A Sibiu-based company will start producing in 2011 the isomalt-made sugar-free sweets for people suffering from diabetes, Carmen Socaciu, PhD, of the Cluj-Napoca University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (USMV) told newswire Agerpres. The Isomalt hard candy is the result of a research project awarded under the National Program ''Innovation''.

Socaciu's invention, the isomalt-made hard candy, won the Grand Prize of the International Federation of Inventors Association at the 2009 International Fair in Zagreb (Croatia). Isomalt is a sugar substitute made of beets.

'Thinking not only of people with diabetes, but also having in mind the population's high sugar consumption, we turned to a natural matrix of malt - which is used as feedstock in beer manufacturing - actually an isomer of malt sugar: isomalt. It tastes sweet, but its glycemic index is far below that of sugar. Moreover, isomalt does not stimulate fermentation and neither does it favor the generation of dental plaque, like in the case of sugar candy. The glycemic load of this candy is very low,' said the inventor from Cluj.

Professor Carmen Socaciu reminded that the project wrapped up in 2009, and the Cluj-Napoca-based company Feleacul started producing the hard candy at pilot scale under a collaboration agreement with USAMV Professor Emil Racolta, who is also Feleacul technical manager.

AGERPRES