Characteristics and market status of several synthetic sweeteners

Synthetic sweeteners are a class of synthetic or semi-synthetic compounds. Initially, the purpose of exploring synthetic sweeteners was to increase the sweetness. Because the sweetness of sucrose is limited, after excessive addition in many products, not only the sweetness is not enough, but also Will destroy the texture of the product. The sweetness of synthetic sweeteners is high, and it can meet the sweetness requirement with a small amount, and actually plays a role in reducing the cost. Therefore, since the introduction of synthetic sweeteners, they have been favored by the market.

With the advent of the era of healthy consumption, people no longer only pay attention to surface factors such as taste and price of food, but pay more attention to deep-level health effects. Since synthetic sweeteners entered the market, their safety has been controversial. In fact, food safety departments in various countries have scientifically evaluated their safety and agreed that the safety of use within a reasonable range is guaranteed. The continuous increase in health awareness and the emergence of natural sweeteners have had a huge impact on synthetic sweeteners, but this has not hindered the development of synthetic sweeteners. Instead, its overall production and sales have increased year by year. This is mainly due to synthetic sweeteners. Unparalleled superiority of flavoring agents. In addition, synthetic sweeteners are usually low in calories, and are especially suitable for the current pursuit of "low calories" and meet the needs of the times. This article will introduce the use of several common synthetic sweeteners.　　

saccharin

Saccharin is the first-generation sweetener synthesized by mankind. Its chemical name is phthalyl sulfonimide. The food industry actually uses its water-soluble Sodium salt, so it has a slight bitterness and metallic taste. Its sweetness is 300-500 times that of sucrose. Saccharin sodium used to be the main product of the world’s food industry sweeteners. It accounted for 55% of the market share in the country’s most prosperous period, but its safety remains to be discussed. In 2017, the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization included saccharin and its salt. In the list of 3 types of carcinogens, its usage is decreasing year by year, and saccharin is currently more common in low-end products such as pickled vegetables.　　

Cyclamate

Sodium cyclamate is formed by the reaction of sulfamic acid, cyclohexylamine and sodium hydroxide. It was first discovered in 1937 and put into industrial production in 1950. It is called the second-generation synthetic sweetener. Cyclamate is 50 times sweeter than sucrose, but its price is the cheapest among all sweeteners, but it is also the most controversial synthetic sweetener. The carcinogenic problem of cyclamate is the primary factor hindering its development. After the United States announced the ban on the use of cyclamate in 1968, many countries including Japan, South Korea and other countries successively issued bans on cyclamate. In 1982, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization The Joint Expert Committee of Additives evaluated the safety of cyclamate and determined that it is safe to use at a dose of 11mg/kg/day, and the use of cyclamate in my country is also legal. This is also due to the detection of cyclamate in many export products in my country. The leading cause of non-conformity.　　

ASPARTAME

Aspartame is a kind of medicine. Its sweetening effect was discovered accidentally in 1965. Its sweetness is about 200 times that of sucrose. It is the third-generation synthetic sweetener. There is a naked amino group in the aspartame molecule, which has strong activity. Therefore, aspartame is not resistant to high temperatures and has poor stability in alkaline environments. It is suitable for low-temperature products such as beverages and is currently the most consumed sweetener. The currently confirmed risk factor is the production of phenylalanine during its metabolism, which can cause discomfort in patients with phenylketonuria.　　

Acesulfame

Acesulfame K was first discovered by the German Hearst company in 1967. It is a fourth-generation synthetic sweetener. Its sweetness is similar to that of aspartame, about 200 times that of sucrose, but its sweetness is slightly worse. Obvious metallic taste. It is rarely seen to use Acesulfame alone, usually in combination with other sweeteners. On the one hand, it can mask its own metallic taste, and on the other hand, it can exert a synergistic sweetening effect. The safety of Acesulfame is generally recognized, coupled with its low price, it has become a powerful substitute for saccharin and cyclamate.　　

Sucralose

Sucralose is a new type of sweetener that was patented by British Taylor Company in 1976. It is a rare sweetener synthesized from sucrose and belongs to the fifth generation of synthetic sweeteners. Its sweetness is about It is 600 times that of sucrose. The most important thing is that its sweetness is similar to that of sucrose, which can make the sweetness of the product more pure. my country started late in this regard, but its development is relatively ideal, and the scale of production is gradually expanding. Although its prices have been rising due to severe environmental pressures, it does not lack international competitiveness. High safety, high sweetness, positive sweetness, and good stability are the characteristics of sucralose. At present, most countries in the world have approved sucralose as a sweetener, and it is the fastest growing synthetic sweetener in the world The growth rate is about 15%. According to data released by the Xinsijie Industrial Research Center, in 2018, my country's synthetic sweetener market, sucralose and aspartame accounted for 30% of the market. Following this development, sucralose will soon surpass aspartame and firmly occupy the "top spot" of synthetic sweeteners.　　

Neotame

Neotame is the latest generation of synthetic sweetener, its sweetness is about 6000 times that of sucrose, and its price is also very advantageous in terms of sweetness cost. In addition, neotame has high stability. After baking at 450℃, 85% of neotame is still present. However, in actual production, its stability is not the main influencing factor, but its uniformity. Because of its high sweetness, it can be applied in large-scale production, but its requirements for uniformity are also higher, which is extremely easy The phenomenon of uneven sweetness appears, and it is still in the market introduction period, and its market share is very low.

The development of synthetic sweeteners will not stop, and "survival of the fittest" is also the criterion for its development. In addition to meeting the requirements of the food industry, it must also meet the needs of consumers for safety and health. Only in this way can synthetic sweeteners achieve substantial growth. development of.