SEOUL – Samyang Corp. has completed construction of its specialty plant in Ulsan, South Korea, that produces allulose sweeteners and prebiotic fibers. Seoul-based Samyang invested 140 billion KRW ($104 million) in the 238,420-square-foot facility, which has an annual production capacity of 25,000 tons.

One building at the plant produces allulose while the other produces prebiotic fibers. The allulose plant makes both liquid and crystalline allulose and has an annual production capacity of 13,000 tons, four times larger than Samyang’s previous capacity.

The US Food and Drug Administration in 2019 excluded allulose, which is 70% as sweet as sugar, from the total and added sugars labeling on processed foods. Samyang, which has US offices in New York and San Diego, in 2020 received a “no questions” letter from the FDA on the Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status of its allulose as an ingredient.

“We have successfully completed the phased construction plan of the comprehensive specialty plant to strengthen our specialty business strategy,” said Choi Nag-hyun, chief executive officer of Samyang. “With the establishment of the largest allulose plant in Korea, we are committed to enhancing our competitiveness in the domestic and international alternative sugar markets.”