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Dive Briefing:
- Ingredients companies Roquette and Bonumose are joining forces to accelerate the growth of tagatose, signing a deal this month to advance the development of the natural sweetener.
- The two companies said they would combine Roquette's starch and sweeteners business with Bonumose's enzyme technology to scale up production of tagatose.
- Tagatose, which does not spike blood sugar levels, does not cause tooth decay, and contains healthy ingredients such as prebiotics, is a product of Virginia-based bonus It uses enzymes found in maltodextrin from corn starch.
Dive Insight:
The collaboration between two ingredient companies, a major French company and a U.S. startup, highlights growing interest among food manufacturers in more advanced sugar substitutes.
Ed Rogers, Bonumose CEO, said in a statement that the deal with Roquette will help make the ingredient more widely known worldwide.
“Tagatose closely resembles the taste, flavor and cooking properties of white sugar, but offers health benefits such as reduced calories and a very low glycemic index,” Rogers said. “We are excited to partner with Roquette, given their engineering capabilities and multiple routes to market.”
In March 2023, Bonumose opened a tagatose production facility in Charlottesville, Virginia, expanding its manufacturing and R&D capabilities. Confectionery giant Hershey co-led a funding round to help the ingredients company build a tagatose plant.
Founded in 1933 and a major player in the global food ingredients market, Roquette has the potential to help Bonumos’ technology spread beyond the United States. Anne Hirsch, the French company’s sugar management director, said Roquette sees the potential for innovation by leveraging Bonumos’ technology.
“Our expertise in large-scale starch sweetener production can significantly improve post-enzymatic conversion processing efficiencies,” said Hirsch. “This partnership aligns with our long-term vision for sustainable production and meeting the growing global demand for sweetener solutions.”
Adopting tagatose could help food companies reduce the calories in their products while maintaining sweetness. According to Bonumose, the ingredient has 90% of the sweetness of sugar. In 2022, the FDA declared that tagatose should be classified as an added sugar in food and beverage products.
As consumers increasingly look for healthier alternatives, with a recent HealthFocus International survey showing that 55% of consumers worldwide are concerned about their sugar intake, food and beverage manufacturers are looking for different sources to sweeten their products. Amid concerns about the negative health effects of artificial sweeteners like sucralose, the industry is increasingly turning to natural sweeteners derived from plants. These include sweet proteins like brazzaine, used by chocolate and iced tea maker Oobli, as well as monk fruit and stevia.
