Global Natural Sweetener Market Inventory in 2021

Erythritol

According to data from Innova Market Insights, from July 2016 to June 2021, the sweetener with the highest compound annual growth rate in the world was Erythritol, reaching 32%, while another popular sweetener, stevia The compound annual growth rate is 13%. Erythritol has become the most popular sweetener in the world.

Erythritol is currently the only sugar alcohol product on the market that is naturally transformed and extracted through biological fermentation. It is a zero-calorie sweetener, does not participate in human blood glucose metabolism, and has a sweetness similar to sucrose. Compared with synthetic sweeteners such as sucralose, erythritol can be classified as a natural sweetener; compared with natural sweeteners such as steviol glycosides, erythritol has a purer taste and no bitterness afterwards. Recognized by consumers.

However, the sweetness of erythritol is only 70% of that of sugar, and the amount is large, but the production capacity is seriously insufficient. Therefore, there is a shortage of erythritol supply worldwide. Since the beginning of this year, the market price of erythritol has continued to rise from 16,000 CNY/ton at the beginning of the year, forcing companies to reduce the amount in order to reduce costs. How to reduce the amount of erythritol while maintaining the same taste has become a new issue in the industry.

How to reduce the amount of erythritol?

1) Add fiber

In addition to providing sweetness, part of the fiber can also replicate the function of sugar. It can be used as a flavor enhancer, leavening agent or bulking agent, and it can also increase the effect of promoting intestinal health in the product. The sweetness of naturally occurring inulin is about 10% of that of sucrose. If the inulin chain is shorter, the sweetness will increase. Short-chain inulin can provide 60% of the sweetness level of sucrose. It can partially replace erythritol to provide sweetness and volume. Another fiber that can be used to reduce the amount of erythritol is gum arabic. Due to its physical and functional properties, it is a good choice to increase the fiber content of food without compromising the appearance or flavor of the food. As a low-viscosity thickener, gum arabic can help compensate for the loss of volume, texture and mouthfeel of sugar-reduced products, bring stability by reducing water activity, and improve softness and mouthfeel by increasing water retention capacity.

Batory Foods launched five sweetener blends with erythritol as the main ingredient this year, including B-Tru (erythritol, allulose, stevia extract); B-Intense (erythritol, Allulose, steviol glycosides, stevia extract); B-Faber (erythritol, soluble corn fiber, allulose, stevia extract); B-Clear(E) (erythritol, steviol glycosides) , Stevia extract); B-Clear (A) (allulose, steviol glycosides, stevia extract), helps to simulate the browning, crystallization, freezing point reduction, texture and taste of sucrose, used in B-Clear (A) Best for syrups, dried fruits, and instant coffee and tea; B-Fiber and B-Clear(E) are ideal choices for hard candies; B-Tru, B-Intense and B-Fiber are suitable for dairy products.

Steviol glycosides

Consumers’ interest in stevia is also growing. According to data from Innova Market Insights, between 2016 and 2020, the number of stevia-containing products launched globally has increased by more than 16% annually. The global stevia market was US$637.1 million in 2018 and is expected to reach US$1.1694 million by 2026, with a compound annual growth rate of 8.0% from 2019 to 2026. According to Ingredion's internal analysis, by 2028, the size of the global stevia market is estimated to exceed $1.6 billion.

As rebaudioside M and rebaudioside D and other steviol glycosides with high sweetness and no bitter aftertaste begin to occupy the mainstream market, the promotion of the improvement of laws and regulations in various countries has become a major event in the stevioside industry in 2021. In order to further regulate the steviol glycoside sweetener market, the European Union issued a new labeling guideline, which revised (EC) No 1333/2008 and (EU) No 231/2012, dividing the original steviol glycoside (E 960) into two Two parts, including steviol glycosides from stevia (E 960a) and steviol glycosides (E 960c) from enzymatic production. Provide consumers with greater clarity and transparency, help consumers better identify the source of steviol glycosides used in food, and deepen their understanding of natural plant-derived stevioside.

In addition, on the corporate side, the Reb M, Reb D and Reb AM stevia component extracts produced by Psecco through the biotransformation of stevia have received positive reviews from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) this year. SweeGen's next-generation Bestevia Rebaudioside M (Reb M) stevia sweetener was approved in the European Union, and SweeGen's high-solubility and zero-calorie stevia solution, Bestevia Rebaudioside B, was approved by the US market as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS).

Luo Han Guo

In 2019, the global Luo Han Guo market was US$396.4 million, and it is expected to reach US$53217 million by 2026, with a compound annual growth rate of approximately 4.3%. Because Luo Han Guo can be directly marked as an additive in the label, Luo Han Guo is considered to be a sugar substitute that meets the clean label. According to SPINS data, among the food and beverages with clean labels in the U.S. market in 2020, the usage rate of Momordica grosvenori has increased by 15.7%. With a large number of health benefits, the market may gain greater growth momentum in the next few years.

In addition to its great advantages in blood pressure and blood sugar management, Luo Han Guo also has a certain relief effect on respiratory diseases including cough. In addition, it also has a high antioxidant content and a long shelf life. In terms of market, the Luo Han Guo market is divided into natural and organic markets. According to regions, the Luo Han Guo market can be divided into five main regions: Latin America, North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. The North American region is expected to make the greatest contribution to the Luo Han Guo market. The European market will be one of the most profitable markets in the next few years, because consumers in this region have a great demand for natural zero-calorie sweeteners. The Asia-Pacific region, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa markets will become regions with great potential. These markets have not yet been fully developed and there is a need for business expansion, especially the origin of Luo Han Guo, China.

Allulose

In 2019, the FDA announced that the low-calorie sweetener psicose was excluded from the labels of "added sugar" and "total sugar", and the calorie of psicose was set at 0.4kcal/g. This policy promoted the large-scale production and use of allulose. In North America, the number of new products containing allulose in 2020 has tripled compared to 2019. Futuremarketinsights predicts that in 2030, the global market for allulose will re

ach US$450 million, and it will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.1%.

At present, the consumer awareness of allulose is still low. In the 2020 Innova Global Health and Nutrition Survey, the label of the sweetener in consumers’ hearts is stevia: 30% healthy, 24% natural and 21% sustainable. Allulose is 15% healthy, 10% natural and 14% sustainable.

Although psicose is not currently available in China, some companies have begun the research and development and production of psicose. Baolingbao launched plant-sweetened allulose at this year's FIC exhibition. The product has passed FDA's GRAS certification, and the product has high tolerance, does not affect blood sugar, weight control, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties.