Tagatose, a monosaccharide that has gained popularity for its ability to meet calorie-reduction targets without compromising taste, texture, or function, is now the first sweetener to attain NutraStrong Prebiotic Verified certification.

Bonumose, Inc., a producer of tagatose, and ASR Group, its distributor, announced that tagatose is also the first ingredient to earn this prebiotic certification. This independent endorsement further establishes tagatose as an ideal ingredient for food, beverage and nutraceutical manufacturers seeking sweetener solutions that meet consumer demand for functional, lower-calorie products.  

As the global appetite for improved gut health continues to grow, demand for prebiotics is increasing because of the important role they play in nourishing beneficial gut bacteria and promoting digestive health. In fact, according to Innova Market Insights, new product launches featuring prebiotic ingredients enjoyed a 6% CAGR between 2017-2023.

"Today's consumers want their foods and beverages to work harder for them, so it's no surprise they're seeking prebiotic ingredients," said Karen Weikel, Ph.D., director of nutrition science at Bonumose. "Tagatose is a revolutionary product, because for the first time, we can offer manufacturers a sweetener solution that provides prebiotic benefits, while maintaining the sweetness consumers desire."

NutraStrong Prebiotic Verified is an industry-spanning program that classifies products with relevant and specific standards for each product category. These standards set a baseline of quality and testing to ensure the market is providing customers with quality prebiotic products.

"Bonumose's commitment to both the quality and science required for prebiotic certification serve as an example for the industry," said Kevin Yan, vice president of certifications and analytics at SGS Nutrasource, the company that administers NutraStrong certification. "By becoming a certified ingredient, Bonumose gained access to the Prebiotic Certified program for all products utilizing their tagatose. This access gives brands the ability to certify and promote their own usage of tagatose, highlighting the benefits of such quality ingredients."

"When the Global Prebiotic Association conceived of the Prebiotic Verified program as part of the NutraStrong umbrella, it was to create a reward for suppliers and brands with substantiated prebiotic products—those that invested in quality and science and those that formulated wisely," said Len Monheit, executive director of the Global Prebiotic Association. "We are truly excited that the inaugural ingredient through the program is tagatose and that the NutraStrong Prebiotic Verified program now includes an ingredient that brands can leverage."

Tagatose's prebiotic properties are just one of the many benefits it provides to manufacturers. Compared to sucrose, tagatose is 90% as sweet with 60% fewer calories. It tastes and performs similar to sucrose across a wide variety of applications. Because it has a low glycemic index of 3, tagatose does not raise blood glucose levels when consumed on its own. It is also Ketogenic Certified, Non-GMO Project Verified, and Plant-Based Certified.

"We believe it's important to provide manufacturers with a variety of sweeteners to meet all of their needs," said Jim Kappas, vice president of specialty ingredients at ASR Group. "Tagatose is a fitting solution for manufacturers who seek to make every calorie count with ingredients that taste great and provide functional benefits."  

ASR Group will be exhibiting at Natural Products Expo West 2024, March 13–16 in Anaheim, California. Attendees interested in learning more about the benefits of tagatose and sampling gummies made with tagatose can visit ASR Group at booth #1013.

To learn more about tagatose, visit tagatose.com.