Karin Bornett
The start-up "Savanna Ingredients" from Elsdorf near Cologne is producing the first quantities of real sugar without calories. In fact, the sweetener is natural beet sugar that is refined using a new process. Managing Director Dr. Timo Koch says: “In nature, natural sugar occurs without calories - but so far only in very small amounts. We have made this nature's path accessible and developed a process to produce real sugar without calories on a large scale from beet sugar. "
No calories, no tooth decay, suitable for diabetics
In the process, the beet sugar is refined by further developing its molecular structure. It is encrypted, so to speak, and the calorie is “encapsulated”, so to speak. Scientifically, this calorie-free sugar is called allulose. “During metabolism, our body no longer recognizes allulose as a source of energy. It no longer docks in the body, instead the calories are to a certain extent excreted, ”explains Koch. The allulose retains a residual calorie content of 0,2 kcal per gram - one gram of classic sugar contains 4 kcal. According to the manufacturer, the taste and functional properties of allulose are suitable for sweetening food and drinks. The feel and appearance are comparable to conventional beet sugar, so that you can bake cakes with it, for example. “The ketchup with our allulose tastes the way ketchup should taste,” promises Koch. Allulose also has positive properties apart from saving calories. Because it does not cause tooth decay and also has a low glycemic index. Allulose is therefore also suitable for diabetics.
Publicly funded development project
The Savanna Ingredients GmbH is a start-up that was spun off from the Innovation Center of the sugar manufacturer Pfeifer & Langen. The development project for the new functional carbohydrates is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture. We are currently working on the transferability of the process to industrial production. Before the new sugar is on the European shelves, consumers will have to be patient. Approval will take another two years. Regionality was also an issue in the development: “When developing the process, it was important to us to use regional raw materials. After all, we are here in the vicinity of Cologne in a stronghold for beet sugar, ”says Koch.
Photo / Video: Shutterstock, obs / Pfeifer & Langen GmbH & Co. KG / Philippe Ramakers.
