New manufacturing facility in Mexico will produce ASTRAEA Allulose to be marketed across the Americas by Ingredion and in Asia by Matsutani Chemical Industry
Ingredion’s first allulose production plant in San Juan del Río, Mexico, has officially opened its doors. At this location, the company will manufacture the sweetener ASTRAEA Allulose, which will be marketed and sold across the Americas by Ingredion. In addition to licensing certain allulose-related intellectual property to Ingredion, Matsutani, a producer of speciality ingredients based in Japan, will market and sell ASTRAEA Allulose across most of Asia.
Jim Zallie, president and CEO of Ingredion, said: “We are advancing our specialities strategy with the value proposition offered by allulose for sugar reduction by aligning with one of the most important food and beverage trends shaping our industry and impacting our customers. We look forward to working with Matsutani and bringing further innovation to the marketplace that meets the evolving needs of today’s global consumers.”
ASTRAEA Allulose will enable food and beverage manufacturers to reduce calories from sucrose and other caloric sweeteners in a wide range of products, including beverages, dairy, bakery and confectionery items.
Yoshinobu Matsutani, executive vice-president, Matsutani, added: “We are excited about opening this plant, and we see now a reality where Ingredion will produce ASTRAEA Allulose through our collaboration. It will be a great solution for the food and beverage industries, both of which look for this sweetener all over the American continent.”
As a member in the family of rare sugars, ASTRAEA Allulose is a sweetener that tastes and functions like sucrose, and is absorbed by the body but not metabolised. Allulose is one of the many types of monosaccharides that exist in nature in small quantities, and can be found in fruits such as figs, raisins and jackfruits. It has a texture and performance behavior similar to sucrose providing comparable bulk, sweetness and functionality – these properties make allulose the ingredient for formulators who are looking to reduce calories from sucrose in the products they develop.
