Trehalose is a naturally occurring disaccharide, made from two glucose molecules joined together in an α,α-1,1 linkage. It occurs naturally in organisms and foods including mushrooms, yeast and some plants, and has distinctive interactions with water, proteins and other biological materials that make it useful far beyond its mild sweetness.[1]
Today, trehalose is used across food production, agriculture, cosmetics, biotechnology, research and other specialist applications.
What is TREHA®?
TREHA® is the commercial food-grade trehalose manufactured in Japan by Nagase Viita Co., Ltd., formerly Hayashibara.
For much of the twentieth century, trehalose was an expensive specialist ingredient because extracting or producing it economically at scale was difficult. In 1994, Hayashibara developed an enzymatic process that allowed trehalose to be mass-produced efficiently from starch, transforming it from a costly speciality ingredient into a practical commercial food ingredient.[1][2]
Trehalose UK has specialised in supplying genuine Japanese TREHA® since 2001. We offer 1kg, 2.5kg and 20kg packs, together with bulk supply from 200kg to one tonne and above for commercial customers.
How sweet is trehalose?
Trehalose is substantially less sweet than ordinary table sugar, or sucrose, but its relative sweetness is not a single fixed value.
Nagase Viita reports TREHA® as 38% as sweet as sucrose when measured in a 5% solution.[2] Published sensory research has also reported values of around 45% at higher concentrations, reflecting the fact that the perceived sweetness of trehalose and sucrose does not increase at exactly the same rate as concentration rises.[3][4]
For practical culinary guidance, we therefore describe TREHA® as about 40% as sweet as sucrose.
That mild sweetness is one of its most useful characteristics. It allows cooks, pastry chefs and food manufacturers to introduce sugar solids and other functional properties without making the finished food excessively sweet.
What does TREHA® do in food?
TREHA® is valued not simply because it is less sweet than sucrose, but because of the way it interacts with water and food structure.
Nagase Viita identifies functions including moisture retention, inhibition of starch retrogradation, protection of food structures during freezing, reduction of freeze-thaw damage, retention of natural colour and flavour, and protection of proteins in some food systems.[2][5]
In practical terms, these properties can help food professionals control sweetness, moisture, texture, freshness and frozen-food performance.
Trehalose should not, however, be treated simply as a one-for-one replacement for sucrose. Ordinary sugar also affects browning, structure, crystallisation, texture and preservation, so the appropriate proportion depends on the food being made.
For a detailed comparison, see Trehalose vs Sugar: What’s the Difference?
Baking, bread and pastry
TREHA® can be used in cakes, pastry, biscuits, bread, meringues and many other baked products.
Its mild sweetness gives greater control over the flavour balance of a recipe, while its interaction with moisture and starch can help maintain desirable texture during storage. Nagase Viita specifically identifies moisture retention and inhibition of starch retrogradation among TREHA®'s food functions.
For many conventional sweet recipes, replacing around 20–30% of the sucrose with TREHA® by weight can provide a useful starting point, although the appropriate ratio varies considerably with the product and intended result.
For detailed guidance, see How to Use Trehalose in Baking, How to Use Trehalose in Bread and How Much Trehalose Should I Use?
Ice cream, gelato and frozen foods
TREHA® is particularly useful in frozen foods.
As frozen products experience storage and temperature fluctuation, small ice crystals can grow and aggregate, contributing to coarse texture and structural damage. Trehalose can help control ice-crystal growth and reduce freeze-thaw damage by influencing the movement and behaviour of water within the food system.
This makes TREHA® useful in products such as ice cream, gelato, sorbet, frozen desserts, frozen bakery products and other foods where texture after freezing and thawing matters.
Its relatively low sweetness is particularly valuable in frozen-dessert formulation because TREHA® can normally be used alongside sucrose, glucose and other sugars without pushing the overall sweetness as high as an equivalent quantity of sucrose.
For practical formulation guidance, see How to Use Trehalose in Ice Cream, Gelato and Sorbet.
Pastry, confectionery and desserts
TREHA® is widely applicable in pastry, confectionery, ganache, creams, chocolate work, meringue and other desserts.
Because it contributes considerably less sweetness than sucrose, it can help chefs and product developers retain sugar solids while allowing ingredients such as dark chocolate, coffee, fruit, citrus, nuts and dairy to remain more prominent.
Professional formulations frequently use TREHA® alongside other sugars rather than attempting to replace all of the sucrose.
See Trehalose in Pastry, Confectionery and Meringue for more detailed guidance.
Savoury foods
Trehalose is not limited to sweet applications.
Its mild sweetness means that relatively modest quantities can be used in savoury foods without making the finished product taste obviously sweet. Nagase Viita documents culinary uses ranging from rice and vegetables to meat, seafood and prepared foods.
Applications investigated or used commercially include moisture management, frozen-food protection, control of undesirable flavour or odour changes and maintenance of texture.
See How to Use Trehalose in Savoury Foods and How Trehalose Helps Food Stay Fresh for Longer.
How much TREHA® should I use?
There is no universal substitution ratio.
For many sweet recipes, replacing around 20–30% of the ordinary sugar with TREHA® by weight is a useful place to begin. Some applications require much less, while professional pastry, confectionery and frozen-food formulations may use substantially more.
TREHA® is best thought of as a formulation ingredient with its own functional properties, rather than simply a less-sweet substitute for ordinary sugar.
Our How Much Trehalose Should I Use? guide provides practical starting ratios for different applications.
Trehalose and blood glucose
Trehalose is a digestible carbohydrate. It is not a non-caloric sweetener.
During digestion, the intestinal enzyme trehalase breaks trehalose into two glucose molecules, which are then absorbed and metabolised.[4]
Controlled human research has found differences between the acute response to trehalose and an equivalent quantity of free glucose. In one crossover study, 20 healthy participants consumed 25g of trehalose or 25g of glucose; trehalose produced a slower rise in blood glucose and a lower insulin and GIP response under the conditions tested.[6]
For a fuller examination of the human evidence, see Trehalose and Blood Sugar: What Does the Research Show?
Trehalose beyond food
The same properties that make trehalose useful in food have also led to substantial interest in other industries.
Agriculture and plant science
Trehalose occurs naturally within biological systems and is closely associated with plant metabolism and stress responses.
Research has investigated externally applied trehalose under conditions including drought, salinity, heat and cold, as well as its use in microbial inoculants, seed treatments, coatings and postharvest horticulture.
The evidence is application-specific: crop, concentration, treatment method, timing and growing conditions all matter. Trehalose should therefore not be presented as a universal crop-protection treatment.
Trehalose UK is developing its agricultural supply and technical support alongside its established food business.
For the evidence and individual applications, see Trehalose for Agriculture & Plant Science and our Agriculture & Plant Science Guides.
Cosmetics and personal care
Trehalose is also used in cosmetic and personal-care formulation, particularly where hydration, moisture management and protection of formulation components are important.
Research and commercial use cover areas including moisturisers, lotions, skin-care formulations, hair products and other personal-care applications.
See Trehalose in Cosmetics: Uses, Benefits & Formulation Guide for a detailed review of the evidence.
Scientific, biotechnology and pharmaceutical applications
Trehalose is widely researched for its ability to help stabilise proteins, membranes and other biological materials under challenging conditions such as freezing and drying.
This has led to applications and research in areas including protein and antibody stabilisation, freeze-dried formulations, biological preservation and pharmaceutical development.[4]
These are specialist applications. Appropriate pharmaceutical, laboratory or scientific-grade material should be selected according to the intended use rather than assuming that food-grade TREHA® is suitable.
Which TREHA® pack should I buy?
TREHA® Trehalose Powder 1kg
Ideal for home cooking, first-time users, recipe trials and small-scale product development.
Buy TREHA® Trehalose Powder 1kg
TREHA® Trehalose Powder 2.5kg
Designed for regular home users, chefs, professional kitchens, frequent baking and small-scale food development.
Buy TREHA® Trehalose Powder 2.5kg
TREHA® Trehalose Powder 20kg
The standard commercial sack for professional kitchens, bakeries, food development and higher-volume food manufacture.
Buy TREHA® Trehalose Powder 20kg
Bulk TREHA® supply — 200kg to 1 tonne+
For food manufacturers and other high-volume commercial customers, Trehalose UK supplies TREHA® in quantities from 200kg to one tonne and above.
Larger or regular requirements can also be supported through our relationship with Nagase's distribution network.
For commercial enquiries, contact sales@trehalose.co.uk.
Why buy from Trehalose UK?
Trehalose UK has specialised in genuine Japanese trehalose since 2001.
Our principal business remains supplying genuine food-grade TREHA® to home cooks, professional chefs, bakeries, food developers and commercial manufacturers, from individual 1kg packs through to tonne-scale orders.
As the applications of trehalose continue to expand, we also support enquiries from agriculture, cosmetics, research and other specialist sectors, helping customers identify the appropriate product or supply route rather than assuming that one grade is suitable for every application.
To learn more about the business, see About Trehalose UK.
References & further reading
- Richards, A. B., S. Krakowka, L. B. Dexter, H. Schmid, A. P. M. Wolterbeek, D. H. Waalkens-Berendsen, A. Shigoyuki, and M. Kurimoto. “Trehalose: A Review of Properties, History of Use and Human Tolerance, and Results of Multiple Safety Studies.” Food and Chemical Toxicology 40, no. 7 (2002): 871–898. doi:10.1016/S0278-6915(02)00011-X. PubMed
- Nagase Viita Co., Ltd. “TREHA® FAQs.” Manufacturer technical information. Nagase reports TREHA® as 38% as sweet as sucrose in a 5% solution and describes its principal food functions and manufacturing history. Nagase Foods
- Portmann, Marie-Odile, and Gordon Birch. “Sweet Taste and Solution Properties of α,α-Trehalose.” Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 69, no. 3 (1995): 275–281. doi:10.1002/jsfa.2740690303. Wiley Online Library
- Richards et al. report a sensory assessment in which a 22.2% trehalose solution was judged to be approximately 45% as sweet as sucrose; they also review trehalose metabolism and biological properties. ScienceDirect
- Nagase Viita Co., Ltd. TREHA® product and culinary technical materials, including information on moisture retention, starch retrogradation, colour retention and protection during freezing. Nagase Foods
- Yoshizane, Chiyo, Akiko Mizote, Mika Yamada, et al. “Glycemic, Insulinemic and Incretin Responses after Oral Trehalose Ingestion in Healthy Subjects.” Nutrition Journal 16 (2017): 9. doi:10.1186/s12937-017-0233-x.