The new one-to-one, natural, drop-in sugar replacer helps cut sugar load in food applications.

Food-tech start-up B.T. Sweet Ltd has unveiled Cambya – a plant-based, one-to-one drop-in sugar replacer for multiple food applications. The Cambya sweetening platform lets consumers have their delectable cake and eat it, guilt-free, without compromising on flavour or other organoleptic qualities – shortcomings common with other natural sugar-reduction methods.

A guilt-free sweet sensation 

Based on soluble fibres, monk fruit, and select botanicals, the proprietary formula boasts a one-to-one equivalent to sugar both in body and taste, and offers a rich source of naturally derived beneficial fibres. Cambya delivers optimal sweetening capacity, without the need for masking agents. Most importantly, it does not leave any lingering aftertastes.

“While natural sweeteners are gaining popularity, the tendency for some of them to give off a bitter lingering aftertaste limits their use,” said Gil de-Picciotto, co-inventor of B.T. Sweet. “Cambya applies a unique process to overcome these organoleptic challenges by targeting the hydrophobic sites on natural sweeteners, rendering them less accessible to flavour receptors. This, in turn, delivers sugar-like sweetening and bulking effect.”

The breakthrough sweetening platform is the result a three-year R&D campaign of mixing and matching a broad range of fibres, natural sweeteners, and botanicals. The team also explored different development techniques to ensure high solubility and superior blending capacity for smooth integration into food and beverage products, all with minimal processing.

“By design, our unique sweetening system embodies all the properties of table sugar in taste and texture, but actually contains zero added sucrose or artificial additives, and adds better-for-you attributes,” enthused Yoav Gaon, CEO and Business Development Manager of B.T. Sweet. “Our goal is to bridge the gap between consumers’ desire for indulgence and the drive to curb sugar intake. This solution also helps food and beverage makers reformulate their products, clean up labels, and remove undesirable ‘high sugar’ warnings currently mandated in numerous countries.”

Sugar substitutes are booming

Four in 10 consumers in Innova Market Insights’ global Health and Nutrition Survey in 2020 claimed to have decreased their sugar consumption over the studied 12-month period, with prevention of health conditions the leading reason, followed by weight management and dental health.

As consumers increasingly place health and well-being as the focus of their snack and beverage choices, and with new legislations and tax levies being placed on sugar, manufacturers are actively seeking viable means of reformulating their products to reduce sugar loads. According to a recent USDA report, there has been a stagnation in sugar consumption in 2020, with a concurrent increase in alternative sweeteners, especially in all-natural and plant-based products. The global sugar-substitute market is projected to be worth US$10.2 billion by 2026.

B.T. Sweet’s formulation can meet the functional needs of a versatile range of food applications. It is based on soluble fibres, which help improve digestion and increase satiety. The spray-dried composition is based on a short-list of plant-based botanical ingredients and contain no GMOs.

“We can say, quite literally, that Cambya’s proof is in the pudding,” asserted Dagi Pekatch, the company’s founder and chairman. “We have lab-tested our formulation in various confectionary applications, including ice cream and pudding, with very encouraging and mouthwatering results. Cambya will be produced in Europe and several CPG brands already are line-testing it.”

Plug-n-play convenience

Cambya runs on a ‘plug and play’ business model, helping established food companies reformulate their CPG brands to raise them to higher wellness ideals. The company also serves new players and start-ups developing novel food innovations. Cambya’s model gives the manufacturer flexibility to completely switch to its sweetening system or balance it with standard sugar or other sweeteners, according to desired levels.

“We have a working proof-of-concept that confirms applicability in dry, wet-hot, and cold applications,” added Gaon. “This significantly shortens lab-and-line food trial time and costs. Cambya offers a ‘one-fits-all’ solution, just like sugar.”

Cambya’s story

Founded in 2019, serial industrial entrepreneur Pekatch was showing early signs of developing type 2 diabetes. After studying the negative health impacts of high sugar consumption, Pekatch approached colleagues Gilles Gamon, a veteran in the sugar reduction industry, and food technology experts Yoel Benesh, Gil de-Picciotto, and Gitay Gryger, PhD. The team pooled their knowledge to develop a game-changing, palate-gratifying botanical sugar substitute. The company has raised seed venture funding and currently operates a production plant in Europe.