After writing about Israeli startup DouxMatok‘s sugar reduction technology for nearly three years, we’ve finally gotten a chance to taste it — and you can too. Today the company launched two limited edition cocoa spreads made with its Incredo Sugar.
Unlike other sugar alternatives, Incredo Sugar uses actual sugar — just less of it. It turns out that sugar on its own doesn’t do a very good job of dispersing flavor on your tongue (which is why so much is added). To make it more efficient, DouxMatok attaches sugar to silica, which makes it diffuse more efficiently on your tongue. The result is that you can get the same amount of sweetness in a product using 40 percent less sugar.
To demonstrate, DouxMatok is now selling its Incredo Spreads for a limited time. The spreads, which are being made in North Carolina, come in two flavors: Hazlenut Cocoa and Dark Cocoa Salted Caramel. A serving of the Hazlenut Cocoa spread is 2 tbsp and has 190 calories with 11 grams of sugar. In contrast, a 2 tbsp serving of Nutella has 200 calories, and 21 grams of sugar.
DouxMatok sent me some samples to try out and you’d be hard-pressed to ever think they were “reduced sugar” products. The Dark Cocoa Salted Caramel spread in particular is quite delicious, and true to the marketing, a little goes a long way. It’s sweet, and complex and you don’t really need a lot to satisfy.
DouxMatok CEO Eran Baniel said by video chat last week that his company’s technology is more of a platform with applications beyond sugar. It could also be applied to other flavorings like salt, where using less also has health benefits. (A company called MicroSalt is already working on this.) Or it could be used to maximize existing supplies of ingredients such as real vanilla.
For those wanting to taste the Incredo Spreads on their own, a two-jar bundle can be purchased through the Incredo Sugar website for $22.95.
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