Catherine Frompovich – Over the years we have seen all types of sugar substitutes and synthetics produced, and used, in the hopes of dealing with consumers’ sugar cravings while supposedly not increasing weight gain. However, there’s a “new kid” coming to the sugar neighborhood; it’s “allulose,” which will be marketed under the trade name DOLCIA PRIMA® Allulose. Another name for it is D-Psicose. The prime market is not “direct-to-consumers” but to food processors who will use it as an ingredient in all sorts of processed foods.
Readers are encouraged to read the “Application in Action” sheet for DOLCIA PRIMA provided by the manufacturer Tate & Lyle, as it hopefully will be listed on every product ingredient label in which it is used.
According to Tate & Lyle’s Technical Data sheet, “the caloric value of pure allulose is 0.2 kcal/gram.”
Also, “Allulose meets the specification set forth in GRN 498 and is therefore generally recognized as safe (GRAS).” The syrup is about 54% as sweet as sucrose (table sugar), but is about 70% sweet as sugar in a dry solid basis.
As a natural nutritionist (retired) and consumer health researcher, I’m left wondering about this statement made by Tate & Lyle:
Allergens – Allulose syrup does not contain any commonly known sources of allergens. Labeling is not required under the FDA Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004.
What! and why the exemption from Food Allergen Labeling?
Considering that allulose is made from the starch of corn fructose that has undergone an enzymatic conversion process – is that by a genetic modification process? – studies indicate it passes through the intestinal tract undigested! That’s where some red flags start flying for me, and I’ll explain why.