Sugar-slashing solutions: Industry leaders innovate sweet ingredients for improved health

03 Jan 2024 --- Global sugar intake has been on the rise in recent years, revealing the not-so-sweet truths about excessive sugar consumption. The industry is addressing the need for a shift toward reduced sugar in food and beverages and aligning with the evolving international market.

Reducing sugar content while maintaining the complete sensory profile, encompassing texture, mouthfeel and sweetness, demands application expertise from manufacturers and ingredient suppliers. 

Food Ingredients First speaks to key companies in this space about their creative solutions and key innovations for cutting down on sugar.

“We’re very aware that more and more consumers want to limit the intake of foods and ingredients they tend to over-consume, such as sugars and fats,” Sara de Pelsmaeker, group health and well-being director at Puratos, tells us.

“We have to understand our customers’ needs and the complexity of the existing finished products to design the right solution without any compromise to safety, taste or texture.”

Enhancing texture and taste through innovation
Gourmet sweet treats that offer a balance of health and indulgence are still ranking as consumer favorites, lauded for their palate-pleasing characteristics. Therefore, effectively reducing sugar necessitates the implementation of innovations and technologies to meet the growing demand for healthier options without compromising on taste.Aaltonen Terhi, development manager at Valio.

Advancements in ingredient innovation have enabled manufacturers to imitate various sensory and functional aspects of sugar more accurately.

Valio’s approach exemplifies this strategy. The company employs Eila milk powders to reduce sugar content in products while simultaneously maintaining or enhancing sweetness and texture. 

Terhi Aaltonen, development manager at Valio, tells us: “By using standard milk powder, it is not possible to reach the good texture of chocolate as the texture becomes sticky and unpleasant.”

“In confectionery applications, we have found out that with Eila powders, it is possible to achieve natural sugar reduction without adding any unnatural additives that cause laxative effects. In this way, it is possible to achieve good melting in mouth texture and good, sweet taste without off flavors in sugar-reduced chocolates.”

Valio also replaced part of the sugar with protein from Eila powders to reduce the sugar level in ice creams.

“Some protein usually increases ice cream hardness, which makes the texture of ice cream unpleasant. However, with Eila powders, a similar increase in ice cream hardness was not found and the texture was smooth and melts in the mouth nicely,” says Aaltonen.

“Monosaccharides affect the textural properties of ice cream by softening its texture,” she notes, adding that similar softening is not found in basic milk powders.

Redefining sweetness by technology
Currently, brands have been moving away from artificial sweeteners toward diverse alternatives and flavor enhancers. Sweegen is utilizing new-generation stevia, including high-purity non-GMO Reb M and the sweet protein brazzein in their Sweetensify flavors for taste modulation technology.International teams utilize technology in line with local preferences with expertise in sugar reduction solutions which reflect regional tastes (Image credit: Sweegen).

“Brazzein and other sweet proteins tend to bind with various taste receptors on the tongue, specifically with the T1R3 receptor, which is linked to the perception of sweetness and umami,” Casey McCormick, VP of global innovation at Sweegen, tells us.

“Brazzein can be a very valuable high-intensity sweetener for brands looking to make better-for-you food and drinks. It may promise little to no bitter aftertaste and helps to reduce sweet lingering, reducing taste modulation challenges in the natural sweetener space.”

McCormick also introduces the company’s innovation Sweetensify, which expands beyond just substituting sweeteners for sugar.

“The technology of Sweetensify from Sweegen improves and modulates a variety of taste attributes, which can help brands push the boundaries of healthier product innovation,” he says.

“It is the newest flavor tool starring its novel-sweet protein brazzein, which also features thaumatin II and other unique proteins.”

Balancing health and affordability
Sweet reduction advancements adeptly cater to a spectrum of global tastes and diverse age groups, offering a balance between health-conscious choices and delightful flavors.

Casey McCormick, VP of global innovation at Sweegen.“Young consumer groups do prioritize health, but this is more of a long-term priority. They are the age groups that most support natural sweeteners such as honey, sugar and stevia,” highlights Leigh-Anne Vaughan, senior marketing director of taste at Kerry.

“For optimal taste and nutrition, Kerry natural Tastesense Sweet and Advanced range of sweetness solutions preserve or restore aroma, flavor, mouthfeel and texture while masking off-notes.”

Soumya Nair, global consumer research and insights director at Kerry, says that the company has also delved into understanding the preferences for sweetness across different markets.

“There are a lot of variables in the reduced sugar discussion and consumers’ selections vary considerably depending on the food or drink in question.”

“Kerry has a proprietary flavor AI prediction tool that can be used to leverage the eyes and knowledge of our global experts and expertise to local specificities,” Vaughan adds.

Less developed regions exhibit elevated levels of unhealthy sugar consumption. Economically disadvantaged consumers in these markets are drawn to sugar-dense foods, with food manufacturers often perceiving sugars as a cost-effective means to impart both flavor and calories to their products.Sugar content can be reduced from ingredients, like cake mixes, cream fillings, chocolate, and fruit fillings, and from customers’ own recipes (Image credit: Purato)

“From our perspective, affordability is something the food industry needs to keep an eye on. The solutions need to be accessible. We have a responsibility, as a food business, to help people eat better and live more healthily,” says Sara de Pelsmaeker at Puratos.

“On the bright side, the number and quality of natural options for wholesome, natural and sustainable sugar reduction are growing. So the picture is getting more positive both for the food industry and the people it serves.” 

Shaping tomorrow’s palate
To create a diverse market for affordable, reduced-sugar food products, many companies are prioritizing research as they work to unlock new opportunities.

“We are maintaining an approach by investing heavily in research and development. Our strategy involves continuous exploration of emerging technologies, staying attuned to the latest scientific advancements and fostering collaborations with leading experts and institutions,” says McCormick at Sweegen.

The future planning echoes other businesses in the industry as they strive toward “food innovation for good.” Sara de Pelsmaeker, group health and well-being director at Puratos.

“Taste Tomorrow, our proprietary platform, gives us comprehensive, live information about trends, attitudes and preferences worldwide. Research also includes ongoing investment and internal development efforts that improve our ingredients portfolio,” Pelsmaeker at Puratos elaborates.

Meanwhile, Valio considers food safety and healthy lifestyles as key sustainability focus areas going forward.

“We have engaged in health-promoting, nutritionally responsible activities. On the ingredient side, our core expertise will continue to lie in manufacturing and distributing food ingredients that facilitate sugar reduction, protein enrichment, clean label formulations and gut health — in other words, better nutrition,” says Aaltonen.

By Sichong Wang