An emerging trend in the world of sweetness is that of “natural browns.” These predominantly nutritive sweeteners include organic and raw sugars that are less processed and align with health- and eco-friendly concerns as perceived by consumers.

Drivers in this category include turbinado, demerara, and muscovado, and sweetener syrups, such as molasses, maple, barley, and sorghum (and dried versions of the same) are seeing increased application as well. Growth is projected for those sweeteners made from ingredients that can claim being sustainably harvested, lower glycemic, or vegan.

Another natural brown in the spotlight for its “close to nature” appeal is whole, cane-based panela from Latin America. Known as jaggery in India and kokuto in Japan, it is a brown sugar that is not centrifuged and still holds the natural molasses in its crystals. The major phenolic compounds found in these high-molasses content sugars are known to have natural antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.

All naturals

Sources and sustainability are now right behind flavor profile in today’s sweetener choices. Photo courtesy of: Good Sam Foods, Inc.

Sweeteners such as allulose, monk fruit, stevia, and oat extract all benefit from being regarded as “natural.” While extraction methods for some of these ingredients have blurred the lines between natural and manufactured, new technologies are “cleaning up” any remaining issues some consumers might have in that regard.

Allulose is highly regarded for its textural, bulking, Maillard, and hygroscopic properties. It is derived from corn, beets, and wheat but also is naturally present in figs, raisins, jackfruit, and other sources. Although not a high-intensity sweetener (HIS), its properties help allulose act as a close, if not 1:1, drop-in replacement for sucrose or fructose in many applications.

Allulose syrup currently is in greater supply and more affordable than crystalline allulose. That can be a barrier for applications requiring powdered allulose. The mature loose cereal and bar markets benefit from allulose where creaming, leavening, browning, and other concerns of traditional baked goods can be impacted by sugar-reduction initiatives. (Allulose is excluded from the amount of “total sugars” or “added sugars” on Nutrition Facts panels.)

Plant-based oat extract sweeteners can control ice crystal formation, improve texture, undergo Maillard browning, and provide humectant properties to extend shelf life. Naturally high in protein and soluble fiber, oat extract sweeteners are a natural fit for the growing oat milk and related products market.

Sweet rarities

Honey continues to expand into newer applications as a fully caloric, yet preferred, natural sweetener. Photo courtesy of: National Honey Board

D-tagatose (tagatose), a hexose monosaccharide and isomer of fructose, is another rare sugar slated for scaled-up commercialization sometime this year. Tagatose occurs naturally in small amounts in fruits such as apples, pineapple, and dates. It also can be derived via hydrolysis from lactose in heated milk, yielding free galactose, which can then be converted to tagatose.

Tagatose is no stranger to the world of sweetener options, but mass production opportunities have been thwarted by high costs associated with raw material sourcing. It’s 92% as sweet as sucrose, but only yields about 1.5-2.4 kcals/g. The newest development is that cost-effective yields now are possible from non-dairy plant sources, such as starches, through advances in enzymatic processing technology.

Sweeteners from malted grains such as barley are prized for adding rich flavor and color as much as additional nutrients to formulations. Photo courtesy of: Alberta Barley

Tagatose is considered low-glycemic and non-cariogenic and is even believed to have prebiotic properties that would give it a role in supporting gut health.

Steviol glycosides, specifically the rebaudiosides, have a slow onset, followed by a spike of sweetness and then a lingering aftertaste. Erythritol works well with stevia to help round out that impact and reduce some of the linger. Rebaudiosides M and D, derived from corn, most closely resemble sucrose in flavor. They also are manufactured through the fermentation via specially crafted yeast.

Stevia also has high recognition and positive consumer perception. Revolutionized technologies have led to the creation of higher purities and cleaner taste profiles of steviol glycosides, especially the more abundant and affordable reb A. Manufacturers of rebaudioside A with 95% and greater purity claim a cleaner taste and promote the product’s affordability. Bitter masking and enhanced palatability are key factors in the burgeoning functional foods and beverages categories.

On target

Some manufacturers have ben successfully exploring targeted percentage reduction in sugar without replacement. Although high levels of sugar consumption remain a widespread health concern, in some cases, reducing sugar in a formulation in small increments can might meet with more widespread acceptance than a complete overhaul with alternate sweeteners.

Research has suggested that, in many products, it is possible for manufacturers to slowly and gradually lower the amount of sugar in a formulation, sometimes by as much as 20%, without consumers noticing. This could be preferred over more costly or aggressive measures, and not necessarily involve on-pack communication efforts that negatively impact consumer confidence.

Every sweetener has its own intensity, sweetness onset, and duration of that sweetness, making blends of high-intensity and low-caloric sweeteners increasingly common. Photo courtesy of: Conagen, Inc./Sweegen, Inc.

Some manufacturers are looking forward to pending scale-up potential of brazzein, a protein-based high-intensity sweetener (HIS) with a range of 500-2,000 times sweeter than sucrose, but with little to no aftertaste. It would help reduce objectionable sweet linger and off notes when partnered with or replacing other HIS, such as stevia. Found in limited quantities naturally from the West African climbing plant fruit oubli (Pentadiplandra brazzeana), brazzein can be commercialized using a proprietary precision fermentation process—a technology that utilizes clean and sustainable ingredients.

Another protein-based sweetener, thaumatin, is a digestible, low-calorie ingredient increasingly of interest more for flavor modification. Extracted from the aril of the West African katemfe fruit (Thaumatococcus daniellii), thaumatins are actually a group of related proteins and can range up to 100,000 times sweeter than sucrose. Thaumatin sweeteners currently are on the market are about 3,000 times as sweet as sucrose by weight. They have a proven history of application in Europe and Japan in a variety of beverages and snacks.

Thaumatins are highly water soluble and heat stable, and it tolerates a wide range of pH conditions. Thaumatin’s sweetness builds slowly, but, at high levels, can leave the objectionable lingering licorice notes typical of many high-intensity sweeteners. For this reason, they often are used to ameliorate other HIS, such as stevia.

Steviol glycoside-based flavor modulators mask bitterness in fortified beverages and nutritional supplement drinks and work especially well with chocolate, coffee, and dairy-free, plant-based alternatives. Deriving the antioxidant benefits from theobromine in cocoa and the heightened alertness from caffeine in coffee may be desirable but challenging for those sensitive to the bitterness of coffee and dark chocolates with high cacao content.

Few can question how sustainable the interest will continue to be in sugar reduction opportunities across all categories where labeling disclosure has become both a virtue and a force to be reckoned with for the food industry.