What is Trehalose? Trehalose is a natural sugar. Many people think that trehalose, as the name suggests, is extracted from seaweed, but this is not the case. It is present in most foods and organisms, such as mushrooms, bread, beer, shrimp, and more commonly found in daily life.
Strictly speaking, trehalose (FDA) does not fall under the category of low sugars and is considered regular food according to national regulations. Trehalose (FDA) is a disaccharide composed of two glucose molecules. It is a non-reducing sugar with a chemical structure and properties similar to sucrose. However, trehalose (FDA) has lower sweetness and more functions than sucrose. Due to its resistance to acid and high temperature, trehalose is deemed useful by the food industry. It holds the status of Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is considered a novel food in the European Union (EU).
Sweetness
The sweetness of trehalose (FDA) is 45% that of sucrose. Its mild and refreshing sweetness is unmatched by sucrose. When blended with food ingredients, the light and low sweetness of trehalose (FDA) can highlight the original flavors of the food materials.
Non-browning
Trehalose (FDA) is a non-reducing sugar, and even when coexisting with amino acids and proteins, it does not undergo Maillard reactions or browning under heat. This makes it highly suitable for food and beverages that require heat processing.
Heat and acid resistance
Trehalose (FDA) is the most stable natural disaccharide. It barely decomposes even when heated at 100℃ for 30 minutes under pH 3.0 conditions, whereas sucrose would decompose by more than 40% under the same conditions.
Solubility and crystallization
The solubility of trehalose varies significantly with temperature; at 80℃ its solubility is 365.9g/100g water, while at 20℃ its solubility is 68.9g/100g water. Trehalose (FDA) has excellent crystallization properties. It can crystallize even in the presence of large amounts of other sugars, and the size of the crystalline particles is easily controlled. These superior crystallization properties do not diminish even under acidic conditions.
Low hygroscopicity
Some foods are not inherently hygroscopic, but their hygroscopicity increases significantly after adding sugar substances like sucrose, affecting the flavor and shelf life of the food. However, even at 95% relative humidity, trehalose (FDA) does not absorb moisture, making it suitable for use in sugar cubes, sugar coatings, and as an excipient for highly hygroscopic powdered foods such as fermented milk powder.
High glass transition temperature
Trehalose (FDA) has a glass transition temperature of up to 115℃. This characteristic, combined with its processing stability and low hygroscopicity, makes trehalose (FDA) an excellent high-temperature protectant for high-protein materials and an ideal drying flavor preservative.
EN
jp 
ko 
fr 
es 
ru 
ms 
id 
bn 
