage, North America, added: “In response to heighted awareness of sugar on labels, especially in the face of changing sugar regulations in the U.S. and Canada, manufacturers can give consumers the taste and sweet experience they expect with Versasweet low-sugar glucose syrups.”

The ingredients may appear on labels as glucose syrup, corn syrup, or tapioca syrup, depending on which product formulators use, and low-viscosity, non-GMO options are available. Like other products of their kind, the low-sugar glucose syrups contain the same caloric and carbohydrate content as traditional glucose syrups.