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Europe gets a new natural sugar from the „SAVANNA“:
EU Commission gives cellobiose the green light for sale and consumption.

Cellobiose is a lactose-free sugar +++ It may be sold in Europe from June +++ The company SAVANNA Ingredients is the first to produce the new sugar +++ Cellobiose is extracted exclusively in Germany – from the domestic sugar beet +++ Cellobiose is a natural sugar – it is naturally allergen-free +++

Consumers in Germany and Europe are getting a new natural, vegan sugar in the form of cellobiose, which is produced by the company SAVANNA Ingredients in Elsdorf. The Official Journal of the European Union (L 126/41) published the following implementing regulation (EU) 2023/943 of the European Commission on 12 May: „Cellobiose may be placed on the market in the Union. Cellobiose is included in the Union list of novel foods in the implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470.“ This means that the EU Commission has granted cellobiose authorisation as a new food (novel food). This allows cellobiose to be sold and consumed in Germany and Europe (from June 2023).

Cellobiose is a twofold sugar (disaccharide) and occurs naturally in small quantities, e.g. in honey or maize. SAVANNA obtains cellobiose from sugar beet. It is therefore free of allergens. Cellobiose has comparable food technological properties to lactose. SAVANNA Managing Director Dr. Timo Koch: „Cellobiose is a natural sugar with special properties, comparable to those of lactose, but without allergens. It could be used to replace lactose for people suffering from lactose intolerance. It can also intensify flavour in product recipes and protect valuable ingredients, flavours and vitamins. In nature, this special sugar only occurs in very small quantities. We have accessed this way of nature and developed a process to produce this rare and special sugar on a large scale from beet sugar.“ Cellobiose has a mild sweetening power of 20 per cent compared to sucrose. It is particularly suitable in sausage and meat products as a lactose substitute and as a food supplement. It has better sensory properties compared to other lactose substitutes.

The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture has funded the development of cellobiose as a research project of SAVANNA Ingredients within the framework of the National Reduction Strategy for Salt, Fat and Sugar. In addition to SAVANNA and the company Pfeifer & Langen, other companies (KRUEGER GmbH & Co. KG) and universities (RWTH Aachen, HOWL) are involved.

Cellobiose fact sheet

• Sweetening power: 20 percent compared to sucrose
• The glycaemic index is 27, their insulin index is 13
• Calorific value: 4 kcal/g (declaration required by law, analogous to sugar)
• Proven to be tooth-friendly (certified)
• Certifications:
  • FSSC 22000 / ISO 22000
  • Kosher Parve Certification
  • Halal Certification

Background SAVANNA Ingredients

SAVANNA Ingredients GmbH is a spin-off from the Innovation Centre of the sugar manufacturer Pfeifer & Langen (parent company). The young company in Elsdorf is specialised in the development of so-called functional carbohydrates. SAVANNA develops new types of sugar with specific nutritional properties. SAVANNA is based in Elsdorf near Cologne. It is a company of Pfeifer & Langen IHKG, a leading European food group.

Contact:
Andreas Müller
andreas.traugott.mueller@pfeifer-langen-ihkg.com
Phone: +49 221 4980 479

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