“Sugar 2.0”: Global BioLife unveils “healthier” sugar made from fruit and vegetable compounds

26 Jul 2019 --- Global BioLife Inc. has developed a low-glycemic, “naturally-modified” sugar, which is touted as being a healthier sweetener alternative. Coined Laetose, the product boasts identical taste, texture and shelf-life to sugar, while offering 30 percent fewer calories and a glycemic index score of 53 in comparison to a score of 100 in glucose. Moreover, clinical trial results showed that Laetose may reduce sugar’s negative impact on the body. “Laetose was specifically designed to address the global need to fight diabetes and obesity by reducing sugar consumption,” Daryl L. Thompson, Director of Scientific Initiatives for Global Biolife, tells NutritionInsight.

“Laetose is sugar how nature designed it. It contains key insulin-mimetic compounds found in fruits and vegetables that make sugar healthier for the human body,” Thompson explains. “You can think of is as ‘Sugar 2.0.’ It is more than a low-calorie sugar, but rather a solution to sugar itself in that it was specifically formulated to fight disease. Laetose tastes and performs exactly like sugar as a food ingredient but it is better accepted by the body.”

“Sugar 2.0” was developed by Thompson, who was invited to present the new formula to health ambassadors from around the world at Harvard Medical School’s Global Health Catalyst Summit, an annual event that focuses on initiatives to eliminate global health disparities.

“Laetose is sugar that is recombined with natural anti-glycemic compounds found naturally in fruits and vegetables to make a much safer product. Everything in nature that is high in sugar and good for us contains anti-glycemic compounds. These can be grapes, oranges, cranberries and blueberries. Although they are high in sugar, they contain unique compounds that make sugar harmless by reducing inflammation caused by high sugar consumption. We isolate these compounds and simply add them back to purified sugar. The process is very similar to how candy is manufactured,” Thompson says.

“Laetose is sugar that is recombined with natural anti-glycemic compounds found naturally in fruits and vegetables.Currently, the product is being reviewed by most of the largest sugar manufacturers in the world, he adds.

Global BioLife Inc is a subsidiary of Singapore eDevelopment Ltd and seeks to leverage its scientific know-how and intellectual property to provide solutions to problems that have been plaguing the biomedical field for decades. The company pledges a concerted effort in R&D, drug discovery and development for the prevention, inhibition and treatment of neurological, oncology and immuno-related diseases.

From testing to market
At the event, Thompson also announced the completion of human trials on Laetose, conducted at one of the foremost laboratories in the world to measure glycemic index. Additional independent testing conducted at Charles River Laboratories showed that Laetose halts stimulation of lipopolysaccharide inflammation, which leads to Metabolic Endotoxemia, the root of metabolic-driven disease.

In this space, Global BioLife has also partnered with Quality Candy Company LLC to form a joint venture, named Sweet Sense Inc., to produce and market Laetose. Sweet Sense refined the formula at its production facility and created a scalable manufacturing process for the ingredient.

“Clinical trials are complete, patents have been filed and the product is ready for full-scale production,” says Thompson. Sweet Sense is looking to license Laetose and is sourcing for companies with the ability to introduce Laetose into multiple food products around the world.

However, shareholders and potential investors are advised to exercise caution when dealing or trading in the securities. In particular, there is no certainty or assurance that Laetose will be licensed or come close to monetization. Shareholders and potential investors should consult their stockbrokers, bank managers, solicitors or other professional advisers if they have any doubt about actions they should take, the company says.

Aside from being low in calories, some sugar alternatives are also being hailed for their nutritional benefits.Sugar reduction drives sweetener market
Sugar reduction has become an established industry “megatrend,” driven by rising consumer awareness on the adverse health outcomes relating to high sugar consumption, as well as sugar taxes driving product reformulation. This is stimulating NPD as industry is turning towards alternatives to keep up with the demand for healthier, yet just as sweet, formulations. The rise of sweeteners such as allulose, stevia and sucralose provide a solution and, aside from being low in calories, some sugar alternatives are also being hailed for their nutritional benefits.

On a different note however, the world’s “most widely used” artificial sweetener was flagged for potentially being not adequately proven to be safe for human consumption, by a University of Sussex study. The team detailed serious flaws in the reassurance provided in 2013 by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) about the safety of aspartame – more commonly known as Nutrasweet. 

By Kristiana Lalou