Sugar substitutes, not just talk

Sugar is the most important source of energy for body health and an important part of the formation of body tissues. Sugar is not only the easiest way for people to obtain sweetness, but also the sweetener with the widest range and longest application history. Human beings can't get rid of the pursuit of "sweet" taste enjoyment. The addition of sugar in food will bring pleasant sweetness, attractive color and aroma, and at the same time play an important role in improving the texture of the product and extending the shelf life of the food. Our daily foods such as beverages, candies, biscuits and other products have relatively high sugar content. Consumers have a high preference for such high-sugar foods. However, long-term high-sugar diets will trigger a series of health crises. The fourth oral health epidemiological survey showed that the prevalence of dental caries is increasing year by year among children and adolescents. The prevalence of dental caries among 5-year-old children is 71.9%, and the prevalence of dental caries among children over 12 years old is 71.8%, both higher than 10 years ago. Increase in scale. The incidence of diabetes, obesity, etc. has also increased significantly over the past few years, and is showing a younger trend. The occurrence of these diseases is closely related to our daily diet and living habits. A large number of data studies have shown that high-sugar diets have become one of the causes of obesity, overweight, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and oral diseases. The action to reduce sugar is imminent.

In order to control sugar intake, national and government levels have introduced sugar restriction measures and documents. The World Health Organization has issued "Guidelines for Adults and Children's Sugar Intakes" in response to consumers' excessive daily sugar intake. The guidelines recommend adult and children's diets. The intake of free sugar should be reduced, and it is better not to exceed 5%-10% of the total energy, so as not to bring health crisis due to the intake of sugar. In 2016, the WHO proposed to impose a "sugar tax" on foods with high sugar content. At present, taxes on high-sugar foods have been increased in many countries around the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, etc., to encourage upstream food producers and downstream consumers to reduce Sugar intake. Although China does not levy a sugar tax, the state has also introduced relevant health measures to promote healthy eating in the whole society.

With the increase in spending power, consumers pay more attention to safety, health, and functionality when buying food. The market research organization FMCG Gurus survey shows that 44% of consumers are willing to reduce their sugar intake in their diets. In response to the global sugar reduction trend and changes in consumer demand, food manufacturers have begun to look for new functional sweeteners that can replace sucrose and Fructose syrup, striving to find a balance between sweetness and health, so that consumers can Eat healthier and more functional foods.

What are the functional sugar substitute sweeteners?

Functional sweeteners have two meanings: one is the most basic and has no adverse effects on health. It solves the problem that eating more sucrose is not beneficial to your health; the other is a higher level, which is beneficial to human health. Or the role of promotion.

At present, there are various types of sugar substitute sweeteners used all over the world, including white granulated sugar and fructose used as raw materials. The types and applications of sweeteners suitable for food production are specified in my country's GB2760-2014 "Standard for the Use of Food Additives" The scope and limit requirements include more than 20 sweeteners including sucralose, xylitol, cyclamate, sorbitol, steviol glycosides, etc., which will still be increased in the future. Sugar substitute sweeteners include synthetic and natural sweeteners according to their sources. Artificial synthetic sweeteners are sweeteners synthesized through certain chemical techniques, such as sucralose, xylitol, maltitol, neotame, etc.; natural sweetness Agents refer to sweeteners that exist in nature and can be obtained without chemical means, such as Erythritol, crystalline fructose, allulose, trehalose, stevioside, and Luo Han Guo. Natural sweeteners are more popular because of their natural and safe properties, and have become a hot product for development and research in recent years. Under the new consumer trend, the natural sweetener market has shown a strong growth momentum.

1.1 Erythritol

Erythritol, also known as 1,2,3,4-butanetriol, is naturally present in daily fruits, algae, fungi and fermented foods such as soy sauce and wine. The appearance of the product is white crystalline particles or powder, with a molecular weight of 122.12, which is the sugar alcohol product with the smallest molecular weight. The sweetness of erythritol is low, only 70% of that of sucrose. It has excellent sweetness without bad bitterness after eating. It has a refreshing taste when eaten. Because of its low sweetness, it is often used in foods with high-strength sweeteners to enhance the taste. Erythritol has good heat and acid resistance, and is not prone to Maillard reaction. At the same time, the product has low hygroscopicity and does not cause caries. It is widely used in food, medicine, chemical and other fields. Erythritol has a unique metabolic pathway. After the human body consumes erythritol, it is not metabolized by enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract, but is absorbed by the small intestine into the blood, filtered out through the kidneys, and 90% is excreted through urine. , Only 10% enter the large intestine and are fermented by microorganisms to produce CH4 and H2, which are then excreted through breathing [4]. The unique metabolic pathway of erythritol does not cause blood sugar fluctuations, and is the preferred food for diabetic patients. At the same time, erythritol has a higher human tolerance compared with other sugar alcohols such as xylitol, sorbitol, and maltitol. The amount (0.8g/kg for women and 0.66g/kg for men) is difficult to cause side effects such as abdominal distension and diarrhea. In 1997, the FDA approved it as a GRAS substance. In GB2760, my country stipulates that erythritol can be used as a sweetener in various foods, and the dosage is based on production needs.

1.2 Crystalline fructose

Crystalline fructose is a high-sweetness, low-GI sugar substitute sweetener, which has a special role in health, nutrition and functionality, and has been widely used by countries all over the world. Crystalline fructose belongs to ketulose, which is an isomer of glucose. It naturally occurs in fruits such as honey, apples, bananas, and strawberries. It has a fruity flavor and is 1.3 to 1.8 times sweeter than sucrose. Taste buds perceive crystalline fructose faster. At the same time, it exists for a short time and will not conceal the release of other flavors and aromas in the food. Crystalline fructose has cold and sweet characteristics. The higher the temperature, the lower the sweetness. Compared with glucose, the metabolic pathway has nothing to do with insulin. At the same time, fructose is not easily used by oral microorganisms, and has less adverse effects on teeth than sucrose, and is less likely to cause dental caries. The energy value of fructose is 17 kJ/g, which is lower than that of sucrose and glucose at iso-sweetness. Together with its superior metabolic properties, it is an important low-energy functional sweetener.

1.3 Trehalose

Trehalose, also known as loulu sugar and mushroom sugar, is a safe and reliable low-sweetness natural sweetener. The sweetness is only 45% of that of sucrose, which can be used to replace sucrose in children's foods such as fruit bars and biscuits. Trehalose is a non-reducing disaccharide formed by the combination of two glucose molecules through the hemiacetal hydroxyl group. It is widely present in many edible animals, plants and microorganisms in nature, because of its excellent moisture retention, low dental caries, and radiation resistance. It has been widely used in agriculture, food, cosmetics, medicine and other fields.

1.4 Allulose

Allulose is also known as D-ribose-2-hexulose, with a molecular formula of C6H12O6 and a relative molecular mass of 180.16. Allulose is a rare sugar, and its content is low in nature. Allulose has a white crystal appearance, high solubility in water, low sweetness, only 70% of sucrose, and taste similar to sucrose. It can be used alone or in combination with stevioside and mogroside to achieve synergy effect. The calories are significantly lower than that of sucrose. In addition to being a sweetener, D-psicose can also be used as a food filler to bring a certain volume and texture improvement. From 2011 to 2013, CJ and Matsutani applied to the FDA for D-psicose GRAS certification, confirming the safety, application scope and maximum use of psicose. The draft guidelines on nutrition labeling issued by the FDA in 2019 It is clear that allulose is not in the range of added sugar, and the product calories are marked at 0.4kcal/g (1.6kj/g) per gram. At present, allulose is mainly sold in a few countries such as North America, Japan, and South Korea in the form of monomer or compound sugar.

02
Market application of functional sugar substitute sweeteners

A "sweet revolution" is emerging in the food and beverage industry, and "sugar-free" and "sugar reduction" have become one of the hottest trends in the food and beverage industry. At present, the penetration rate of food categories with reduced and no sugar claims on the market is increasing, from dairy yogurt, ice cream to beverages (energy drinks, tea drinks, sparkling drinks, etc.), candy, chocolate, cakes, etc. Casual snacks, and even traditional meat products, are carrying out sugar reduction activities.

Sweeteners play a very important role in the taste, quality and cost of beverages. The innovation and upgrading of beverages is not only reflected in the taste, but also should be given more functional and healthy attributes, beauty, refreshing, improving immunity, and promoting intestines. Dao functional beverages will be the focus of attention of producers. The trend of sugar reduction is particularly obvious in the beverage industry. Natural sugar substitute sweeteners can be well used to replace sucrose in tea beverages, carbonated beverages, and flavored beverages, which can not only meet consumer demand for low sugar and low calories, without sacrificing the taste of the product. . Erythritol has been recognized by many beverage companies for its advantages of 0 sugar and 0 energy. At present, domestic beverage giants including Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Yuanqi Forest, Nongfu Spring, Wahaha, and Master Kong have sugar-free drinks on the market.

Milk products such as yogurt, ice cream, and lactic acid bacteria beverages are popular with consumers because of their good taste. However, it is not difficult to find that concepts such as zero sucrose, reduced sugar, and low sugar are appearing more and more frequently through changes in product packaging. At present, the demand for sugar reduction in dairy products has become the norm in the market. The global dairy industry is constantly seeking the best sugar reduction strategies and solutions, and the emergence of sugar substitute sweeteners caters to consumers' dual needs for health and taste. . Natural sweeteners are used to replace all or part of sucrose in dairy products, reducing sugar but not sweetening. HALO TOP, Baxi, Yuanqi Forest and other domestic products have launched related products that focus on the concept of sugar substitutes.

Candy is the main carrier of a sweetener, and the audience is mainly children. However, with the increase in the incidence of children's dental caries and the increase in obesity, the traditional candy market has declined. Products that rely solely on starch syrup will inevitably lack market competition. We need to find new sugar substitutes to meet the upgrading needs of confectionery products under the new consumption model. Sugar-free soft candies, sugar-free hard candies, and sugar-free chocolate products have emerged as the times require. Erythritol has low hygroscopicity and cool taste and can be used in the production of chewing gum. It can also be used alone or in combination with other sweeteners for the production of tableted candies and hard candies. The anti-caries properties of crystalline fructose and trehalose can be used in the development of children's candies, and allulose as a 0-sugar sweetener can also be used in sugar-free candies.

Baking products are generally high in fat, sugar, and energy, making many consumers daunted. Sugar substitute sweeteners are superior to sucrose in improving taste and reducing calories. They are being used by food companies and researchers to develop new healthy bakery products. . Sugar-free bread, meal replacement bread, meal replacement biscuits, etc. are different from traditional baking and are now spreading out in the market.

The health effects of erythritol, crystalline fructose, and allulose in controlling blood sugar, etc., enable it to be added to health foods, and to develop health foods suitable for special populations such as diabetics and obese people. They can be made into decoction pieces. , Powder, granule, capsule and other dosage forms. The protective effect of psicose on the nervous system can be used as a raw material for neuroprotective drugs, and it also shows great potential in anti-caries and coping with diseases caused by oxidative stress. The protective effect of trehalose on cells and protein macromolecules plays an important role in biomedicine and other fields.

03
Future development of functional sweeteners

With the acceleration of the pace of life, consumers are more willing to enjoy the convenience and convenience brought by food. A single sweetener is no longer enough. Differentiated and customized food ingredients will become popular in the food field. Through different sweetness Combinations of ingredients The development of sugar substitute sweeteners for dairy products, beverages, baking, candy, and table condiments will be a major trend in food development. For sugar substitute sweeteners, in the future, it is necessary to carry out in-depth research on the metabolic pathways and metabolites of different sweeteners, the differentiation of the combination of different compound sweeteners, and explore the advantages between products, and explore the sensory, texture, and The advantages and disadvantages of water retention, extending the application possibilities of sweeteners in more food fields, and increasing consumer awareness will help promote the market development of natural sweeteners.