1. Executive Summary

D-Xylitol is a sugar polyol that has been used in the food industry as a low-caloric sweetener. Also, it has reported having multiple beneficial health effects such as the prevention of dental caries, osteoporosis, and acute otitis media. Currently, D-Xylitol is commonly produced by the chemical reduction of D-Xylose presented in Xylans. However, this process represents substantial costs for the industry. We have designed a genetic circuit for the expression of the necessary enzymes for the biological production of xylitol from lignocellulose hydrolysates.

We have also created a comprehensive first iteration of a business plan for the production of Xweet, a key ingredient in tooth-decay defying sweets. We have filed a provisional patent and trademarked our more environmentally friendly method for the production of Xweet. Adopting a lean method, we have engaged extensively with the confectionary industry, prototyping Xweet confectionery and setting out a pathway for commercial success.

2. The problem explored

Through our engagement with our local elderly community we identified a demand for tea-time treats that did not cause tooth-decay or imbalances in sugar levels. Adopting a lean method, we have engaged extensively with the confectionery industry to explore London’s sugar-substituted sweet landscape to confirm this as a wider demand. Our extensive literature search drew our attention to xylitol, a sugar substitute with widely-reported health benefits but an environmentally unfavorable and expensive production process. Xylitol is a key ingredient in tooth-decay defying sweets. Speaking to the UK’s confectionery manufacturers, we confirmed demand for xylitol produced in a less expensive and more environmentally friendly way.

Demand for tooth-decay defying treats from end users

London’s ageing population have a sweet tooth. Reports show that this is due to the impact that ageing has on our taste buds. Over time our taste buds decrease in number and become less sensitive. This is compounded by the effect of age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease, with the loss of taste and smell actually becoming increasingly important in the diagnosis of these disease. This drives the increasingly sweet tooth of the ageing population which in turn drives a negative impact on the oral health of this population. The oral disease burden, of which a big part is attributable our ageing population, is causing the total oral health expenditure within the EU to rise to an enormous €93 billion in 2020. There is therefore a push in public health policy towards preventative solutions that minimize bad oral health manifested in large parts as dental caries. This demand for tooth-decay defying sweets was therefore flagged up to us through our engagement with the elderly community. They described their need for sweet treats and oral health as a constant pain throughout their ageing process.

Demand for tooth-decay defying treats from confectionery retailers

We confirmed this demand for tooth-decay defying treats through interviews with London’s sweet landscape. We identified that these outlets were experiencing a shift in their customer demands such that there is an increasingly underserved proportion of health-conscious sweet lovers. Some of the sweet shops that we interviewed made their own sweets, while most bought their sweets from confectionary manufacturers. While the total EU and US confectionary market it worth €66.75 billion, the healthy confectionary market has been increasing its share of this overall market in recent years, putting the latest market share estimate within the UK at 11%. The growth of the healthy confectionary market is 16% higher than the total average growth of the entire confectionary market. These confectionary outlets provided us with a list of sugar-substitutes that customers ask for and that are used in the production of these sweets. We partnered with staff to identify xylitol through this market research and an extensive literature search as a candidate for meeting this demand.

Demand for tooth-decay defying ingredients from confectionery manufacturing industry

Our literature research highlighted the potential of xylitol for use in tooth-decay defying sweets. It’s health benefits and positive impact on dental caries have been widely reported. We explored how xylitol is used in confectionary manufacturing to understand how more confectionary manufacturers can be enabled to use xylitol in their production processes. By visiting a chocolate manufacturing company, discussing their production process with the Operation Manager and observing their production process, we were able