Better Juice, a game-changing food tech start-up, has teamed up with GEA Group, a leading supplier of food processing technology, to revolutionize the fruit juice industry. In a series of successful pilot trials, Better Juice and GEA set out to reduce the sugar content in natural berry and fruit juices, giving consumers a healthier option.
The trials took place at GEA’s innovation hub in Ahaus, Germany, where the GEA Better Juice Sugar Converter Skid was installed, equipped with Better Juice’s innovative sugar-reducing beads. The results were remarkable – the team was able to reduce sugar content by up to 50% in forest fruit juices like cherry, strawberry, and blueberry, all while preserving their natural taste and texture.
Better Juice’s sugar-reducing beads are made from non-GMO microorganisms that convert the juice’s simple sugars into prebiotic oligosaccharides and other non-digestible fibers, retaining the juice’s natural nutritional value. The treatment process was a success for both clear juices and concentrates, as well as pulp-retained juices.
“We’re thrilled with the positive response from the trial participants and the opportunity to bring these healthier fruit juice options to market,” said Gali Yarom, Better Juice co-founder and Co-CEO. “We’re in advanced discussions with several major US-based fruit juice companies and believe that sugar-reduced forest fruit juices will be available to consumers in the near future.”
Better Juice’s technology is designed to retain the pulp in the juice, preserving the fruit’s fiber-rich solids and delivering a satisfying texture that consumers love. “Our combined solution with Better Juice gives juice brands a competitive edge in the market, offering reduced-sugar fruit juices that are still nutritious and delicious,” said Michael Harenkamp, Sales Support Engineer for Non-Alcoholic Beverages for GEA.
