Using Biotransformation to Develop Low-Calorie Sweeteners and Functional Jujube Foods

Jujube juice has a sugar problem

Jujube juice is sweet. That is the point. It is also the problem. Red dates carry enough sugar to make formulations taste great, but that sugar blocks jujube from low-calorie categories. Enzymes can change that.

Why this matters for formulators

Most formulators buy D-allulose as a standalone sweetener. This paper offers a different approach. Instead of adding allulose to a jujube product, you produce it inside the juice. The work was published in Food Science & Nutrition (DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.963).

What the study did

The team used D-glucose isomerase and D-allulose 3-epimerase on concentrated jujube juice. The enzymes converted glucose and fructose into D-allulose. Under optimal reaction conditions, the juice reached 110 g/L of D-allulose. That is a meaningful concentration for a functional sweetener.

The glucose and fructose numbers moved in the right direction. Glucose fell by 13.4%. Fructose fell by 18.1%. The sugar profile shifted toward a low-calorie sweetener.

Key findings

Here are the numbers that matter.

Sugar	Change after biotransformation
Glucose	−13.4%
Fructose	−18.1%
D-Allulose	Produced at 110 g/L

The study also tested what D-allulose does after oral intake. It induced GLP-1 release. It activated vagal afferent signaling. Those two effects led to reduced food intake and improved glucose tolerance. For a sweetener, that is a strong functional story.

What it means for manufacturers

You can build a reduced-calorie jujube product without stripping the fruit's identity. The enzymatic step converts the fruit's own sugars into a low-calorie sweetener. That simplifies sourcing. You are not buying D-allulose separately. You are choosing enzymes and process conditions.

For ingredient buyers, the practical questions shift. Which enzyme preparations are stable in jujube juice? What reaction time fits your existing line? How much concentrated juice can you process economically? The study used concentrated jujube juice, so solids loading is part of the equation.

The functional claims also matter. GLP-1 release and vagal activation are not abstract concepts. They are measurable responses with consumer-facing benefits. Reduced food intake and better glucose tolerance resonate in weight management and diabetes-friendly products.

Frequently asked questions

Which enzymes turn jujube sugars into D-allulose?

D-glucose isomerase and D-allulose 3-epimerase. They work together to convert glucose and fructose in jujube juice into D-allulose.

How much D-allulose did the process produce?

110 g/L. The process also reduced glucose by 13.4% and fructose by 18.1%.

Does oral D-allulose affect appetite and blood sugar?

In this paper, oral D-allulose induced GLP-1 release and activated vagal afferent signaling. That reduced food intake and improved glucose tolerance.

The path forward

Jujube has always been a functional fruit. Now its sugar stream can become a functional sweetener. The enzymes are available. The reaction works in concentrated juice. The next step is pilot-scale validation in your own production line.