FASST: Feasibility Assessment of Side-stream-based Sweetener Technologies in Flanders

With the support of:

Evaluation of the technical, logistical, and economic feasibility of scaling up the production of healthy sugar sweeteners, with a focus on allulose, from starch-rich side streams of the Flemish food industry.

Why this project?

This project offers an innovative solution to the current low-value valorisation of starch-rich side streams, which are today primarily used as animal feed or as feedstock for methane production. By upgrading these residual streams into high-value food ingredients, their market value could increase by a factor of 10–20. This is particularly relevant in the context of the planned reduction of livestock numbers in Belgium and Western Europe, which will further constrain demand for animal feed and exert downward pressure on prices.

At the same time, demand for healthy, natural sweetening agents is increasing, driven by the rising prevalence of diabetes and obesity and a broader societal shift towards healthier lifestyles. Concerns regarding synthetic sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharin further reinforce this trend, thereby increasing the attractiveness of natural alternatives such as allulose.

In addition, allulose provides a sucrose-like body and texture and functions as a reducing sugar, enabling Maillard reactions (browning). This makes it particularly interesting from a technological perspective for applications in the food industry.

Research approach and expected results

This feasibility study (type CLUS-COOP-HS) examines the technical, logistical and economic feasibility of scaling up the production of healthy sugar sweeteners, using engineered yeast strains and starting from various starch-rich by-streams from the food industry, in Flanders. The existing knowledge gaps and uncertainties with a view to a potentially fundable follow-up project are systematically addressed through three work packages.

Work Package 1 focuses on process and strain optimisation for the production of allulose, with particular attention to the refinement of fermentation and purification processes. Work Package 2 addresses the supply, stability and processing framework of the by-streams: the availability, volumes, characteristics and logistical costs of the residual streams are mapped in order to ensure a reliable and consistent input stream. Work Package 3 investigates the business model, cost efficiency and market strategy, with the aim of assessing whether scaling up allulose production is economically feasible and whether a clear sales market can be developed in Flanders.

Target group

The results of the FASST project are relevant for:

Companies seeking to valorise their starch-rich side streams.
Food processing companies interested in incorporating allulose into their product portfolio as an alternative sugar and/or sweetener.
Ingredient producers with an interest in alternative sugars and/or sweeteners (licensing opportunities).

Allulose has the potential to become a key building block in the next generation of sugar-reduced and low-calorie food products. Companies interested in sourcing allulose in the future, in assessing the feasibility of 1:1 sugar replacement in their products, or in discussing specific R&D challenges related to formulation, processing, or cost efficiency are invited to contact Hannah Vandewiele.