D-Allulose

D-Allulose is a six-carbon ketose sugar first discovered in wheat leaves 80 years ago and naturally present in small quantities in foods like figs and kiwifruit.

According to statistics, the global D-allulose market reached USD 173 million in 2023 and is projected to hit USD 544 million by 2030. By then, China’s D-allulose market is also expected to exceed USD 100 million.

With sweetness close to sucrose (70%), stable chemical properties, excellent water solubility, and no lingering bitter aftertaste, D-allulose is regarded as the sucrose substitute with the greatest potential for large-scale applications.

Furthermore, D-allulose is nearly calorie-free, undergoes minimal metabolism upon ingestion, and does not affect blood glucose levels. Multiple studies confirm its effects in suppressing appetite and alleviating hyperglycemia, making it suitable for individuals with diabetes and obesity.

Regarding production methods, chemical synthesis is rarely used today due to high pollution and purification challenges. Current primary methods are biological approaches: enzymatic conversion and microbial fermentation.

Enzymatic conversion: Fructose is used as the raw material and catalyzed by approved *D-allulose-3-epimerase*, followed by decolorization, separation, purification, crystallization, and drying.

Microbial fermentation: Glucose or sucrose is fermented using E. coli AS10, then purified, crystallized, and dried.

Historically, allulose production required a two-step conversion process with a mere 10% yield per step. High purification costs due to fructose mixture separation resulted in steep market prices (currently ~¥30,000/ton), making it unaffordable for general consumers.

With optimizations in synthetic biology technology, production costs are projected to drop by 50%, potentially reaching ~¥10,000/ton in the future. This cost reduction will significantly expand downstream application scenarios.