Key Takeaways
- Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America, Inc. and Shiru have formed a partnership to develop and commercialize sweet proteins for use in beverages and specialty products.
- The collaboration combines Shiru’s AI-driven discovery capabilities with Ajinomoto’s expertise in fermentation to bring innovative, natural ingredients to market.
- Sweet proteins offer a promising alternative to sugar, providing intense sweetness without affecting blood sugar levels, thus potentially benefiting diabetes management.
- Shiru’s Flourish™ platform will be used to discover new sweet proteins that are natural and food-safe.
- This initiative represents Ajinomoto’s entry into the sweet protein market, aiming to meet the growing consumer demand for healthier sweetening options.
Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America, Inc. and Shiru, a cutting-edge protein discovery company, have announced a strategic partnership to develop and commercialize sweet proteins for beverages and specialty products. This collaboration marks a significant step towards revolutionizing the food industry with natural, functional ingredients that address health and sustainability challenges.
A Strategic Collaboration
The partnership combines Shiru’s powerful AI-driven discovery capabilities with Ajinomoto’s extensive expertise in fermentation. Ajinomoto, a leader in amino acids and a key player in the global food industry, is venturing into the sweet protein market, which has long been regarded as a highly sought-after innovation for food manufacturers.
Shiru will leverage its Flourish™ platform to uncover additional natural, food-safe proteins not previously known to be sweet. This technology-driven approach aims to overcome the challenges associated with the onset, lingering taste effects, and stability of existing sweet proteins.
The Promise of Sweet Proteins
Sweet proteins offer a potentially sustainable alternative to traditional sugar and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) production. These proteins, derived from fruits and berries found near the equator, have the potential to deliver up to 5,000 times more sweetness than sugar. This capability could enable manufacturers to replace 70-90% of the sweetness currently provided by sugar in food and beverage products.
Unlike sugar, sweet proteins do not cause spikes in blood sugar levels, as they are metabolized differently by the body. Instead of triggering an insulin response, these proteins are digested like any other dietary protein, posing no harm to the gut microbiome. This property makes sweet proteins an attractive option for managing blood sugar levels and potentially mitigating the risks of diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases.
Expanding Ajinomoto’s Portfolio
Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition’s existing sweetener portfolio has a strong market position, supplying some of the world’s largest food and beverage companies. In addition to its focus on sweeteners, the company is known for its fermentation-produced products across various sectors, including biopharmaceuticals, sports and wellness nutrition, animal nutrition, and personal care industries.
Ryan Smith, Chief Growth Officer and Executive Vice President at Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition, emphasized the strategic nature of the partnership, stating, “Our partnership with Shiru is one of many examples of our approach to innovation. We believe in working with partners and solutions that uniquely complement our century plus of expertise in the ingredient space. As collective industry leaders, we believe this partnership will position both of us to be on the cutting-edge of what’s next in functional ingredients, specifically in protein, an increasing category of interest for consumers.”
