Exploration of an effective method to determine the relative sweetness of natural alternative sweeteners: Comparison of two‐alternative forced‐choice test and generalized labeled magnitude scale

Abstract

AbstractThe relative sweetness (RS) of natural alternative sweeteners is influenced by their distinct flavors and temporal profiles but also by the determination method. This study investigated the reported RS of natural alternative sweeteners using two methods—the two‐alternative forced‐choice (2‐AFC) test and generalized labeled magnitude scale (g‐LMS). The 2‐AFC test and g‐LMS were applied to determine the RS of rebaudioside A, luo han guo extract, and xylo‐oligosaccharide to 5% sucrose. The RS values were verified by comparison to those obtained from descriptive analysis (DA). The 2‐AFC test produced RS values more similar to those of the DA, whereas the g‐LMS yielded much higher RS values. The results suggest that the 2‐AFC test, which compares the integrated perception of samples directly to that of a reference, yields a more accurate RS value than the g‐LMS, which asks panelists to rate sweetness separately from other sensations that might influence perception.Practical applicationsReplacing sugar with alternative sweeteners is one sugar reduction strategy widely used in the food industry. It is important to accurately identify RS values because an accurate replacement ratio based on the RS is necessary for successful sugar replacement that does not change the original sensory profile. However, the unique sensory characteristics and temporal profiles of natural alternative sweeteners can make it difficult to determine RS values accurately. This study compared the performances of the 2‐AFC test and g‐LMS, which use different evaluation strategies, to provide researchers with insights on the efficacy of the methods. It is expected that the outcomes of this study will aid in the research and development of sugar replacement strategies in both academia and industry.