Sweetness profiles of glycosylated rebaudioside A and its binary mixtures with allulose and maltitol

Sweetness interaction between a novel glycosylated rebaudioside A and various sweeteners in a binary mixture system

The present study investigated the sweetness interaction and the sensory characteristics of a novel glycosylated rebaudioside A (g-reb_A) when mixed with other sweeteners. Binary sweetener mixtures were formulated by mixing g-reb_A with four types of sweeteners (sucrose, aspartame, acesulfame-K, saccharin). The sweetness potencies of sweeteners were measured at various concentrations. G-reb_A was mixed with each of the four other sweeteners at the concentration ratio of 35:65 or 50:50 to match the sweetness of a 10% sucrose solution. A generic descriptive analysis was conducted to evaluate the binary samples compared to the 10% sucrose solution. Most binary mixtures exhibited an additive effect on sweetness. A marginal sweetness synergistic effect was observed when g-reb_A was mixed with sucrose at the 50:50 ratio. The sensory characteristics of the binary mixture depended on the type of sweetener mixed with g-reb_A. Mixtures of g-reb_Aacesulfame-K or g-reb_Asaccharin elicited significantly higher bitter taste than the other binary mixtures.

Consumer Perception of Sweeteners in Yogurt

Consumers are interested in products with reduced sugar, a trend which has been attributed to consumers associating high-sugar foods with obesity, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. The objective of this study was to evaluate consumer perception of sugar reduction in yogurt - both conceptually and for liking of actual products. An online survey (n = 1290) was conducted to evaluate consumer perception of sweeteners available in commercial yogurts. Participants who purchased yogurt at least once in the past 3 mo completed a series of exercises that involved demographics, agreement, Kano, and Maximum Difference (MaxDiff) scaling questions. Subsequently, vanilla 1% milkfat yogurts sweetened with sucrose were formulated to iso-sweet taste intensity with either stevia, allulose, a blend of sucrose and honey or a blend of sucrose, stevia and allulose using magnitude estimate scaling followed by paired comparison tests with consumers (n = 40). A consumer acceptance test (n = 229) was then conducted using the 5 vanilla yogurts. Half of the consumers (n = 115) were primed with the specific yogurt sweetener and the other half were not. Survey and acceptance test data were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Conceptually, consumers preferred the claim "naturally sweetened" over a reduced sugar claim in yogurt (P < 0.05). Honey was preferred over other sweeteners, followed by agave nectar and cane sugar (P < 0.05). Allulose was the least preferred sweetener option conceptually (P < 0.05). Priming with sweetener type positively impacted consumer acceptance, regardless of sweetener (P < 0.05). When yogurts were tasted, yogurts sweetened with sucrose were the most preferred regardless of priming (P < 0.05). Yogurts sweetened with allulose or a blend of allulose, stevia, and sucrose received higher liking scores than yogurts with stevia (P < 0.05), suggesting that allulose can assist with sugar reduction in yogurt. Consumers are interested in healthy yogurts that are naturally sweetened, but flavor/taste remains the driving force for liking and purchase. The use of a natural non-nutritive sweetener that delivers the sensory experience of sucrose is ultimately more important than familiarity with the actual sweetener.

A comprehensive review on natural sweeteners: impact on sensory properties, food structure, and new frontiers for their application

In recent years, the worldwide increase in lifestyle diseases and metabolic disorders has been ascribed to the excessive consumption of sucrose and added sugars. For this reason, many approaches have been developed in order to replace sucrose in food and beverage formulations with alternative sweetening compounds. The raising awareness concerning the synthetic sweeteners due to their negative impact on health, triggered the need to search for alternative substances. Natural sweeteners may be classified in: (i) non-nutritive (e.g., neohesperidine dihydrochalcone, thaumatin, glycyrrhizin mogroside and stevia) and (ii) bulk sweeteners, including both polyols (e.g., maltitol, mannitol, erythritol) and rare sugars (e.g., tagatose and allulose). In this review we discuss the most popular natural sweeteners and their application in the main food sectors (e.g., bakery, dairy, confectionary and beverage), providing a full understanding of their impact on the textural and sensory properties in comparison to sucrose. Furthermore, we analyze the use of natural sweeteners in blends, which in addition to enabling an effective replacement of sugar, in order to complement the merits and limits of individual compounds. Finally, microencapsulation technology is presented as an alternative strategy to solving some issues such as aftertaste, bitterness, unpleasant flavors, but also to enhance their stability and ease of use.

Characterization and sweetness-enhancing effect of peptides from yeast extract based on sensory evaluation and molecular docking approaches

Yeast extract (YE) is derived from the soluble component in yeast cells, which is rich in peptides and has been used as a sweet-enhancing agent. It has the potential to be utilized to produce natural sweet-flavored peptides or sweet-enhancing peptides. To study the synergistic effect and mechanism of sweetness-enhancing peptides derived from YE, ultrafiltration fraction with molecular weight less than 1 kDa was screened according to sensory analysis, which showed a synergistic sweetening effect in stevioside and mogroside solution. Twenty potential taste peptides were identified from the screened fractions, among which EV, AM, AVDNIPVGPN and VDNIPVGPN showed sweetness-enhancing effects on both stevioside and mogroside. The sweetener-receptor-peptide complex was constructed to investigate the interaction of stevioside and mogroside to taste receptor type 1 member 2 accompanied by these peptides. The results of the molecular docking indicated that new hydrophobic interactions (Leu 279, Pro 308, Val 309, etc.) and hydrogen bonds (Ser 40, Ala 43, Asp 278, etc.) were formed between sweeteners and active sites in the venus flytrap domain. In conclusion, the presence of sweetness-enhancing peptides from YE improved the binding stability of sweeteners and receptors by increasing the binding interaction, especially the hydrophobic interactions, which contribute to the synergistic effect of sweetness-enhancing peptides.

Effects of aroma-taste interaction on the sensory attributes of rebaudiosides in soymilk and milk

BACKGROUND

Rebaudioside A (Reb-A) and rebaudioside M (Reb-M) are intense natural sweeteners but can also elicit bitterness and a bitter aftertaste. In this study, the effect of vanilla and chocolate flavorings on the sensory attributes of Reb-A and Reb-M applied to soymilk and milk was investigated to identify whether the addition of flavoring could enhance the sweetness via aroma-taste interactions.

RESULTS

Nine samples each of soymilk and milk were formulated by adding sucrose, Reb-A and Reb-M in three flavor conditions (no flavoring, vanilla, and chocolate). Descriptive analyses were conducted using nine panelists for the soymilk and eight panelists for the milk. Another descriptive analysis was conducted using the same samples with olfactory occlusion via the wearing of a nose clip to check whether the sweetness enhancement was due to olfactory input. The chocolate flavoring significantly enhanced the sweetness of Reb-A and Reb-M and reduced the bitterness, bitter aftertaste and astringency in both soymilk and milk. The vanilla flavoring was not as effective as the chocolate flavoring in enhancing sweetness. When the olfactory passage was closed with a nose clip, the sweetness enhancement and bitterness suppression were not detected in the samples.

CONCLUSION

The addition of chocolate flavoring could successfully improve the sensory profile of soymilk sweetened with Reb-A through aroma-taste interactions. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Sucrose Concentration and Fermentation Temperature Impact the Sensory Characteristics and Liking of Kombucha

Kombucha is a fermented tea beverage consumed for its probiotics and functional properties. It has a unique sensory profile driven by the properties of tea polyphenols and fermentation products, including organic acids. Fermentation temperature and sucrose content affect the fermentation process and the production of organic acids; yet less is known about their impacts on the sensory profile and consumer acceptance. Thus, we aimed to examine the impact of sucrose concentration and fermentation temperature on sensory attributes and liking. For this study, kombucha tea was fermented at three different concentrations of sucrose and fermented at two temperatures for 11 days. Fermentation was monitored by pH, brix, and titratable acidity, and consumers (n = 111) evaluated the kombucha for sensory attributes and overall liking. The fermentation temperature resulted in significant differences in titratable acidity, with higher temperatures producing more organic acids, resulting in higher astringency, and suppressed sweetness. The lower fermentation was reported as significantly more liked, with no difference in liking between the 7.5% and 10% sucrose kombucha samples. Fermentation temperature had the greatest impact on the sensory profile rather than sucrose concentration, which had a greater effect on the fermentation rate and production organic acids.

Fractionation, identification and umami characteristics of flavor peptides in natural brewed soy sauce

To investigate the umami mechanisms and characteristics of soy sauce flavor peptides, four fractions from natural brewed soy sauce were separated using ultrafiltration and Sephadex G-15 gel filtration chromatography. Sensory and ligand-receptor interaction tests showed that the umami strengths of the fractions were related as follows: U1 > U2, G3 > G2, and G3 > U1. Peptide identification revealed that the < 550-Da peptides might be the major contributors to the umami taste of U1 and G3. The higher umami strength of G3 might be attributable to its higher content of umami peptides. G3's concentration-relative umami intensity curve was plotted using a two-alternative forced choice test. It was also revealed that less sourness, higher saltiness and cool (4 ℃) and hot (50 ℃) serving conditions were conductive to the umami perception of G3. The results could provide a reference for the application of soy-sauce flavor peptides in food.

The Effect of Steviol Glycosides on Sensory Properties and Acceptability of Ice Cream

There has been a challenge in overcoming the bitter aftertaste of stevia, a natural non-caloric sweetener. Recent research focuses on investigating various types of steviol glycosides, the sweet compounds in stevia leaves, as they exhibit different sensory characteristics. This study determined the sensory properties and acceptability of ice cream sweetened solely with three steviol glycosides, rebaudioside (Reb) A, D, and M (0.09% w/v), using sucrose-sweetened ice cream as a control (14% w/v). Ice cream consumers (n = 92) rated their overall liking, attribute liking, and sweetness and bitterness intensities and described the aftertastes of each sample using check-all-that-apply. The liking scores of Reb D- and M-sweetened ice creams were significantly higher than those of Reb A-sweetened ice cream. Among the three glycosides, only Reb M showed a sweetness intensity comparable with that of sucrose. Consumers perceived the aftertastes of Reb D and M ice creams as being more sweet, pleasant, creamy, and milky, while Reb A was more artificial and chemical. Reb D and M ice creams were also plotted close to sucrose in the correspondence analysis graph, meaning that their aftertaste characteristics were similar to those of sucrose. The present study clearly highlights that Reb D and M have better tastes and provide better perceptions to consumers than Reb A, which is the most widely used glycoside in food industry.

Sweetness profiles of glycosyl rebaudioside A and binary mixtures with sugar alcohols in aqueous solution and a lemonade model system

BACKGROUND

The demands for better-tasting alternative sweeteners have driven efforts to improve the sensory properties of rebaudioside A (Reb-A), such as glycosylation and blending with bulk sweeteners. This study attempted to (i) investigate the sensory profiles of a novel sweetener, glycosyl rebaudioside A (gReb-A), and its 1:1 mixtures with erythritol or maltitol, and (ii) compare between the sensory characteristics in an aqueous solution and lemonade.

RESULTS

The concentrations of the sweeteners were prepared to match the sweetness intensity of a 7% (w/v) sucrose solution using relative sweetness values determined using the two-alternative forced-choice test. Eight trained panelists identified sensory profiles of the sweeteners in an aqueous solution and lemonade using a descriptive analysis protocol. gReb-A had significantly less bitterness and lingering sweetness than Reb-A did, eliciting a sensory profile similar to that of sucrose. The mixture of gReb-A and erythritol was not sensorially differentiated from the sucrose in the aqueous solution. Blending with maltitol significantly enhanced the sweetness and suppressed the bitterness of gReb-A. gReb-A and its binary mixtures were perceived as more similar to sucrose in the lemonade than in solution.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that glycosylation and blending with erythritol and maltitol gave a more sucrose-like sweetness profile in the aqueous solution and lemonade. The results of the study can be used to develop adequate sugar substitutes for acidic beverages. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Descriptive Sensory Profile and Consumer Study Impact of Different Nutritive and Non-Nutritive Sweeteners on the Descriptive, Temporal Profile, and Consumer Acceptance in a Peach Juice Matrix

The study evaluated the effect of peach juice sweetened with sucrose, widely used non-nutritive sweeteners, the artificial sucralose, neotame blend, and the natural stevia extract with different rebaudioside A concentrations on the temporal and quantitative descriptive profile, and consumer acceptance of the beverage. The sensory profiling was determined by quantitative descriptive and time–intensity analyses. The results showed that the sweeteners neotame and sucralose present higher sweetening power, and the different rebaudioside A concentrations did not affect the sweetening power of the stevia extract. The samples sweetened with stevia with 40% and 95% of rebaudioside A were characterized by the sensory attributes bitter taste, bitter aftertaste, astringency, and black tea flavor, with a negative influence on the consumers’ acceptance. The different concentrations of rebaudioside A in stevia interfered substantially in the descriptors bitter taste and bitter aftertaste, showing that the higher the percentage of rebaudioside A, the lower bitterness of peach juice.