Cargill, Hayashibara to Introduce Trehalose Sweetener

Cargill (Minneapolis, MN) and Hayashibara Co. Ltd. of Japan have signed a letter of intent to evaluate the trehalose market in the Americas to determine the feasibility of Cargill establishing a manufacturing and marketing business for the multi-functional sweetener. As part of this evaluation, Cargill has been granted an exclusive distributorship to market food grade trehalose throughout the Americas, effective immediately. The company also will offer a pharmaceutical grade.

Trehalose is a naturally occurring sugar with many functional characteristics. It is about 45% as sweet as sucrose. Trehalose has a potentially large market since it can be used as a component of sweeteners, seasonings, preserved and frozen foods and soft drinks, and as a moisture retainer in cosmetics and a preservative in pharmaceutical products.

"Numerous attempts have been made by others to produce trehalose at low cost, but none have been commercially viable," said Alan Richards, Ph.D., VP of Hayashibara International. "Using Hayashibara's expertise in carbohydrate chemistry and enzyme technology, Hayashibara Biochemical Laboratories (HBL) has developed a unique process for high-yield, large-scale production of trehalose directly from starch at a fraction of the cost of existing methods."

Both companies have performed extensive applications testing and are engaged in an ongoing joint research program for trehalose.

"If the two companies determine that the trehalose market and business conditions are suitable, Cargill will be granted exclusive rights to the Hayashibara technology in the Americas," Leslie said. "Cargill will then design and construct a large-scale trehalose production facility that will revolutionize the cost of the product."

Trehalose produced by the Hayashibara technology has been self-affirmed as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) as a multiple-use direct additive for general use in foods. A GRAS Notification submission has been filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and is currently under review by the agency.

Edited by Scott Hegenbart, managing editor, Food Ingredients Online