Technology developed to reduce sugar in juice

Although fruit juices contain important vitamins and minerals, they can be loaded with sugar. An enzymatic technology developed by Better Juice may be able to reduce the amount of simple sugars in juice by turning them into fibres.

Whole fruits contain fibre, which helps the body to absorb sugar slowly and keep you full for longer. A single serving of some juices, such as apple or orange juice, can contain up to 25 g of sugar, and traditional juicing methods can reduce the amount of natural dietary fibre. This means the sugar content is quickly absorbed in the body and can contribute towards health issues such as tooth decay and obesity.

Better Juice, in collaboration with Hebrew University in Israel, developed a technology that harnesses a natural enzymatic activity in non-GMO microorganisms to convert a portion of the simple fructose, glucose and sucrose sugars into fibres and other non-digestible natural sugars.

“This natural, non-fermentative process occurs without adding or removing ingredients,” said Eran Blachinsky, PhD, Founder and CEO of Better Juice. “It also will not alter the flavour or aroma of the juice.”

However, Blachinsky explained that the process reduces the sweetness of the juice slightly and results in more of the fruit flavour.

The process involves one short and simple pass-through step in the juice-making process and works on all types of sugars, according to the company.

After conducting several trials with different beverage companies, Better Juice managed to reduce sugars in orange juice from 30% up to 80%. The company can now provide proof of concept for orange juice. The process is patent-pending, and Better Juice hopes to market the technology to fruit juice producers, cafes and restaurants.

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