Helping a start-up start up: using allulose to develop an indulgent low-fat ice cream

Scoops of ice cream from a tub

Here at Tate & Lyle, we’re proud to partner with companies of all sizes – from large multinationals, to family-run businesses and start-ups.

So we were excited when US start-up Suffield Foods came to us with a new formulation challenge: to develop a low-fat ice cream, not exceeding a target number of calories per serving, with low net carbs and nothing artificial – and that still tastes deliciously indulgent, of course!

“We approached Tate & Lyle because of their expertise in dairy science and sweetener systems and we were particularly interested in exploring the possibilities presented by allulose, of which Tate & Lyle were the pioneers,” said Anthony Monteleone, President and CEO of Suffield Foods.

Together with Suffield Foods, we evaluated a range of sweetening options and confirmed DOLCIA PRIMA® Allulose was the ideal ingredient for their needs, thanks to its clean, sweet taste, its ideal bulking properties for ice cream and its low net carb count. Allulose is a rare sugar found in nature in certain fruits including figs and raisins, as well as in maple syrup. Unlike sucrose, it has no impact on blood glucose or insulin levels and it is also virtually calorie free, with just 10% of the calories of sugar.

Buon Per Te ice cream

We supported Suffield Foods with finetuning the formulation and helping them get the product market-ready. This included identifying the right combination of sweeteners to complement allulose and ensure a sugar-like sweetness across the entire taste experience, as well as emulsifiers to give the foam structure typically delivered by sugar.

The result? Buon! Per Te™ ice cream – available in a range of flavours, including vanilla, salted caramel, blueberries & cream, and chocolate!

The ice cream is low fat, low calorie, low sugar and keto and diabetic friendly. With an increasing number of consumers seeking to reduce their sugar consumption and manage their weight, but who still want to include desserts and moments of indulgence in their diet, Buon! Per Te™ provides a healthier alternative to traditional ice cream products.

Buon Per Te product ingredient label

“Direct interaction with Tate & Lyle scientists was critical to our success”, Anthony added. “As a start-up without our own extensive R&D facilities, our collaboration with Tate & Lyle is invaluable and we are excited to continue our journey with them as we grow our business.”

For those of you reading this in the US, keep your eyes peeled for Buon! Per Te ice cream which will be hitting the shelves soon!

Disclaimer: The applicability of label claims, health claims, and the regulatory and intellectual property status of our ingredients varies by jurisdiction. Food and beverage manufacturers should obtain their own advice regarding all legal and regulatory aspects of our ingredients and their usage in their own products to determine suitability for their particular purposes, claims, freedom to operate, labelling or specific applications in any particular jurisdiction.

You might also be interested in:

What is allulose?
DOLCIA PRIMA® Allulose
Discover our dairy know-how
Follow the Buon! Per Te™ Facebook page for product updates