Food Technology Magazine | Research
A Sweeter Pathway to Rare Sugar Production
Researchers at the University of California, Davis, are exploring the use of the bacteria Escherichia coli to produce the rare sugar psicose (allulose).
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Rare sugars are called rare for a reason—they're found in very small amounts in some fruits and a few other foods. Many rare sugars are niche products because of the challenges of producing them, yet once those hurdles have been overcome they have the potential to play a role in addressing the rising levels of diabetes and other diet-related diseases.
"Some plants can produce a trace amount, but not a lot," of rare sugars, explains Shota Atsumi, professor of chemistry at the University of Califor…
