SEOUL - South Korea has become a top testing ground for the sweetener allulose, a potential rival to sugar substitutes like stevia that is finding favour among both local food influencers and big domestic food companies, which are ramping up production.
In South Korea, however, it has caught on more widely and is now easily available in supermarkets for less than 10,000 won per 700ml bottle. But even as top South Korean food and beverage companies Daesang and Samyang invest in new production facilities, health experts warn that more research is needed into the long-term health effects of allulose.
It does, however, have slight benefits for weight loss and can be helpful to individuals with diabetes, she added. Earlier in 2024, it opened a 140 billion won factory that can produce 13,000 tonnes of allulose annually, more than quadruple its previous output.