** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THERE IS AN INCREASING TREND AMONG THE GENERAL POPULATION TO REDUCE OR EVEN ELIMINATE THE CONSUMPTION OF SUGARS LIKE SUCROSE OR GLUCOSE FROM THE DAILY DIET. HOWEVER, DUE TO A WIDE RANGE OF SUSPECTED OR CONFIRMED NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON HUMAN HEALTH, THERE IS ALSO AN INCREASING INTEREST IN SOCIETY TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE THE CONSUMPTION OF NON-SUGAR SWEETENERS. THESE NON-SUGAR SWEETENERS (ARTIFICIAL OR NATURALLY DERIVED), IN ADDITION, CAN HAVE SEVERAL DISADVANTAGES SUCH AS A LIMITED APPLICABILITY IN THE PROCESSING OF CERTAIN TYPES OF PRODUCTS AND CONFECTIONS. IN RECENT YEARS, A TYPE OF SUGARS CALLED RARE SUGARS HAS ATTRACTED SUBSTANTIAL ATTENTION DUE TO THEIR NATURAL ORIGIN, LOW CALORIC CONTENT, AND SUITABILITY TO BE SAFELY CONSUMED BY PEOPLE WITH DIABETES. SOME EXAMPLES INCLUDE D-PSICOSE, D-TAGATOSE, AND ISOMALTULOSE. SOME OF THESE RARE SUGARS HAVE ALSO BEEN LINKED TO SEVERAL HEALTH BENEFITS, SUCH AS REDUCING THE GLYCEMIC INDEX OF THE FOODS THEY ARE PREPARED WITH, AND ENHANCING THE METABOLISM OF FATS. HOWEVER, A FUNDAMENTAL UNDERSTANDING ON HOW D-PSICOSE, D-TAGATOSE, AND ISOMALTULOSE AFFECT THE PROCESSING AND QUALITY OF CONFECTIONERY PRODUCTS IS MISSING. TO ADDRESS THIS, IN THIS PROPOSAL WE WILL: (1) EVALUATE THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF D-PSICOSE, D-TAGATOSE, AND ISOMALTULOSE, (2) QUANTIFY THE EFFECT OF THESE RARE SUGARS ON CHOCOLATE QUALITY, AND (3) EVALUATE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS TO PRODUCE CANDIED FRUITS. THIS PROPOSAL ALIGNS WITH THE USDA-NIFA PRIORITY AREA A1364 BY IMPROVING THE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF NOVEL INGREDIENTS, WHILE IMPROVING CONSUMERS HEALTH AND PROVIDING NEW TOOLS TO THE FOOD INDUSTRY.