Foodtech startup to launch carob-derived sweetener

FoodTech startup CarobWay will launch its clean-label, low glycemic index (GI) sweetener at IFT FIRST 2023 in Chicago. The sweetener will be demonstrated in gummy and energy bar prototypes to illustrate its capabilities.

The sweetener is made from deseeded pods of carob fruit and is available as a syrup which can be used in almost any food and beverage application, according to Udi Alroy, CarobWay CEO and co-founder. The fruit provides a mild caramel flavour.

The company runs a vertically integrated operation from farm to fork and is committed to fair trade practices. It uses the entire fruit —seeds and pulp — to create ingredients for food, supplements and cosmetics.

The composition of the sweetener includes various sugars, the polyol D-pinitol, trace soluble fibres and polyphenols. D-Pinitol is a naturally occurring compound found in plants, which has a sweetness about 50% that of sucrose.

According to Alroy, the sweetener can replace up to 100% of the sugars in the energy bar and about 40% of the sugars in gummies.