Kagawa Prefecture: A Center for Rare Sugar Research

Today, and November 10th annually, is Rare Sugar Day 希少糖の日 in Japan. The commemoration was established by the Rare Sugar Promotion Association in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture. They chose November 10th, 11/10, for the anniversary because it can be read as "ii (11) tou (10)", the Japanese for "good sugar". 

The anniversary aims to promote awareness and use of rare sugars, while supporting advances in rare sugar technology and research that may contribute to human health and social development. While sugars such as glucose and fructose are common in nature, "rare sugars" exist only in very small quantities. Examples include allulose (psicose), allose, xylitol, and erythritol.

Researchers at Kagawa University developed methods for mass-producing certain rare sugars that had previously been difficult to manufacture. Their work helped advance research into the sugars' potential uses and put Kagawa Prefecture on the map as a leading centre for rare sugar research.