Carbohydrate sweetener reduction in beverages through the use of high potency sweeteners: Trends and new perspectives from a sensory point of view

Consumer preferences for attributes in sweet beverages and market impacts of beverage innovation

Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) is considered as an important risk factor for the development of overweight and obesity in populations worldwide, with a particular focus on the risks in the younger parts of the population - children and adolescents. Together with fiscal measures and information tools, innovation-based approaches such as the development of sugar-free or sugar-reduced versions of established beverages and development of new beverage products have been used to reduce this challenge, but the effects of product innovation on sugar intake are not well understood from the literature, as previous studies have largely ignored substitution effects of product innovation in the beverage domain. The objective of the present study was to investigate the potential effectiveness of product innovation as a strategy to affect consumers' intake of energy from sweetened non-alcoholic beverages. Using household panel shopping data from approximately 3000 Danish households over the years 2006-2014, we developed a hedonic pricing approach to estimate the influence of product attributes on consumers' utility, based on observed data for Danish households' purchases of sweet drinks. Overall, the study found that beverages' degree of sweetness positively affected the satiation effect of beverage consumption and in turn made the demand for these beverages less sensitive to e.g. price changes or introduction of competing products, whereas the energy density of the beverages positively affected the demand sensitivity to market changes. Findings like these can be useful for assessing market effects as well as environmental and public health impacts of changes to the market environment.

A Pharmacological perspective on the temporal properties of sweeteners

Several non-caloric sweeteners exhibit a delay in sweetness onset and a sweetness linger after sampling. These temporal properties are thought to be the result of non-specific interactions with cell membranes and proteins in the oral cavity. Data and analysis presented in this report also support the potential involvement of receptor affinity and binding kinetics to this phenomenon. In general, affected sweeteners exhibit distinctly higher binding affinity compared to carbohydrate sweeteners, which do not have temporal issues. In addition, binding kinetic simulations illustrate much slower receptor binding association and dissociation kinetics for a set of non-caloric sweeteners presenting temporal issues, in comparison to carbohydrate sweeteners. So, the higher affinity of some non-caloric sweeteners, dictating lower use levels, and affecting binding kinetics, could contribute to their delay and linger in sweetness perception. Simple pharmacology principles could explain, at least in part, some of the temporal issues of sweeteners.

ZIF-8 encapsulated-enzymes integrated nanozyme cascade biocatalysis platform for the colorimetric sensing of glucose and lactose in milk

Cascade biocatalytic reactions have a wide range of applications, especially in the filed of food analysis. Herein, a multi-enzyme composite (ZGGPC) was prepared by in-situ synthesis of Zeolite imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8) on Prussian blue (PB) modified carbon cloth (CC). The composite encapsulated both glucose oxidase and β-galactosidase simultaneously during the synthesis process. CC and ZIF-8 showed high loading capacity for PB and natural enzymes, respectively. And ZIF-8 also displayed excellent tolerance in protecting enzyme activity under extreme conditions. Based on the cascade biocatalysis, ZGGPC was used to detect glucose and lactose by colorimetric method with detection limits of 1.2 μM and 1.7 mM, respectively. Benefiting from the merits of low cost, easy preparation, and good stability, the sensing system was used to successfully determine glucose and lactose in different milk samples. The present cascade biocatalysis system is hopeful to develop simple and efficient sensing platforms for food analysis.

Consumer Expectation of Flavored Water Function, Sensory Quality, and Sugar Reduction, and the Impact of Demographic Variables and Woman Consumer Segment

This study aimed to investigate consumer expectation of flavored water and potential consumer segments. The results showed flavored water was ranked the fourth most popular drink, after plain water, tea, and coffee, by 901 participants. Consumers highly expected functional flavored water with refreshing (87.4% selection), thirst-quenching (73.7%), and tasty (65.7%) qualities, containing vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and providing energy. Expected flavored water sensory qualities included temperature (62.4%), flavor (52.4%), and sweet taste (47.4%); lemon, berry, and lime flavors were most preferred, while bitterness, irritation, astringency, and sourness were least preferred. Pure sugar and honey were rated highest as the sweeteners for flavored water. Likewise, consumers were mostly concerned with taste followed by calories. Single demographic variables (age, reported health condition, drinking frequency, educational level) significantly influenced (p ≤ 0.05) flavored water function, sensory quality, and sugar reduction expectations. Females had higher expectation of flavored water’s refreshing and antioxidant functions. Cluster analysis revealed two consumer segments. The younger, low-education, self-reportedly less healthy cluster (mainly college students) expected various functions and flavors such as low temperature, cooling taste, diverse flavors, and sweet taste (and disliked bitterness). The older, educated, employed, self-reportedly healthy cluster had lower expectations of flavored water functions, were less sensitive to bitterness, and preferred no sweetness or little sweetness. These findings provide informative data to establish marketing and sales strategies for promoting flavored water.

Dynamic characteristics of sweetness and bitterness and their correlation with chemical structures for six steviol glycosides

Time-intensity (TI) dynamic sensory characterization was used to evaluate the temporal sweet and bitter perception of six commonly available steviol glycosides (Rubusoside, Stevioside, Rebaudioside C, Rebaudioside A, Rebaudioside D and Rebaudioside M). All parameters extracted from TI curves significantly varied among the six samples for both sweetness and bitterness. Compared to other compounds, Rebaudioside M and Rebaudioside D had faster onset of sweetness, quicker decay of aftertaste, and were nearly devoid of bitterness. Conversely, Rubusoside and Stevioside demonstrated an immediate distinct bitter taste and lingering aftertaste. Based on these results, a further investigation into the relationship between temporal properties and chemical structures was conducted. It was found that fewer glucosyl groups on C-19 would result in shorter time for initial stimulation and longer perception of bitterness, whereas more glucosyl groups on C-13 could trigger a faster increase and stronger intensity of sweetness. A shorter time to the peak for sweetness was obtained when the ratio of the number of glucosyl groups on C-13 to that on C-19 was lower, although there was no such effect on bitter taste. These relationships were explained by the adsorption and desorption of these compounds on the taste receptors. Higher numbers and larger sizes of substitutions at the C-19 position of steviol glycosides can increase their desorption percentages and lead to a quicker decay of sweetness. Meanwhile, compounds with fewer glucosyl groups, such as Rubusoside and Stevioside, presented lower desorption and thus longer bitter aftertaste. Overall, the addition of glucosyl groups would generate stronger sweetness and less bitterness if the substituent number on C-13 was closer to that on C-19. These findings conveyed insights into how to modify steviol glycosides to enhance their quality as sweeteners.

The sensory properties and metabolic impact of natural and synthetic sweeteners

The global rise in obesity, type II diabetes, and other metabolic disorders in recent years has been attributed in part to the overconsumption of added sugars. Sugar reduction strategies often rely on synthetic and naturally occurring sweetening compounds to achieve their goals, with popular synthetic sweeteners including saccharin, cyclamate, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, sucralose, neotame, alitame, and advantame. Natural sweeteners can be further partitioned into nutritive, including polyols, rare sugars, honey, maple syrup, and agave, and nonnutritive, which include steviol glycosides and rebaudiosides, luo han guo (monk fruit), and thaumatin. We choose the foods we consume largely on their sensory properties, an area in which these sugar substitutes often fall short. Here, we discuss the most popular synthetic and natural sweeteners, with the goal of providing an understanding of differences in the sensory profiles of these sweeteners versus sucrose, that they are designed to replace, essential for the effectiveness of sugar reduction strategies. In addition, we break down the influence of these sweeteners on metabolism, and present results from a large survey of consumers' opinions on these sweeteners. Consumer interest in clean label foods has driven a move toward natural sweeteners; however, neither natural nor synthetic sweeteners are metabolically inert. Identifying sugar replacements that not only closely imitate the sensory profile of sucrose but also exert advantageous effects on body weight and metabolism is critical in successfully the ultimate goals of reducing added sugar in the average consumer's diet. With so many options for sucrose replacement available, consumer opinion and cost, which vary widely with suagr replacements, will also play a vital role in which sweeteners are successful in widespread adoption.

Strategies for lowering the added sugar in yogurts

The rising awareness about the adverse health effects of high sugar consumption has led to regulatory amendments for triggering sugar reduction in food products. Sugar reduction in yogurt is a challenging endeavor due to the changes in taste, flavor, texture, maintenance of food functionality, shelf-life, cost and consumer acceptability. A review of the scientific literature, patents, and web articles revealed several approaches being explored by the dairy industry to reduce the sugar addition. A careful assessment of these strategies and their critical analysis is presented in this review. The strategies for sugar reduction involve multifaceted approaches including the use of alternative low-calorie sweeteners, honey, fruit preparations, novel cultures, lactase addition, inulin fiber addition, and flavor interventions. Much of the work so far has focused on development of low-calorie alternative sweeteners, and novel sweeteners-based solutions are evolving. The use of food structuring approaches remains to be explored for sugar reduction in yogurt.

Physiochemical, rheological, microstructural, and antioxidant properties of yogurt using monk fruit extract as a sweetener

A yogurt using monk fruit extract (MFE) as a sweetener was developed. The aim of the study was to investigate the viability of using MFE to develop sweetened yogurts without the calories of added sugar. The physiochemical, rheological, microstructural, and antioxidant properties of yogurt were studied. Rheological results showed that MFE affected the yogurt fermentation process and its rheological properties. Yogurt sweetened with MFE had similar microstructural properties to yogurt sweetened with sucrose. Yogurt with MFE showed higher levels of gly-pro-p-nitroanilide and dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitory activities, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity, α-glucosidase inhibitory activities, and superoxide anion radical scavenging ability compared with other yogurt samples. Results indicated that MFE could be a novel sweetener and a food antioxidant for functional yogurt and related products.

Production of low-calorie apricot nectar sweetened with stevia: Impact on qualitative, sensory, and nutritional profiles

This study aimed to develop a low-calorie apricot nectar by replacing sucrose with different amount of Stevia rebaudiana bertoni (Rebaudioside A, 98%). Stevia has become very popular as sweetener for the production of low-calorie products but its addition could be a challenge for industry, since it could modify sensory features of the product and consumers' acceptance. To this end, apricot nectars without sugar, with sucrose 10%, and with different amounts of stevia were produced and evaluated for microbiological quality using the pour-plate technique, and physicochemical (pH, TTA, and a w) and nutritional (moisture, fat, protein, carbohydrates, and ash) characteristics. Furthermore, a sensory analysis of the samples was performed by a panel of trained judges using quantitative descriptive analysis. The effect of stevia addiction on the consumers' acceptance was investigated by 102 consumers of fruit juices that evaluated the overall acceptability of the samples using a structured 9-point hedonic scale. Levels of microbial groups in nectars were under the detection limit confirming a good hygienic practice within the production. Nectars produced with stevia resulted in significant reduction in caloric value from 86 kcal (nectar with 10% sucrose) to 49 kcal (nectars with stevia), without altering its typicality. Different sensory profiles among samples were pointed out; all the products are liked, but with a different level of pleasantness. The study highlighted that the apricot nectars with 0.07% stevia are characterized for sweet and liquorice aroma notes and received the same level of consumer acceptability of nectars produced with 10% sucrose.

Ternary Cross-Modal Interactions between Sweetness, Aroma, and Viscosity in Different Beverage Matrices

Sugar reduction in food and beverage products involves several challenges. Non-nutritive sweeteners may give unwanted off-flavors, while sugar-reduced products often lack mouthfeel. To overcome this, the addition of aroma to increase sweetness through cross-modal interactions, and the addition of hydrocolloids such as pectin to increase viscosity, have been suggested as strategies to aid sugar reduction. However, viscosity has been shown to decrease both taste and aroma intensities. An increase in viscosity may thereby affect the use of aromas as sweetness enhancers. Additionally, the effects of aromas and hydrocolloids on sweetness intensity and mouthfeel depend on the food matrix involved. The present study investigated cross-modal aroma-sweetness-viscosity interactions in two beverage matrices: water and apple nectar. The perceptual effects of vanilla aroma (0-1 mL/kg), sucrose (2.5%-7.5% w/w) and pectin (0%-0.3% w/w) were studied in both matrices. For each matrix, cross-modal interactions were analyzed with descriptive analysis using a trained sensory panel. The effect of vanilla aroma on sweetness intensity was found to be higher in apple nectar compared to in water. Furthermore, pectin affected neither taste, aroma, nor the cross-modal effects of aroma on taste in either of the matrices. These results indicate that pectin, in the studied range of concentrations, may be used to improve mouthfeel in sugar-reduced beverages, without compromising taste or aroma perception.

Taste Sensor: Electronic Tongue with Lipid Membranes

Taste is of five basic types, namely, sourness, saltiness, sweetness, bitterness and umami. In this review, we focus on a potentiometric taste sensor that we developed and fabricated using lipid polymer membranes. The taste sensor can measure the taste perceived by humans and is called an electronic tongue with global selectivity, which is the property to discriminate taste qualities and quantify them without discriminating each chemical substance. This property is similar to the gustatory system; hence, the taste sensor is a type of biomimetic device. In this paper, we first explain the sensing mechanism of the taste sensor, its application to beer evaluation and the measurement mechanism. Second, results recently obtained are introduced; i.e., the application of the senor to high-potency sweeteners and the improvement of the bitterness sensor are explained. Last, quantification of the bitterness-masking effect of high-potency sweeteners is explained using a regression analysis based on both the outputs of bitterness and sweetness sensors. The taste sensor provides a biomimetic method different from conventional analytical methods.

Reacciones químicas de los azúcares simples empleados en la industria alimentaria

Hoy en día, la demanda de los consumidores por productos saludables conlleva a la industria alimentaria a realizar investigaciones sobre las diferentes reacciones químicas de diversos macronutrientes como azúcares, polisacáridos, proteínas y lípidos con el fin de comprender su interacción con otros componentes presentes en las matrices alimentarias, encontrar estrategias para reducir la aparición de compuestos tóxicos, garantizar la seguridad alimentaria en los alimentos procesados térmicamente y formular nuevos productos con características de mayor valor. El presente artículo expone las reacciones químicas que presentan los carbohidratos simples, considerando los mecanismos químicos involucrados, el tipo de compuestos generados, la importancia de estos compuestos en la industria de alimentos y algunos efectos, tanto favorables como desfavorables, de dichas reacciones.

Quantitative comparison of adsorption and desorption of commonly used sweeteners in the oral cavity

Adsorption-desorption properties of different sweeteners in the oral cavity were evaluated using high performance liquid chromatography-based methodology. Three low calorie artificial sweeteners (aspartame, acesulfame potassium and sucralose), one steviol glycoside (rebaudioside A), and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) were examined and compared with sucrose at pH 3 and 7 in a model beverage matrix. Results indicated that HFCS had the highest adsorption in the oral cavity, followed by rebaudioside A and the artificial sweeteners. The physicochemical interaction between sweeteners and salivary proteins did not affect the adsorption properties significantly as validated from a series of characterization techniques.

A Comparison of Psychophysical Dose-Response Behaviour across 16 Sweeteners

Reduction or replacement of sucrose while maintaining sweetness in foods is challenging, but today there are many sweeteners with diverse physical and caloric compositions to choose from. The choice of sweetener can be adapted to match reformulation goals whether these are to reduce calories, lower the glycaemic response, provide bulk or meet criteria as a natural ingredient. The current study sought to describe and compare the sweetness intensity dose-response, sweetness growth rate, sweetness potency, and potential for calorie reduction across 16 different sweeteners including sucrose. Sweetness growth rate was defined as the rate of change in sweetness intensity per unit of sweetener concentration. Sweetness potency was defined as the ratio of the concentration of a sweetener to that of sucrose at equivalent sweetness intensity, whereas the potential for calorie reduction is the caloric value of a sweetener compared to sucrose at matched sweetness intensities. Sweeteners were drawn from a range of nutritive saccharide (sucrose, dextrose, fructose, allulose (d-psicose), palatinose (isomaltulose), and a sucrose⁻allulose mixture), nutritive polyol (maltitol, erythritol, mannitol, xylitol, sorbitol), non-nutritive synthetic (aspartame, acesulfame-K, sucralose) and non-nutritive natural sweeteners stevia (rebaudioside A), luo han guo (mogroside V). Sweetness intensities of the 16 sweeteners were compared with a sensory panel of 40 participants (n = 40; 28 females). Participants were asked to rate perceived sweetness intensity for each sweetener series across a range of concentrations using psychophysical ratings taken on a general labelled magnitude scale (gLMS). All sweeteners exhibited sigmoidal dose-response behaviours and matched the 'moderate' sweetness intensity of sucrose (10% w/v). Fructose, xylitol and sucralose had peak sweetness intensities greater than sucrose at the upper concentrations tested, while acesulfame-K and stevia (rebA) were markedly lower. Independent of sweetener concentration, the nutritive sweeteners had similar sweetness growth rates to sucrose and were greater than the non-nutritive sweeteners. Non-nutritive sweeteners on the other hand had higher potencies relative to sucrose, which decreases when matching at higher sweetness intensities. With the exception of dextrose and palatinose, all sweeteners matched the sweetness intensity of sucrose across the measured range (3.8⁻25% w/v sucrose) with fewer calories. Overall, the sucrose⁻allulose mixture, maltitol and xylitol sweeteners were most similar to sucrose in terms of dose-response behaviour, growth rate and potency, and showed the most potential for sugar replacement within the range of sweetness intensities tested.