Oobli teams with Ingredion to jumpstart market for protein-based sugar alternatives

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Sugar alternative startup Oobli is partnering with ingredients giant Ingredion to scale production of its sweet proteins as the biotech company looks to expand the market for its plant-based sweeteners after nabbing regulatory approval late last year.

Through the partnership with Ingredion, Oobli can put its alternative sweeteners in front of more food companies interested in replacing or cutting down on sugar. The two companies have recently tested several co-developed products as they explore market opportunities for sweet proteins and other natural sweeteners like stevia.

“We're collaborating to look at how we can make sweets healthier and make them available to more people,” Oobli CEO Ali Wing said in an interview with Food Dive. “There's a lot of synergies that just make a ton of sense in this partnership. We might be able to help them complete solutions and vice versa.”

Oobli's protein-based sweeteners can replace the majority of sugar in food and beverages including sodas, baked goods and candies. Using two types of West African berries, the company's natural sweeteners are up to 2,000 times sweeter than sucrose and is marketed as a low-cost, better-for-you alternative to traditional sugar.

Through the partnership with Ingredion, Oobli can put its alternative sweeteners in front of more food companies interested in replacing or cutting down on sugar. The two companies have recently tested several co-developed products as they explore market opportunities for sweet proteins and other natural sweeteners like stevia.

“We've long been at the forefront of innovation in sugar reduction solutions, and our work with sweet proteins is an exciting new chapter in that journey,” Nate Yates, Ingredion vice president and general manager of sugar reduction and fiber fortification, said in a statement.

In December, Oobli became the first company to receive regulatory approval to sell sweet proteins as a sweetener option. The Food and Drug Administration designated two of Oobli's sweet proteins as “generally recognized as safe.”

Founded in 2014, Oobli's sweetener solutions have gained considerable momentum in the past few years as consumers increasingly value protein in their diets. Alongside the announcement with Ingredion, Oobli said it was also able to raise $18 million in funding from new investors.

While Oobli's sweeteners are not a significant source of protein because so little of the product is needed, Wing says the biological makeup of the proteins still provide some health benefits.

Sugars are small molecules which interact with the metabolic system differently than proteins and can be easily digested and absorbed into the bloodstream, raising the risk of cardiovascular disease and other health problems. Proteins, which are large molecules, are broken down before absorption and have been found to not upset blood glucose levels as much in healthy people.

Oobli's proteins mimic small molecules by activating taste receptors associated with sweetness. After it interacts with the tongue, “it is just a protein in your body,” Wing said.

“We need to ask our proteins to start to do more for us,” Wing said. “They shouldn't just be about building muscle. It should also be about sweetening.”

Sweet proteins also offer sustainability advantages, as sugar farming has been linked to widespread deforestation as the crop requires vast amounts of farmland to grow. Oobli's solution, however, isn't meant to “demonize” sugar, Wing said, but simply provide a new avenue for consumers to get the sweets they crave with a lower impact on health and the environment.

“What I want to do is give you the sweets you love, and do it in a way that makes it better for all of us,” she said.