Abstract
The food industry always searches for innovation, product improvement, quality and customer satisfaction. In relation to sweeteners, this search had an expressive increase in recent times due to the increase of diseases caused by the excessive consumption of sugar. Most tabletop sweeteners marketed in Brazil have bulking agents with characteristics not appreciated by consumers, substances that can cause intolerance such as lactose or caloric products such as maltodextrin (4 kcal/g). Considering this problem, the aim of the research was to develop a natural sweetener, without contraindications, using the erythritol / stevia blend to compose the formulation. Three formulations (standard, 10% sweeter and 10% less sweet) were developed, that in the sorting test there was no preferred sample, being able to opt for the formulation with lower cost – 10% less sweet. At the same time, a semistructured questionnaire was applied, characterizing the consumers of sweeteners. Of all respondents, 43% used sweeteners. The variable that increases the chance of its consumption is “being overweight”; when associated with the variable “overweight family”, the chance of consumption is greater. Another proof was that more than 40% of users search for natural substances in their sweetener, strengthening the possibility of developing a natural sweetener.
Highlights
Food is something of great importance in everyday life, besides meeting basic physiological needs, it comprehends economic, social, scientific, political, cultural and psychological aspects (Proença, 2010)
Popularly known as sugar, is one of the major sources of sweet taste, but excessive consumption of this substance may increase the risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes (Yang, 2010)
In order to serve consumers who are interested in the sweet taste, without the consequences of excessive consumption of sucrose, tabletop sweeteners have appeared
Summary
Food is something of great importance in everyday life, besides meeting basic physiological needs, it comprehends economic, social, scientific, political, cultural and psychological aspects (Proença, 2010). Regardless of sociocultural aspects, the sweet taste motivates all ages, races and cultures. This food preference is part of human evolution, since food rich in energy and nutrients had this sensorial characteristic (Reed & McDaniel, 2006). In order to serve consumers who are interested in the sweet taste, without the consequences of excessive consumption of sucrose, tabletop sweeteners have appeared. These are defined as the “product formulated to confer sweet taste to foods and beverages, constituted of sweetener (s) provided in technical regulation. It is possible to use substances such as: acesulfame, aspartame, cyclamates and their salts, saccharin and its salts, sucralose, thaumatin, steviol and neotame glycosides (Brasil, 2008)
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