Zerose® Erythritol
Reducing sugars consumption has become a growing priority, with consumers actively seeking out foods and beverages that contain less sugar. However, consumers are still unwilling to compromise on taste and texture!
Zerose® erythritol is made through a yeast fermentation process and contains zero calories, making it a perfect option for crafting delicious products with reduced or no added sugars. It also helps maintain the necessary bulk in formulations after sugar reduction.
Benefits
- Functionality close to sucrose: Zerose® has the sweet taste and mouthfeel of sucrose....but with zero calories, enabling reduced-calorie claims that are impossible to achieve with traditional sucrose alternatives.
- Synergies with high intensity sweeteners: Clean & cool taste helps to mask off-flavors and adds much needed bulk after reducing sugar.
- Supports oral health: Erythritol does not contribute to caries or tooth decay and is proven to significantly reduce caries and dental plaque versus other polyols*.
- No glycemic index: Erythritol does not raise blood glucose or insulin levels and can be safely used by diabetics**.
- Great gastrointestinal tolerance: Erythritol is better tolerated and associated with less gastrointestinal side effects (e.g. flatulence, laxation) relative to other polyols.
*Clinical Study: The Caries Preventative Effect of Erythritol, Xylitol and Sorbitol
**Livesey, G., Health potential of polyols as sugar replacers, with emphasis on low glycaemic properties. Nutr Res Rev, 2003. 16(2): p. 163-91
Zerose® in action!
With its clean taste and functionality similar to sucrose, Zerose® erythritol allows for substantial sugar reduction across various applications. Reach out to us to discover how we can help you!
Applications
Zero calories
Zerose® contributes no calories because it passes through the human body almost unchanged. Unlike other polyols it is absorbed quickly and easily in the small intestine, and not fermented in the large intestine. In the EU, European Directive 2008/100/EC formally recognizes the unique zero-calorie status of Zerose®.
Production process
Erythritol is the first polyol to be manufactured on a commercial scale by a fermentation process. The starting material is a simple sugar-rich corn substrate that is fermented by a conventional yeast to yield erythritol.
The product is then crystallized to 99.5% purity from the filtered and concentrated fermentation broth.
Erythritol occurs widely in nature in fruits (grapes, pears), in fermented foods & beverages (wine, beer, sake, soy sauce, bean paste).
EU Labeling and Legislation
Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives and amendments regulates the use of food additives which are used:
- to impart a sweet taste to foodstuffs
- as table-top sweeteners
Its annex II contains a list of foodstuffs in which polyols can be used, at quantum satis level. The use is, in most cases, restricted to foodstuffs which are either "energy-reduced" or manufactured "with no added sugars".
Definitions (for the purpose of this Regulation)
- "with no added sugars": without any added mono- or di-saccharides or any added foodstuff containing mono- or di-saccharides which is used for its sweetening properties
- "energy-reduced": with an energy value reduced by at least 30 % compared with the original foodstuff or a similar product
Labelling – Regulation (EU) N° 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers
- Foodstuffs containing any polyols must carry a label "with sweetener(s)"
- Foodstuffs containing both an added sugar or sugars and any polyols must carry a label "with sugar(s) and sweetener(s)"
- Foodstuffs containing more than 10 % added polyols must carry a label "excessive consumption may produce laxative effects"*
All Cargill’s polyols also comply with Commission Regulation (EU) N°231/2012 and amendments laying down specifications for food additives listed in Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) N° 1333/2008 for use in foodstuffs.
We recommend including erythritol (E968) in the ingredient declaration on the labels of finished products.
*Erythritol is completely safe for use in foodstuffs, but may induce mild gastro-intestinal side effects. However, these are not limited to polyols and are characteristic of a number of other natural food ingredients and foodstuffs (e.g. fruits, vegetables and dietary fibre). The tolerance to those effects depends on individual sensitivity, intake (single or multiple), food environment and frequency (adaptation).