Bioengineered microbes turn glucose into tagatose, a near-sugar with fewer downsides

Tufts researchers engineered E. coli to convert glucose into tagatose, achieving up to 95% yield and enabling cost-effective production of a sugar-like sweetener that delivers ~92% of sucrose sweetness with ~60% fewer calories, a smaller glycemic impact, and potential oral/gut health benefits; it browns like sugar and could serve as a bulk sweetener, with FDA GRAS status.