Integrated Human Practices

 Our project's evolution was deeply intertwined with continuous societal engagement, expert consultation, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Each phase of research—from conception to implementation—was dynamically refined through external feedback, ensuring our work addressed real-world needs while adhering to ethical and practical standards.

I. Societal Needs Drive Research Direction

Public Awareness Gap Identification

 Initial Campus Survey (200 participants): Revealed low public awareness of D-allulose (<10% familiarity) compared to common sweeteners (xylitol, aspartame). Key concerns were health safety (70% prioritized it over taste/price) and blood glucose impact.

 Action Taken: Targeted D-allulose's dual advantages—minimal glycemic impact and near-zero calories—as core messaging in outreach. Focused on beverages (top application interest) for initial market entry.

Elderly Community Engagement

 We organized seven teams of 48 students to conduct health education campaigns in communities and senior care centers across multiple locations, including Xi'an (Shaanxi), Shenzhen (Guangdong), Yancheng (Jiangsu), Hangzhou (Zhejiang), Hechi (Guangxi), and Shenyang (Liaoning). During interactive sessions, team members engaged with seniors through patient conversations, exploring their dietary habits, understanding of diabetes management, and knowledge about sugar substitutes.

 This initiative enhanced elderly participants' awareness of diabetes, collected health and nutrition questionnaires, analyzed data to form research reports, and contributed to advancing the development of elderly healthcare systems.

 Through this large-scale research practice, our team members pay more attention to the safety of enzyme design and yield control.

II. Expert & Industry Insights Reshape Technical Goals

Academic Guidance

 Prof. Lu Xiaoyun (Xi'an Jiaotong Univ.): Emphasized that student projects should prioritize skill development (e.g., AI-integrated design) over short-term commercial outcomes. This shifted our focus to building transferable AI modeling expertise.

 Prof. Li Jianjun (Xi'an Jiaotong Univ.): Stressed market-driven R&D, scalability, and cost-profit analysis. Advised avoiding "GMO" terminology in public communication.

Industry Collaboration

 Bailong Chuangyuan BioTech: Highlighted industry priorities:

• Technical: Shift from "yield increase" to catalytic efficiency optimization of DTE synthase to reduce production costs.
• Commercial: Criticality of patent strategy and China's 2025 regulatory approval of D-allulose as a "New Food Ingredient."

 Maxwell Medical Tech: Explored D-allulose's medical applications (e.g., diabetic adjuvants), leading to CAR-M cell therapy discussions with AFMU-CHINA.

III. Feedback on Project Design

 Based on industrial feedback, the technical goal is upgraded from "increasing production" to "improving the catalytic efficiency of synthase" to reduce application cost.

 Core values: Each phase of research is calibrated by social voices to ensure that scientific results are truly serving healthy living.

IV. Conclusion

 Our Human Practices were never a linear process but an integrated feedback ecosystem. Societal voices defined our health objectives; industry demands sharpened technical priorities; and interdisciplinary partnerships expanded our solution space. By embedding this responsiveness into our project's DNA, we transformed D-allulose from a laboratory curiosity into a socially grounded tool for healthier future.