DouxMatok, a developer of targeted flavor delivery technologies, has announced US$8.1m in funding to commercialize its patented sugar reduction solution by the end of 2018. Tests conducted by food and beverage multi-nationals have confirmed that, when using DouxMatok sugars, they can reduce up to 40 percent of the sugar content in their products, while retaining the same taste profile, reports the company’s press release. The funding round was led by Israel’s largest Venture Capital fund, Pitango, with the participation of existing shareholders, including Gil Horsky and FoodLab Capital.

“There are many ways DouxMatok can be used in commercial products and were working with several big food and beverage multinationals on integrating DouxMatok into some of their leading products and rebalancing their recipes,” Eran Baniel, CEO of DouxMatok

Baniel points out that DouxMatok can be used across a wide variety of food categories and has seen some exciting results in areas such as chocolate, baked goods, dairy and cereals. The company is also able to apply it to some beverages, Baniel adds.

Enhancing sweetness
By maximizing the efficiency of sugar delivery to the taste buds and enhancing the perception of sweetness, DouxMatok significantly reduces the caloric value and sugar levels of products, the company claims. It says of sweetness is stronger, and lingers longer, resulting in higher satisfaction and reduced craving for sweetness.

Unlike sugar substitutes or artificial sweeteners, DouxMatok carries no aftertaste and is produced using sustainable green chemistry principles while being fully compliant with FDA and EU regulations, the company points out.
 
Following successful sensory validation and pilot testing, the company is currently working closely with leading food and beverage multi-nationals to scale up and commercialize the first consumer products with DouxMatok’s sugar reduction technology.
 
DouxMatok aims to become leading brand
“This round of financing facilitates speeding up our scale-up and commercialization. We hope that DouxMatok will become a trusted leading brand in the efforts to reduce sugar consumption to healthier levels, so we can continue to enjoy the foods we love,” says Baniel. “Given all the investment opportunities they explore, we’re proud that Pitango chose DouxMatok, and are already contributing to our speedy progress. We are grateful to Gil Horsky and FoodLabCapital, our existing investors, for their continued support.”
 
“The potential of DouxMatok’s technology is immense,” says Ittai Harel, Managing General Partner, Pitango. “Having been tested independently by third-party evaluators, as well as by major food manufacturers, the company has proven its ability to achieve desired sweetness level with significantly reduced sugar content. Major food manufacturers are actively seeking healthy viable alternatives to the high levels of added sugar currently in use and we are confident DouxMatok will become an enabler and trusted partner to the industry, and for consumers, in this mission.”

“More and more consumers are concerned with sugar consumption due to obesity, diabetes and other health problems,” Baniel says. “Food and beverage companies are listening and trying to come up with ways to reduce sugar in their products while trying to keep the same taste. The opportunities for sugar reduction are plentiful in regards to the demand from consumers and CPG companies. We are responding with our sugar-based sugar reduction solution and helping sugar refineries at the same time by creating partnerships with them, ourselves and the food companies.”

“We are working to commercialize our sugar reduction technology and bring products integrated with DouxMatok to shelves by late 2018,” adds Baniel. “The future is bright for our kind of tech, especially since it can be applied to other ingredients, such as salt and vanilla. We believe this will help provide great tasting healthier foods and make available expensive short-in-supply ingredients down the line.”