Israeli food-tech startup Better Juice, which specializes in reducing sugars in fruit juice, recently announced it has expanded its operations to include fruit sorbets.The company will produce sorbets in a range of flavors, reducing their sugar content by 50%-70%, and their calories by 40%.

Favored by consumers worldwide as a snack to stay cool during hot summer days, fruit sorbets typically have naturally high sugar content. Sorbet’s glycemic index, which determines how much a food affects blood sugar levels, usually surpasses that of regular ice cream because it contains natural sugar from the fruits, added sugars or sweeteners and no fat. This leads to quicker absorption of sugars into the bloodstream.

“Even products claiming zero added sugar still house approximately 6-10 percent sugar from the fruit juice concentrate alone,” explained Gali Yarom, co-founder and CEO of Better Juice.

“Better Juice succeeded in creating delicious sorbets with as little as 2% percent sugar, while retaining all the fruity notes and flavor, having fewer calories and a lower glycemic index,” Yarom added. 

Sugar reducing technology

Founded in 2018, Better Juice’s enzymatic technology is based on non-GMO microorganisms that naturally transform fruit juice’s composition of sucrose, glucose and fructose into low-calorie sweeteners and other non-digestible fibers, without impacting their natural complex of vitamins and nutrients. 

As a result, the sugars are less digestible and less absorbed. 

In order to apply the technology on fruit sorbet, the company adapted it to process the frozen treat’s core ingredients: fruit concentrates and purées.

“This accomplishment showcases our ability to broaden the scope of applications of our technology,” said Eran Blachinsky, co-founder and CTO of Better Juice.

“Its potential applies to any product that contains real fruit components, such as jams and fruit roll-ups, which are also in the pipeline for a Better Juice sugar reduction makeover.”

Scalable implementation

Using Better Juice’s technology, fruit sorbet manufacturers will now be able to reduce the sugar content of their products, using small, easy to use plug-in units that contain the patented immobilized enzymes.

The sorbet makers will also have the option of sourcing low-sugar fruit concentrates from juice manufacturers that have agreements with Better Juice. 

Better Juice said it will initially commercialize its solution in America, having obtained Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status from the FDA, allowing it to sell its products in the US. It plans to extend its services to Europe and other regions in the future.

The startup will showcase their low-sugar sorbet at the IFT FIRST Expo in Chicago, on July 15-17.