Creating a sugar that is better for health but also for the environment. This is what 4th grade students have managed to achievee schooled in Casinca (Upper Corsica). They were rewarded in the Faises de la Science competition, Corsica Morning Thursday June 27, 2024.
The first challenge was finding a suitable plant. The students opted for the earth pear, which they planted in the school’s vegetable garden with the help of farmers. “Then, we worked with the university to develop the protocol for extracting the sugar from these plants”, added their teacher. The syrup obtained has several qualities: a sweetening power greater than white sugar but also a much lower glycemic index. Taste-wise, it would resemble honey.
A product highlighted on M6
For the vice-president in charge of innovation and chemist at the University of Corsica, this discovery is very interesting because the earth pear, also called yacon, is a plant that requires little watering. This alternative also requires a less polluting manufacturing process than white sugar.
The yacon was highlighted in the show Who wants to be my partner? on M6 in February 2024. The creators of the Yacon & Co brand convinced Kelly Massol to invest €250,000 in their company. They also insisted that the yacon was “four times less rich in simple sugar” and half as many calories as white sugar. This summer they plan to make their own syrup in Peru.
