Biotech-Produced Tagatose Could Taste Like Sugar With Less Calorie Impact
TL;DR
A Tufts-led team engineered E. coli to convert glucose into tagatose, a rare sugar that sweetens like sugar but offers a lower glycemic impact and reduced calories. Regulators have allowed a reduced caloric value for tagatose on labels (1.5 kcal/g) and several trials show improvements in HbA1c and fasting glucose; lab results suggest high conversion efficiency (up to ~95%), but industrial-scale production and cost-competitiveness remain unresolved. Some users report GI side effects at higher doses, and final widespread adoption will hinge on scalable manufacturing and clear regulatory guidance.
Topics:healthscience#biotech-production#glycemic-control#regulatory-labeling#science#sweetener#tagatose
- Scientists Created a Sweetener as Tasty as Sugar That Doesn’t Spike Insulin or Add Extra Calories The Daily Galaxy
- Scientists Found a Sugar That's Sweet, Low-Calorie, And Doesn't Spike Insulin ScienceAlert
- Sugar alternative bakes like real thing and with far fewer calories, researchers insist Fox News
- Scientists May Have Finally Found the “Holy Grail” of Sugar Substitutes SciTechDaily
- This sweetener tastes just like sugar — but has fewer calories and is better for teeth and diabetes New York Post
Want the full story? Read the original reporting
Read on The Daily Galaxy