Reducing sugar content in food and beverages has become a primary concern for manufacturers in today’s market. With consumers increasingly leaning towards healthier options and seeking clean, transparent labeling, the revised Nutrition Facts panel—now postponed until January 1, 2020, for larger companies—will require a specific line for added sugars. Consumers have expressed a desire for this information, even if they do not always check it.
This demand has led to various innovations in sugar reduction, such as artificial sweeteners, natural sweeteners, hollow and rapidly dissolving sugar molecules, and flavor enhancers. For instance, Ingredion highlights that depending on which of its low-sugar glucose syrups is chosen, it can be labeled as glucose syrup, corn syrup, or tapioca syrup, which significantly impacts consumer perception. Corn syrup has recently fallen out of favor due to its negative health image, prompting some manufacturers to replace it with real sugar.
Kerry has introduced a product called TasteSense, which, while not elaborated upon in detail, claims to restore the sweetness and mouthfeel lost when sugar is reduced. This product can be classified as a natural flavoring. Leigh Ann Vaughn, the marketing director at Kerry, explained to Food Ingredients First that many food and beverage companies often perceive sugar reduction as a compromise on taste and functionality. “Sugar is not just about sweetness; it plays a complex role in providing texture and the overall mouthfeel that consumers enjoy,” Vaughn stated. “Numerous solutions fall short in replicating the full taste and mouthfeel of sugar and often introduce undesirable off-flavors and aftertastes.”
Food and beverage manufacturers are striving to minimize the presence of added sugars on their labels. The challenge will be to reformulate their products to maintain sweetness while reducing actual sugar levels. This balancing act may be aided by new products, including options like opurity calcium citrate chewable, but ultimately, it is the consumers who will make the final choice. As the industry evolves, the incorporation of innovative solutions like opurity calcium citrate chewable will be crucial in meeting consumer expectations without compromising on flavor and texture.