New Zero Waste Sweetener Developed From Biblical Superfood

An Israeli startup has developed a zero waste, low-glycemic (little impact on blood sugar levels) sweetener made from the ancient carob tree.

CarobWay uses smart technologies such as sensors to grow carob trees more quickly, increase yields, automate fertilization and irrigation, and improve taste and flavor. 

Traditional carob farming itself, on the other hand, has barely changed since biblical times, with harvesters using long poles to beat the branches and dislodge the brown seed-bearing pods.

The startup’s sweetener is made of the entire carob fruit, and the company eliminates waste by using the seeds and pulp to create other ingredients for food, food supplements, and cosmetics. 

It will present the sweetener in a gummi and an energy bar prototype to illustrate its capabilities. 

The sweetener includes D-pinitol, a sugar that regulates insulin levels and is a good replacement for diabetics and pre-diabetics.

“Our natural sugar replacer provides a holistic solution based on all the goodness found in carob,” states Udi Alroy, CEO and co-founder of CarobWay.

“You can plug it easily into almost any food and beverage application. Thanks to our extensive dendrological [study of trees] research, we chose specific varieties of the carob tree that grow locally and whose fruit provides a mild, pleasing caramel flavor,” he said. 

“Many carob sweeteners can have a faint bitter note, but CarobWay’s sweetener is clean and flavorful. This zero- waste sweetener is made from deseeded pods and available as a syrup.”

CarobWay, based in Ness Ziona, will present the sweetener for the first time in July at an annual conference in Chicago of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a community of food professionals and technologists that aim to improve food for everyone.