Key Attributes/Product Benefits
- Stabilizes Cell Structure - Trehalose has been reported to be the most effective sugar for stabilizing proteins against damage caused by desiccation or freezing.
- Mild Sweetness - Trehalose is 45% as sweet as sucrose when compared in 10% solution. Temporal profile of trehalose shows a rapid onset to sweetness with a persistence slightly longer than sucrose. The taste profile is nicely balanced, and the mild sweetness of trehalose can enhance other flavors in food systems.
- Non-reducing Sugar - Trehalose is a non-reducing sugar and therefore does not react with amino acids or proteins to initiate Maillard browning. Loss of flavor, color and nutrition resulting from the Maillard reaction are minimized with trehalose.
- Moisture Retention - Trehalose is stable at up to 94% relative humidity. The low hygroscopic nature of trehalose dihydrate results in a free-flowing, stable dry product. In food applications where sugars are in the crystalline form, the addition of trehalose can decrease moisture sensitivity and product caking.
- Preserves Flavors and Colors - Trehalose is clear in solution. It will not distort the natural color of the product. In some systems it has been shown to stabilize desired colors. The mild sweetness of trehalose can enhance flavors in food systems and can modulate off-flavors such as bitter notes.
- High Glass Transition Temperature - Trehalose has a very high glass transition temperature (79°C) compared to other disaccharides. It remains stable under a wide range of temperature extremes, providing additional stability to glassy systems into which it is incorporated. In addition, trehalose glasses are more resistant to moisture gain than many other saccharides in the glassy state.
- GRAS - Trehalose, as produced by the Hayashibara method, has been determined to be generally recognized as safe (GRAS) as a multipurpose ingredient for all uses in food in general accordance with the current good manufacturing practices. The safety determination was confirmed by an independent panel of experts and submitted to FDA as a GRAS notification. The FDA responded with a letter of "no objection". Trehalose may function as a coloring adjunct, flavor enhancer, humectant, nutritive sweetener, stabilizer and thickener, synergist or texturizer as defined in 21 CFR 170.3(o) - and is limited to levels that do not exceed current good manufacturing practices.
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