Ingredient suppliers and food and beverage brands have been trying to design and incorporate ingredients that deliver a sugar-like experience (without the biological impact) for decades, with varying degrees of success.
Part of the challenge lies in the multi-functional nature of sugar. Yes, it sweetens, but it’s also a powerful masker. Its impact to texture by adding bulk and a pleasant mouthfeel to products also can’t be ignored. While we wait for the silver bullet that delivers a perfect replication of a sugar-like experience without the negative impact to a myriad of biological processes, Imbibe predicts that usage of natural, non-nutritive sweeteners will soar.