MEXICO CITY — Ingredion, Inc. this month opened a plant in San Juan del Río, Mexico, that produces allulose, a sweetener that does not count as sugar or added sugars on the Nutrition Facts Label, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Ingredion, Westchester, Ill., will market and sell Astraea brand allulose across the Americas.

Ingredion and Matsutani Chemical Industry Co. Ltd. last year entered a relationship for the production and marketing of Astraea allulose. Matsutani, which is based in Japan, will market and sell Astraea across most of Asia. Potential applications include beverages, dairy items, baked foods and confectionery items.

Allulose is a rare sugar, and Matsutani has spent more than 15 years researching rare sugars, which exist in nature in small quantities. The F.D.A. last April said it will use enforcement discretion to allow allulose to be excluded from the total sugars declaration and added sugars declaration on the Nutrition Facts Label.

“We are advancing our specialties strategy with the unique value proposition offered by allulose for sugar reduction by aligning with one of the most important food and beverage trends shaping our industry and impacting our customers,” said James P. Zallie, president and chief executive officer of Ingredion. “We look forward to working with Matsutani and bringing further innovation to the marketplace that meets the evolving needs of today’s global consumers.”