Ingredient challenges: Emerging Formulations—The New Starting Lineup
In the beginning, Moles experimented with many different sweeteners including sucralose, which has demonstrated success as a sugar replacer in many consumer products. However, she was not satisfied with the outcome and continued to look for a sweetener system that could provide a number of properties.
“I was looking for a good browning agent, emulsification and structure. But the main thing [I wanted] was flavor with no aftertaste.” After trying a series of sweetening systems over a four-month period, Moles settled on a recipe that blended lactitol and aspartame with polydextrose. Aspartame, used for other Eli recipes, imparted the sweetness while the polydextrose, she felt, acted as a “binder” to protein.