The technological aspects of D-allulose and its use as a sucrose replacement in strawberry topping production

This study aimed to assess the technological suitability of D-allulose as a sucrose substitute. Two case studies were conducted: one involving binary solutions of D-allulose and water, and the other involving a strawberry confectionery topping with 50% or 100% of sucrose substituted with D-allulose. D-allulose was found to have a comparable water activity reducing-ability to D-glucose and D-fructose, with a Norrish constant of 1.98 ± 0.12. The binary solutions behaved like Newtonian fluids, with a weaker dependence of viscosity on temperature than D-glucose or D-fructose solutions. The toppings exhibited a pseudoplastic behavior. The inclusion of D-allulose resulted in water molecules with greater mobility. These factors interfere with pectin‒pectin associations, resulting in softer toppings with lower viscosity and viscoelastic moduli values. However, no significant differences in sensory attributes were detected among the three formulations tested. Consequently, D-allulose is a promising substitute for sucrose in confectionery products.