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.     

乳制品减糖的必要性及研究进展

基于含糖食品对公众健康的影响,降糖成为食品工业的技术挑战之一。从乳制品和糖与健康的关系出发,重点分析了糖的消费现状和膳食推荐,以及不同国家和地区为控制居民糖的摄入而采取的营养标签标识、征税等措施；通过糖对乳制品的作用、乳制品中糖的应用现状、乳制品降糖面临的技术挑战等内容的解析,论述了乳制品减糖的必要性和发展趋势。乳制品减糖一般常用逐步降糖、糖替代、食品质构创新、多感官融合等技术方法。逐步降糖让消费者习惯低糖乳制品的口感是最理想的措施,但市场风险的存在使企业更倾向于选择在不降低甜度的前提下,使用非营养型高倍甜味剂、糖醇和膳食纤维等实现减糖。代糖物质对产品感官和品质的影响是乳品工业面临的技术挑战；食品质构创新可以在不增加产品中糖的添加量前提下,从质构调节、风味释放等多维度提升甜度感受；采用多感官融合技术从甜味质量、强度、持续性和空间性等4个维度综合模拟糖对产品的贡献、实现减糖是可行的趋势。     

香气增甜的作用机制及评价方法研究进展

食品减糖比较常见的方法是使用非营养性甜味剂,但非营养性甜味剂会带来不受欢迎的苦味或金属味及安全风险。研究表明,在某些食物中加入香气物质可以增强人体对食品的甜味感知,即利用香气增甜作用达到食品减糖效果。从气味物质种类、甜味剂浓度2个方面总结了对香气增甜作用有重要影响的因素;从正鼻途径和后鼻途径的嗅觉感受机制、脑神经及味觉感受机制、心理感受机制3个方面阐述了香气增甜的作用机制,总结了分子模拟在分析甜味剂与味觉受体结合、释放过程的应用;归纳了评价香气增甜作用大小的感官分析方法,并比较描述性感官分析法、时间强度法和感觉时间支配分析法3种感官分析方法的差异性;对香气增甜作用在食品工业中的应用现状进行了汇总;对香气增甜研究方向以及分析气味增强味觉作用机制的方法提出展望,以期为香气减糖的研究提供新思路。     

Sugar reduction without compromising sensory perception. An impossible dream?

ABSTRACT

Sugar reduction is a major technical challenge for the food industry to address in response to public health concerns regarding the amount of added sugars in foods. This paper reviews sweet taste perception, sensory methods to evaluate sugar reduction and the merits of different techniques available to reduce sugar content. The use of sugar substitutes (non-nutritive sweeteners, sugar alcohols, and fibres) can achieve the greatest magnitude of sugar and energy reduction, however bitter side tastes and varying temporal sweet profiles are common issues. The use of multisensory integration principles (particularly aroma) can be an effective approach to reduce sugar content, however the magnitude of sugar reduction is small. Innovation in food structure (modifying the sucrose distribution, serum release and fracture mechanics) offers a new way to reduce sugar without significant changes in food composition, however may be difficult to implement in food produced on a large scale. Gradual sugar reduction presents difficulties for food companies from a sales perspective if acceptability is compromised. Ultimately, a holistic approach where food manufacturers integrate a range of these techniques is likely to provide the best progress. However, substantial reduction of sugar in processed foods without compromising sensory properties may be an impossible dream.     

几种典型天然甜味剂的功能活性及食品加工应用

近年来,随着消费者对健康产品的需求,天然甜味剂成为食品加工中重要加工原料,主要原因是其高甜度、低热量、低升糖的特点。消费者认知的提升及企业对产品的不断开发共同促进了天然甜味剂在我国的发展。天然甜味剂不仅可以应用于食品生产,还具有调节肠道菌群、抗氧化、美白、保护神经、抗癌、抗病毒、抗糖化和抗糖尿病等功能活性,但我国对于此方面的开发和利用还不慎广泛。该研究将重点围绕几种典型天然甜味剂的功能活性进行综述,并对其在乳制品、饮料、焙烤食品、海产品等食品加工中的应用现状深入探讨,以期为天然甜味剂的扩大开发应用提供参考依据。     

蔗糖的地位不可取代：论食糖与化学合成甜味剂的消费特性

本文从味觉感受、在人体中的生理作用以及在食品工业上的加工特性等方面论述食糖与化学合成甜味剂的消费特性的差别,并分析我国甜味剂的消费现状,指出蔗糖的地位不可取代。     

Low‐calorie Sweeteners and Other Sugar Substitutes: A Review of the Safety Issues

Sugar‐free or reduced‐sugar foods and beverages are very popular in the United States and other countries, and the sweeteners that make them possible are among the most conspicuous ingredients in the food supply. Extensive scientific research has demonstrated the safety of the 5 low‐calorie sweeteners currently approved for use in foods in the United States–acesulfame K, aspartame, neotame, saccharin, and sucralose. A controversial animal cancer study of aspartame conducted using unusual methodology is currently being reviewed by regulatory authorities in several countries. No other issues about the safety of these 5 sweeteners remain unresolved at the present time. Three other low‐calorie sweeteners currently used in some other countries–alitame, cyclamate, and steviol glycosides–are not approved as food ingredients in the United States. Steviol glycosides may be sold as a dietary supplement, but marketing this product as a food ingredient in the United States is illegal. A variety of polyols (sugar alcohols) and other bulk sweeteners are also accepted for use in the United States. The only significant health issue pertaining to polyols, most of which are incompletely digested, is the potential for gastrointestinal discomfort with excessive use. The availability of a variety of safe sweeteners is of benefit to consumers because it enables food manufacturers to formulate a variety of good‐tasting sweet foods and beverages that are safe for the teeth and lower in calorie content than sugar‐sweetened foods.     

非营养性高倍甜味剂的现状及发展

甜味剂是很重要的一类食品添加剂,尤其是非营养性高倍甜味剂的品种越来越多,应用越来越广.介绍了目前常用的几种人工合成的以及天然的非营养性高倍甜味剂的特性,并分析了高倍甜味剂的发展趋势.     

Parents’ and Children's Acceptance of Skim Chocolate Milks Sweetened by Monk Fruit and Stevia Leaf Extracts

Chocolate milk increases milk consumption of children, but high sugar content raises health concerns. Interest in sugar reduction and parents’ preference for natural sweeteners necessitates further research on natural nonnutritive sweeteners. However, it is important to maintain consumer acceptability, especially for children, while reducing sugar in chocolate milk. The objectives of this study were to identify the sweetness intensity perception of stevia leaf (STV) and monk fruit (MK) extracts in skim chocolate milk (SCM), to evaluate STV and MK as the sole or partial sweetener source for SCM for young adults (19 to 35 y) and children (5 to 13 y), and to determine if information on natural nonnutritive sweeteners impacted parents’ acceptability of SCM. Power function and 2‐alternative forced choice studies were used to determine the iso‐sweetness of nonnutritive sweeteners to a sucrose control in SCM (51.4 g/L, SUC control). Young adults (n = 131) evaluated 9 different SCM (SUC control, STV, MK, STV:sucrose blends, or MK:sucrose blends) in a completely randomized 2‐d test. Children (n = 167) evaluated SUC control SCM and SCM with 39.7 g/L sucrose and 46 mg/L MK (MK25) or 30 mg/L STV (STV25). Parents evaluated SUC control, MK25, and STV25 in a balanced crossover design with a 40‐d wait time between primed or unprimed ballots. Chocolate milks solely sweetened by nonnutritive sweeteners were less acceptable compared with SUC control by young adults. MK25 and STV25 were acceptable by young adults and children. The presentation of chocolate milk label information had different effects on parental acceptance. Traditional parents preferred sucrose sweetened SCM, and label conscious parents preferred SCM with natural nonnutritive sweeteners.     

Texture-taste interactions: Enhancement of taste intensity by structural modifications of the food matrix

The reduction of salt and sugar in food products remains a challenge due to the importance of those ingredients in providing a highly desired taste quality, enhancing flavor, determining the behavior of structuring ingredients, and ensuring microbiological safety. Several technologies have been used to reduce salt and sugar content in foods such as replacement of sugar by sweeteners, replacement of sodium salts by blends of other salts, taste enhancement by aromas and taste boosters or gradual reduction of sugar and salt in small steps over time. In this study we present two alternative approaches to enhance taste perception. First, the use of an inhomogeneous spatial distribution of sugar in food gels is introduced as a way to enhance sweetness perception [1]. The translation of the concept of taste contrast to bread applications is discussed which allows to reduce salt content in bread by 25% without loss of saltiness intensity and without addition of taste enhancers, aromas or salt replacers [2]. Secondly, it is demonstrated how the serum release under compression of mixed polysaccharide/protein gels can be engineered to enhance sweetness perception. An increase of serum release by 5x allowed to reduce sugar content of gels by 30% while maintaining sweet taste intensity [3]. The translation of this concept to low salt sausages is discussed. Sausages were engineered to exhibit enhanced juiciness which lead to a boost of saltiness allowing for up to 40% salt reduction [4]. These approaches can be used to further optimize the development of products with reduced salt and sugar content while maintaining taste intensity.     

Physical,textural and sensory characteristics of reduced sucrose cakes,incorporated with clean-label sugar-replacing alternative ingredients

High levels of sucrose in foods present a great risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Therefore a low sucrose intake is strongly recommended. Sweet baked products incorporate high levels of sucrose. Sucrose in the original cake formulation was reduced and replaced with apple pomace, whey permeate, oligofructose, polydextrose. An acceptable sucrose reduction of between 21 and 27% was achieved. Cakes containing apple pomace had the lowest specific volume (1.8 cm³/g) and highest crumb firmness (8.60 N) (P < .05). Apple pomace and whey permeate had a significantly decreased L* values of the crust (P < .05). Moisture content of the cake crumb was increased significantly with the addition of oligofructose, whey permeate and polydextrose. All treatments resulted in a significant increase of the water activity of the cake crumb compared to the control (P < .05). Crumb cell structure was maintained as shown by 2-D and confocal imaging. Sensory trials revealed the reformulated cakes were acceptable to panellists.Industrial relevancePublic awareness about the health risks of diets high in sugar have increased dramatically for the last number of years. Governmental and professional groups have recommended sucrose to be reduced in certain food products; therefore the food industry is now seeking ways to reduce the sugar by substituting other materials. However, most people enjoy the taste and texture of high sugar foods, and may not want to give them up. As sugar is present in such significant amounts in cakes, altering the level used will greatly affect dough consistency and final product characteristics. Efforts have made over the last number of years to explore alternative sweetening ingredients including bulk sweeteners (polyols) and high intensity sweeteners as sucrose replacers (Di Monaco et al., 2018). However, recent consumer trends indicate a movement towards a ‘clean label’. Clean label implies a food a low number of ingredients and ingredients with names with the consumer can understand (Skelke, 2018). Polyols and high intensity artificial sweeteners are not considered to be a ‘clean label’ ingredient, and therefore alternatives must be reviewed. This study investigates the use of clean label sweetening ingredients. Apple pomace and whey permeate are by-products of the juice and dairy industry. Both polydextrose and oligofructose can be classified as dietary fibres, and also provide other functional properties to the cake.     

低聚糖类益生元对炼乳品质的影响

目的 为实现炼乳的减糖,研究不同低聚糖类益生元替代蔗糖对炼乳品质的影响。方法 选用低聚果糖、低聚异麦芽糖、低聚木糖、低聚半乳糖四种低聚糖类益生元分别作为蔗糖替代物,研究不同替代比的益生元炼乳体系质构、流变、感官、色泽、晶体大小的变化,得到最佳糖替代益生元及替代比例。结果 综合考虑质构、色泽、晶体大小、喜好度排序感官四种指标表明,低聚果糖炼乳和低聚异麦芽糖炼乳品质较为优良,其中低聚果糖炼乳可接受的替代比为15%以内、低聚异麦芽糖炼乳可接受的替代比为25%以内。进一步通过静态流变学试验表明低聚异麦芽糖是最佳糖替代物质,在炼乳体系中其最佳替代比为15%。结论 糖替代比15%的低聚异麦芽糖炼乳既满足了甜感需求,又实现了减糖的目标,此外益生元的加入赋予了炼乳更多的功能性。该研究可为炼乳产品的减糖开发提供一定的理论依据和技术支持。     

Textural and sensory properties of Lal peda manufactured with artificial sweeteners and bulking agents

Lal peda is an Indian heat desiccated dairy food. High sugar content in Lal peda poses severe restriction in its consumption. Sugar was replaced with artificial sweeteners (aspartame, acesulfame‐k and sucralose) with the addition of bulking agents (Litesse and inulin) to provide a characteristic texture. Lal peda prepared using 25% Litesse and 0.17% aspartame gave an optimum product. HPLC analysis of artificially sweetened Lal peda samples revealed that aspartame in Lal peda was stable up to 6 days when stored at 20 and 37 °C. The acidic pH of Lal peda stabilised the aspartame and slowed down its degradation until 6 days. Neither inulin nor Litesse significantly altered the colour or sensory characteristics of Lal peda.     

Prebiotic Low Sugar Chocolate Dairy Desserts: Physical and Optical Characteristics and Performance of PARAFAC and PCA Preference Map

The addition of prebiotic and sweeteners in chocolate dairy desserts opens up new opportunities to develop dairy desserts that besides having a lower calorie intake still has functional properties. In this study, prebiotic low sugar dairy desserts were evaluated by 120 consumers using a 9‐point hedonic scale, in relation to the attributes of appearance, aroma, flavor, texture, and overall liking. Internal preference map using parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) and principal component analysis (PCA) was performed using the consumer data. In addition, physical (texture profile) and optical (instrumental color) analyses were also performed. Prebiotic dairy desserts containing sucrose and sucralose were equally liked by the consumers. These samples were characterized by firmness and gumminess, which can be considered drivers of liking by the consumers. Optimization of the prebiotic low sugar dessert formulation should take in account the choice of ingredients that contribute in a positive manner for these parameters. PARAFAC allowed the extraction of more relevant information in relation to PCA, demonstrating that consumer acceptance analysis can be evaluated by simultaneously considering several attributes. Multiple factor analysis reported Rv value of 0.964, suggesting excellent concordance for both methods.     

Sweet processed foods in Brazil: use of sugar and sweeteners,inclusion of sugar claims and impact on nutritional profile

This study characterised the main sweet beverages and food products marketed in Brazil regarding (i) the addition of sugar/sweeteners, (ii) nutritional profile and (iii) sugar claims. Results revealed that most of the beverages had added sweeteners, while food products were mainly sweetened with sugar. Moreover, >90% of the powdered products had added sweeteners. ‘Zero sugar’ (46%) and ‘light’ (55%) were the most common sugar claims in sugar-free and reduced-sugar products, respectively. Powdered products, soya drinks and baked products included claims less frequently. Regarding the nutritional profile, beverages with sugar substitution had a proportionally greater reduction in the content of carbohydrates and calories (up to 99%, for both) in relation to food (<82% and <85%, respectively). The results suggest that reducing sugar in solid foods remains a greater challenge than in beverages and that this reduction has less impact on the final energy density of foods.     

RYOTO蔗糖酯在油脂产品中的应用

<正> RYOTO蔗糖酯是由蔗糖和天然植物脂肪酸通过酯化合成的具有安全性的非离子表面活性剂。RYOTO蔗糖酯是在蔗糖的羟基上由脂肪酸进行酯化结合的产品:1个蔗糖的分子,总共有8个羟基。理论上,其结合范围可以从1个蔗糖分子与1个脂肪酸结合的单酯产品到1个蔗糖分     

Comparative study of postprandial glycaemia in type 2 diabetic patients after consumption of mono- and disaccharides and sweeteners

It was investigated the influence of mono- and disaccharides, sugar alcohols, honey, corn patoka and products with nutritive and nonnutritive sweeteners on dynamic of postprandial glycaemia in type 2 diabetic patients. After ingestion of 30 g fructose, blood glucose did not show a marked increase in comparison with sucrose or honey. After ingestion of 30 g sorbitol or isomalt, blood glucose curve was not significantly different. It was indicated that corn patoka in chewing candies with isomalt has a high hyperglycaemic effect whereas drink with nonnutritive sweeteners did not change blood glucose from fasting levels.     

Evaluation of 18 apple varieties for their suitability for juice production

Eighteen apple varieties have been evaluated both organoleptically and chemically for their suitability as raw material for apple juicep reduction. Fruits, for the main part, were evaluated in 1977 and 1978, and the few varieties showing significant differences were re-evaluated in 1979. Large differences in aroma and taste were observed between the various varieties. On a 0-10 scale, the best varieties had scores of 7-8, while the poorest scored 2-4. Evaluation of the overall taste was strongly correlated with ‘fruit aroma’. Sugar, acid and polyphenol contents also played a role in taste. The sugar: acid ratio, rather than total acid or total sugar content, was very important in determining whether a juice was evaluated as very sour or very sweet. A sugar:acid ratio of 15-16 was judged to give the optimal balance of sweetness-sourness in the juice.