REHOVOT, ISRAEL — Better Juice, Ltd. and a US fruit juice manufacturer have entered an agreement for the commercial installment of Better Juice’s sugar-reduction technology. The manufacturer will produce natural juices with a minimum sugar reduction of 30%. Product is expected to arrive in supermarkets next spring.

“This new agreement marks an exciting milestone in our mission to get our sugar-reduction technology off the ground, to penetrate the US market and to expand our global footprint,” said Eran Blachinsky, PhD, co-founder and co-chief executive officer of Rehovot-based Better Juice, when the agreement was announced Dec. 13. “We’ve officially launched our drive to help consumers enjoy reduced sugar in their favorite fruit juice.”

Better Juice’s patented enzymatic technology converts fructose, glucose and sucrose sugars into prebiotic fibers and other non-digestible fibers, according to the company. The juice passes through a continuous flow bio-reactor housing non-GMO microorganisms that transform the sugars into non-digestible molecules. The technology has been shown to reduce sugar content by up to 80% while preserving the vitamins and other nutrients in the fruit. The process moderates the sweetness of the juice while intensifying the fruit flavor.

Better Juice collaborates with GEA Group, AG, Germany, a global systems supplier for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical sectors that specializes in machinery and plants as well as advanced process technology, components and comprehensive services. GEA will design, manufacture and install the bioreactor that reduces sugars and offer follow-up technical support. Better Juice will produce the microorganisms for the enzymatic process. GEA tested the equipment in its facility in Germany and found it could provide product at a capacity of up to 200 liters per hour.

“Scaling up is always a challenge, but when your partner is GEA, with its vast industrial food processing capabilities and global presence, the acceleration of the Better Juice commercialization is much faster and brings added value to the supply chain,” said Gali Yarom, co-founder and co-CEO of Better Juice. “Imagine, in just a few months, affordable, reduced-sugar fruit juice will be a ready option for American consumers.”

Better Juice, which was founded in 2017, received a patent for its sugar-reduction enzymatic process in Europe and has self-affirmed Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status for it.