The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) and Tate & Lyle, a leading global food and beverage ingredient supplier, are convening key stakeholders and public health officials in Washington this week to discuss allulose, an emerging, sugar replacement ingredient.

This event provides an opportunity to discuss the extent of which ingredients like allulose could replace the traditional caloric sugars found in many foods and beverages, which could drive significant calorie reduction in the American diet.

The Food and Drug Administration has recently published its decision to exclude allulose from the sugar and added sugars lines on the nutrition facts panel (NFP), making it a meaningful new ingredient to reduce sugar and calories in foods and beverages. Allulose is a rare sugar found in figs and raisins with only 0.4 calories per gram and has no effect on blood glucose and insulin levels and does not promote tooth decay. These key facts led the FDA to making their science-based decision on its placement within the nutrition facts panel, where now allulose is only included in the carbohydrate line of the NFP.

The PHA and Tate & Lyle co-hosted event brings new attention to rare sugars as healthy alternatives to full calorie sugars. This event provides an opportunity to discuss the extent of which ingredients like allulose could replace the traditional caloric sugars found in many foods and beverages, which could drive significant calorie reduction in the American diet. Public health officials, innovative food manufacturers, and medical experts joined the conversation, one that is increasingly important as obesity and other diet-related chronic diseases become more prevalent.

“PHA is focused on supporting marketplace transformation that doubles consumption of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and legumes and halves consumption of added sugar,” said Nancy Roman, President and CEO of Partnership for a Healthier America. “We look forward to engaging in a robust discussion of how allulose can be one way to reduce the calories coming from added sugar in American diets and appreciate Tate & Lyle's leadership in this space.”

“Over the years, our environment has shifted to promote obesogenic habits. People are consuming greater amounts of energy-dense foods and moving far less than in the past,” said Dr. Holly Wyatt, Professor at University of Alabama Birmingham’s Department of Nutritional Sciences. “Reducing added sugars through food formulation modifications is one way to help combat this epidemic. In this regard, allulose is another tool in the public health toolbox.”

“Tate & Lyle has been leading the conversation on allulose in the US for a number of years, educating healthcare providers on the ingredient’s benefits, and working with food and beverage companies to develop great tasting, better for-you-options. We’re working every day to help our customers formulate lower or no sugar alternatives that provide the full sugar experience of sweet taste, texture, caramelization and more,” said Nick Hampton, CEO at Tate & Lyle. “We welcomed the opportunity to work with the Partnership for a Healthier America to accelerate the impact we can make together towards our shared goals.”

About Partnership for a Healthier America

Partnership for a Healthier America is a nationwide nonprofit that leverages the power of the private sector to transform the marketplace and increase physical activity so that all children grow up healthy and free from obesity and diet-related chronic disease. Since its founding in 2010, PHA has worked with over 300 partners to identify opportunities for improvement and celebrate voluntary changes to business practices that enhance choice or lead to the development of new norms and behavior around food and physical activity. For more information about PHA, please visit www.ahealthieramerica.org and follow PHA on Twitter @PHAnews.

About Tate & Lyle:
Tate & Lyle is a global provider of solutions and ingredients for food, beverage and industrial markets.

Tate & Lyle operates through two global divisions, Food & Beverage Solutions and Primary Products, supported by the Innovation and Commercial Development and Global Operations teams. Food & Beverage Solutions is focused on growth by building leading positions globally in the categories of beverages, dairy, and soups, sauces and dressings. Primary Products is focused on delivering steady earnings and generating cash.

Food & Beverage Solutions consists of: Texturants, including speciality starches; Sweeteners, including low- and no-calorie sweeteners; and a Health and Wellness portfolio comprising mainly speciality fibres; and Stabilisers and Functional Systems, which are bespoke ingredient blends that ensure foods retain their structure.

Primary Products consists of high-volume sweeteners, industrial starches and fermentation products (primarily acidulants). It also sells co-products from the corn milling process as animal nutrition.

Tate & Lyle is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol TATE.L. American Depositary Receipts trade under TATYY. In the year to 31 March 2019, Tate & Lyle sales totalled £2.8 billion. For more information, please visit http://www.tateandlyle.com or follow Tate & Lyle on Twitter or Linkedin.