The results demonstrated that tagatose consumption not only proved safe for animals but also significantly reduced infection symptoms and severity
Tagatose, a sugar alternative. (ASR Group)
A new UConn study reveals that tagatose, a plant-based sugar alternative, shows promise in mitigating Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) infection, particularly those resistant to antibiotics. A pilot study conducted in a mouse model suggests that tagatose could offer a novel nutraceutical approach to combat this growing public health threat.
C. difficile is a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections, with strains increasingly exhibiting antibiotic resistance. Current treatments often involve broad-spectrum antibiotics, which can further disrupt the gut microbiome, exacerbating the infection cycle. This has created an urgent need for alternative strategies.
The UConn study, led by Kumar Venkitanarayanan, PhD, associate dean for research and graduate studies at the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR), investigated the effect of tagatose supplementation on C. difficile infection in mice. The results demonstrated that tagatose consumption not only proved safe for animals but also significantly reduced infection symptoms and severity.
"Our research indicates that tagatose has the potential to reduce C. difficile infection through multiple mechanisms," says Venkitanarayanan. "Its prebiotic properties appear to promote a healthier gut microbiome, while preliminary evidence suggests it may also inhibit the production of bacterial toxins. This dual action could be particularly valuable in addressing antibiotic-resistant strains."
Tagatose is a naturally occurring monosaccharide found in small quantities in some fruits and grains. It is approximately 92% as sweet as sucrose but with a significantly lower caloric value and glycemic index. Tagatose has been FDA approved for over 20 years and is used as a low-calorie sweetener in various food products. It also has NutraStrong™ prebiotic verified certification.
Bonumose, Inc., an enzyme solutions company with a scalable process for producing high-purity, plant-based tagatose, is collaborating with UConn and exploring the commercial potential of UConn's research.
The study was conducted under a sponsored research agreement, which was successfully negotiated with the support of UConn's Technology Commercialization Services. As a result of this collaboration, Bonumose currently holds an option license to the technology.
"We are very excited about the outcomes of this sponsored research," says Amit Kumar, PhD. "We believe these results will play a crucial role in advancing the development of this technology, bringing it closer to real-world impact."
The UConn study adds to a growing body of evidence supporting the prebiotic and health-promoting properties of tagatose.
"The data from this UConn study supports what we already know about tagatose and gut health. Tagatose has the rare ability to not only feed good bacteria in the gut but to also inhibit the toxins produced by harmful bacteria," says Karen Weikel, PhD, vice president of regulatory & nutrition at Bonumose.
Further research is planned to investigate the specific mechanisms of action and to evaluate its efficacy in clinical trials.
"The affordability and accessibility of tagatose make it a promising candidate for a nutraceutical intervention. We are committed to exploring tagatose's full potential in addressing C. difficile and other related health challenges. UConn's research reinforces the significance of tagatose not only as a benign and delicious replacement for sugar in food production, but also as an ingredient with beneficial health effects," Ed Rogers, Bonumose CEO.
This work relates to CAHNR's Strategic Vision area focused on Enhancing Health and Well-Being Locally, Nationally, and Globally.
