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Objectives: This study aimed to assess salt and sugar-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviours (KAB) of adults in the Central Division of Fiji. Methods: A randomised stratified sample of 700 adults were selected. Questions on salt and sugar-related KABs were developed. The survey took place from March to June 2022. For analyses, population and sample weights were applied, and differences between predefined subgroups (sex, age, ethnicity and area) were compared using weighted chi-square tests. Results: 534 adults participated (response rate 76%). Over 80% of participants (82% (95% CI 78.5 to 84.9%)) identified that consuming too much salt or salty sauce can lead to hypertension. More than 90% recognised that consuming too much sugar can lead to diabetes (92.3% (89.7 to 94.3%)). Approximately 80% of participants thought it was somewhat or very important to lower salt and sugar intake in their diet (79.8% (76.1 to 83.0) and 84.2% (80.8 to 87.1%), respectively). However, almost 40% reported adding salt or salty sauces when cooking (37.3% (32.7 to 42.2%)) and 65% (60.6 to 68.5%) adding sugar to drinks daily. Conclusions: Despite having positive knowledge and attitudes, many people reported behaviours likely to contribute to excess salt and sugar intake, highlighting the need for interventions that support behaviour change and the creation of healthier food environments.

Chocolate-flavored milk contributes to excessive intake of added sugars among children and adolescents, which why it is a good candidate product for sucrose replacement. This study investigates how replacing sucrose partially or completely with different sweetener systems affects the sensory profile and consumer liking. Five chocolate-flavored milk treatments were formulated, varying in sucrose replacement level (partial: 58%; complete: 100%) and sweetener system (synthetic: acesulfame-K; natural: rebaudioside M-erythritol blend). Relative-to-Reference Scaling by a trained panel confirmed that no significant differences in the sensory profile when partial sucrose replacement was compared to sucrose, whereas the complete replacement increased bitter taste, pungent flavor, licorice flavor and mouth-drying. A total of 104 consumers evaluated the treatments for liking and indicated their temporal perceptions with temporal check-all-that-apply. Latent variable clustering performed on liking ratings revealed two clusters, which perceived temporal sensory characteristics differently depending on the sweetener system. Cluster 1 preferred the sucrose control over treatments with complete and partial replacement using a natural sweetener system, with complete replacement being perceived as having off-flavor. Cluster 2 preferred the sucrose control over partial and complete replacement using either of the sweetener replacements investigated, which were characterized as off-flavored and bitter. Understanding these consumer segments enables the food industry to develop effective low-energy formulations using synthetic and natural non-nutritive sweeteners, leading to reduced sugar consumption.

This review highlights Leuconostoc citreum’s promising possibilities as a proficient mannitol producer and its potential implications for sugar reduction, with a focus on its use in sourdough-based baked good products. Mannitol, a naturally occurring sugar alcohol, has gained popularity in food items due to its low calorie content and unique beneficial qualities. This study summarizes recent research findings and investigates the metabolic pathways and culture conditions that favor increased mannitol production by Leuconostoc citreum. Furthermore, it investigates the several applications of mannitol in baked goods, such as its function in increasing texture, flavor and shelf life while lowering the sugar content. Sourdough-based products provide an attractive niche for mannitol integration, as customer demand for healthier and reduced-sugar options increases.

The current levels of added sugars in processed foods impact dental health and contribute to a range of chronic non-communicable diseases, such as overweight, obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. This review presents sugars and sweeteners used in food processing, the current possibility to replace added sugars, and highlights the benefits of using dates as a new natural, nutritious and healthy alternative to synthetic and non-nutritive sweeteners. In the context of environmental sustainability, palm groves afford a propitious habitat for a diverse array of animal species and assume a pivotal social role by contributing to the provisioning of sustenance and livelihoods for local communities. The available literature shows the date as an alternative to added sugars due to its composition in macro and micronutrients, especially in bioactive components (fiber, polyphenols and minerals). Therefore, dates are presented as a health promoter and a preventative for certain diseases with the consequent added value. The use of damaged or unmarketable dates, due to its limited shelf life, can reduce losses and improve the sustainability of date palm cultivation. This review shows the potential use dates, date by-products and second quality dates as sugar substitutes in the production of sweet and healthier foods, in line with broader sustainability objectives and circular economy principles.

The Childhood Obesity Plan aimed to reduce sugar and energy in foods through a voluntary sugar-reduction programme. Our primary objective was to determine whether this implementation strategy had been successful, focusing on the out-of-home sector. We used a repeated cross-sectional design to evaluate nutritional changes in desserts served by leading chain restaurants. We extracted nutrition information from online menus in autumn/winter 2020, for comparison with baseline (2017) and interim (2018) values extracted from third-party datasets. We assessed compliance with the 20% sugar-reduction target and category-specific energy targets by product category and for pooled desserts. Overall, sugar/portion and energy/portion decreased by 11% and 4%, respectively. Policy targets were achieved in one of five categories (ice-cream: −38% sugar, p < 0.001; −30% energy, p < 0.001). Secondary outcomes were analysed for subgroups with the necessary data. Few chains significantly reduced sugar and/or energy across their dessert range. Energy/portion was positively associated with portion weight and sugar/portion but not with sugar/100 g. More than half of adults’ desserts contained excessive sugar and/or saturated fat compared with dietary guidelines. Children’s desserts less frequently exceeded guidelines. These results demonstrate that voluntary measures can drive substantial change when technical, commercial, and operational barriers can be overcome.

Fat and sugar-reduced foods and beverages have become increasingly popular for a variety of reasons, mainly relating to health and wellbeing. Depending on the food or beverage, it may be difficult to reduce the fat and/or sugar content and still maintain optimal sensory properties for the specific product. One way of approaching the problem is to gain a better understanding of how a product is affected by a reduction in fat and/or sugar. This paper aims to investigate the sensory interactions between fat and sweetness perception in a chocolate-flavored milk beverage by using a descriptive analysis with a trained sensory panel. The reduction of fat significantly reduced the sweetness intensity of the chocolate milk, while the reduction of sucrose significantly decreased the cream flavor and the fruity and lactic flavor. The perception of acesulfame-K was affected by fat concentration, similarly to sucrose. These results highlight the importance of considering the effects of reducing either sugar and fat on product attributes that are not directly related to the sugar or fat.

Gymnemic-acids (GA) block lingual sweet taste receptors, thereby reducing pleasantness and intake of sweet food. Objective: To examine whether a 14-day gymnema-based intervention can reduce sweet foods and discretionary sugar intake in free-living adults. Healthy adults (n = 58) were randomly allocated to either the intervention group (INT) or control group (CON). The intervention comprised of consuming 4 mg of Gymnema sylvestre containing 75% gymnema acids, a fibre and vitamin supplement, and an associated healthy-eating guide for 14 days; participants in the CON group followed the same protocol, replacing the GA with a placebo mint. Amount of chocolate bars eaten and sensory testing were conducted before and after the 14-day intervention (post-GA or placebo dosing on days zero and 15, respectively). Food frequency questionnaires were conducted on days zero, 15 and after a 28-day maintenance period to examine any changes in intake of sweet foods. A range of statistical procedures were used to analyse the data including Chi square, t-test and two-way analysis of variance. Post dosing, INT consumed fewer chocolates (2.65 ± 0.21 bars) at day zero than CON (3.15 ± 0.24 bars; p = 0.02); there were no differences between groups at day 15 (INT = 2.77 ± 0.22 bars; CON = 2.78 ± 0.22 bars; p = 0.81). At both visits, a small substantive effect (r < 0.3) was observed in the change in pleasantness and desire ratings, with INT showing a slight increase while CON showed a small decrease over the 14-day period. No differences were found in the intake of 9 food categories between groups at any timepoint. There were no differences in consumption of low sugar healthy foods between visits, or by group. The 14-day behavioural intervention reduced pleasantness and intake of chocolate in a laboratory setting. There was no habituation to the mint over the 14-day period. This study is the first to investigate the effect of longer-term gymnema acid consumption on sweet food consumption outside of a laboratory setting; further research is needed to assess how long the effect of the 14-day intervention persists.

Successful sugar reduction in food products mimics the sensory and functional properties of the full sugar counterpart. The initial step of sugar reduction is to determine how the absence of sugar affects these properties. Descriptive analysis was conducted on four gel types (gelatin, ι-carrageenan, κ-carrageenan, and konjac glucomannan) and a range of sugar concentrations from 0–20% w/v to create a sensory profile of model confectionary gels for comparison to instrumental texture profile analysis data. The sensory descriptive data were analyzed using analysis of variance and principal component analysis. Correlation analysis, cluster analysis, and partial least squares regression (PLS-R) were used to compare and correlate sensory and instrumental data. Regardless of sugar concentration, sensory analysis primarily clustered samples by gelling agent type, such as in the case of konjac glucomannan consistently being characterized as chewy. Cohesion and gumminess were correlated highly with melt-in-mouth and a jiggly texture, while adhesion and fracturability were negatively correlated. In the PLS-R samples biplot, gelatin and iota carrageenan samples were located near these attributes indicating their aptness as descriptors. In conclusion, descriptive analysis provided a more discriminating method for characterizing model confectionary gels.

Background: International strategies to reduce chronic diseases have called for a reduction in the amounts of saturated fat (SAFA), trans fat (TFA), salt and sugars in the global food supply. This paper describes the development approach and potential impact of a set of standards for these nutrients to drive food (re)formulation. Methods: To set the standards, WHO nutrient guidelines for daily intake were translated into product group specific standards. The impact of reformulation towards these standards on population nutrient intakes was modelled using the food consumption data of five countries: UK, France, US, Brazil and China. The impact of the TFA standards could not be modelled due to lack of data. Results: (Re)formulation of foods and beverages towards these standards would substantially decrease mean population intakes of energy, sodium, SAFA and sugars, with reductions up to 30%. Conclusions: These science-based standards for nutrients to limit could drive impactful reductions in energy, sodium, SAFA and sugars in food and beverage products, enabling mean population intakes to move closer to WHO nutrient guidelines.

Partial removal of sugars in fruit juices without compromising their biofunctional properties represents a significant technological challenge. The current study was aimed at evaluating the separation of sugars from phenolic compounds in apple juice by using three different spiral-wound nanofiltration (NF) membranes with a molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) in the range of 200–500 Da. A combination of diafiltration and batch concentration processes was investigated to produce apple juice with reduced sugar content and improved health properties thanks to the preservation and concentration of phenolic compounds. For all selected membranes, permeate flux and recovery rate of glucose, fructose, and phenolic compounds, in both diafiltration and concentration processes, were evaluated. The concentration factor of target compounds as a function of the volume reduction factor (VRF) as well as the amount of adsorbed compound on the membrane surface from mass balance analysis were also evaluated. Among the investigated membranes a thin-film composite membrane with an MWCO of 200–300 Da provided the best results in terms of the preservation of phenolic compounds in the selected operating conditions. More than 70% of phenolic compounds were recovered in the retentate stream while the content of sugars was reduced by about 60%.

This study aimed to investigate consumer expectation of flavored water and potential consumer segments. The results showed flavored water was ranked the fourth most popular drink, after plain water, tea, and coffee, by 901 participants. Consumers highly expected functional flavored water with refreshing (87.4% selection), thirst-quenching (73.7%), and tasty (65.7%) qualities, containing vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and providing energy. Expected flavored water sensory qualities included temperature (62.4%), flavor (52.4%), and sweet taste (47.4%); lemon, berry, and lime flavors were most preferred, while bitterness, irritation, astringency, and sourness were least preferred. Pure sugar and honey were rated highest as the sweeteners for flavored water. Likewise, consumers were mostly concerned with taste followed by calories. Single demographic variables (age, reported health condition, drinking frequency, educational level) significantly influenced (p ≤ 0.05) flavored water function, sensory quality, and sugar reduction expectations. Females had higher expectation of flavored water’s refreshing and antioxidant functions. Cluster analysis revealed two consumer segments. The younger, low-education, self-reportedly less healthy cluster (mainly college students) expected various functions and flavors such as low temperature, cooling taste, diverse flavors, and sweet taste (and disliked bitterness). The older, educated, employed, self-reportedly healthy cluster had lower expectations of flavored water functions, were less sensitive to bitterness, and preferred no sweetness or little sweetness. These findings provide informative data to establish marketing and sales strategies for promoting flavored water.

Sugar-reduced chocolates with desirable sensory qualities and sweetness can be created using a 3D printer by layering chocolates with different sugar concentrations. This study aimed to evaluate the temporal sensory profile, perceived sweetness intensity, and acceptance of prototype sugar-reduced and non-sugar-reduced 3D printed chocolates. A consumer panel (n = 72) evaluated the sensory profiles of six-layered chocolates. Sensory profiles were determined by temporal dominance of sensations (TDS), overall sweetness by a five-point intensity scale, overall liking by the nine-point hedonic scale, and differences among chocolates over time were visualized by principal component analysis (PCA). Layering by 3D printing achieved a 19% reduction in sugar without changes in the perceived overall sweetness and overall liking. Layering order of high and low sugar chocolate influenced the perceived overall sweetness and temporal sensory profiles of 3D printed chocolates with different total sugar concentrations. The dominance of attributes associated with milk chocolate was observed to increase sweetness perception while the dominance of attributes associated with dark chocolate was observed to decrease overall sweetness perception. Three-dimensional food printing technology is progressing rapidly, and further sugar reduction could be achieved with refined research methods.

The current levels of added sugars in processed foods impact dental health and contribute to a range of chronic non-communicable diseases, such as overweight, obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. This review presents sugars and sweeteners used in food processing, the current possibility to replace added sugars, and highlights the benefits of using dates as a new natural, nutritious and healthy alternative to synthetic and non-nutritive sweeteners. In the context of environmental sustainability, palm groves afford a propitious habitat for a diverse array of animal species and assume a pivotal social role by contributing to the provisioning of sustenance and livelihoods for local communities. The available literature shows the date as an alternative to added sugars due to its composition in macro and micronutrients, especially in bioactive components (fiber, polyphenols and minerals). Therefore, dates are presented as a health promoter and a preventative for certain diseases with the consequent added value. The use of damaged or unmarketable dates, due to its limited shelf life, can reduce losses and improve the sustainability of date palm cultivation. This review shows the potential use dates, date by-products and second quality dates as sugar substitutes in the production of sweet and healthier foods, in line with broader sustainability objectives and circular economy principles.

This review highlights Leuconostoc citreum 's promising possibilities as a proficient mannitol producer and its potential implications for sugar reduction, with a focus on its use in sourdough-based baked good products. Mannitol, a naturally occurring sugar alcohol, has gained popularity in food items due to its low calorie content and unique beneficial qualities. This study summarizes recent research findings and investigates the metabolic pathways and culture conditions that favor increased mannitol production by Leuconostoc citreum . Furthermore, it investigates the several applications of mannitol in baked goods, such as its function in increasing texture, flavor and shelf life while lowering the sugar content. Sourdough-based products provide an attractive niche for mannitol integration, as customer demand for healthier and reduced-sugar options increases.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the first causes of death worldwide. Reduction in the dietary intake of salt and sugars is important lifestyle advice that is useful for NCD prevention. However, the simple recommendations of reducing salt and sugars by healthcare professionals are often ineffective; innovative strategies are therefore necessary. This review aimed at describing the current knowledge about the strategies to reduce dietary salt and sugar intake, including both strategies for the food industry to reduce the salt or sugar of its products and recommendations for health professionals in a clinical context, such as the replacement with substitutes in foods, the gradual reduction to allow a progressive consumer adaptation towards less intense taste, and the different spatial distribution of tastants within the food matrix with taste intensity enhancement. In addition, the cross-modal interaction between two or more different sensory modalities as an innovative strategy for enhancing sweetness and saltiness perception was described. Finally, the dietary tips for salt and sugar reduction were summarized in order to create a comprehensive guide of dietary advices for healthcare professionals for optimizing the management of patients at increased cardiometabolic risk.

Determining minimum levels of fat and sucrose needed for the sensory acceptance of sponge cake while increasing the nutritional quality was the main objective of this study. Sponge cakes with 0, 25, 50 and 75% sucrose replacement (SR) using a combination of inulin and Rebaudioside A (Reb A) were prepared. Sensory acceptance testing (SAT) was carried out on samples. Following experimental results, four more samples were prepared where fat was replaced sequentially (0, 25, 50 and 75%) in sucrose-replaced sponge cakes using pureed butter beans (Pbb) as a replacer. Fat-replaced samples were investigated using sensory (hedonic and intensity) and physicochemical analysis. Texture liking and overall acceptability (OA) were the only hedonic sensory parameters significantly affected after a 50% SR in sponge cake (p < 0.05). A 25% SR had no significant impact on any hedonic sensory properties and samples were just as accepted as the control sucrose sample. A 30% SR was chosen for further experiments. After a 50% fat replacement (FR), no significant differences were found between 30% sucrose-replaced sponge cake samples in relation to all sensory (hedonic and intensity) parameters investigated. Flavour and aroma intensity attributes such as buttery and sweet and, subsequently, liking and OA of samples were negatively affected after a 75% FR (p < 0.05). Instrumental texture properties (hardness and chewiness (N)) did not discriminate between samples with increasing levels of FR using Pbb. Moisture content increased significantly with FR (p < 0.05). A simultaneous reduction in fat (42%) and sucrose was achieved (28%) in sponge cake samples without negatively affecting OA. Optimised samples contained significantly more dietary fibre (p < 0.05).

Aroma-taste interactions, which are believed to occur due to previous coexposure (concurrent presence of aroma and taste), have been suggested as a strategy to aid sugar reduction in food and beverages. However, coexposures might be influenced by individual differences. We therefore hypothesized that aroma-taste interactions vary across individuals. The present study investigated how individual differences (gender, age, and sweet liker status) influenced the effect of aroma on sweetness intensity among young adults. An initial screening of five aromas, all congruent with sweet taste, for their sweetness enhancing effect was carried out using descriptive analysis. Among the aromas tested, vanilla was found most promising for its sweet enhancing effects and was therefore tested across three sucrose concentrations by 129 young adults. Among the subjects tested, females were found to be more susceptible to the sweetness enhancing effect of vanilla aroma than males. For males, the addition of vanilla aroma increased the sweet taste ratings significantly for the 22−25-year-olds, but not the 19−21-year-olds. Consumers were clustered according to their sweet liker status based on their liking for the samples. Although sweet taste ratings were found to vary with the sweet liker status, aroma enhanced the sweetness ratings similarly across clusters. These results call for more targeted product development in order to aid sugar reduction.

Sugar not only provides the desirable sweetness but its reduction can also alter the physico-chemical properties of foods. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of tagatose as a sugar substitute on selected physico-chemical properties and sensory acceptability of strawberry-flavored yogurts. Six yogurt samples with decreasing concentrations of sucrose (8.50 to 1.70 g/100 g) and increasing concentrations of tagatose (0.00 to 9.24 g/100 g) were evaluated. Physico-chemical tests (pH, lactic acid (%), °Brix, water-holding capacity (WHC), viscosity, and color) were conducted to examine the quality and shelf-life of yogurts during 28 days of storage at 4 °C. An acceptability test (n = 55) was conducted to evaluate the sensory characteristics of yogurts. Sucrose reductions by the replacement of up to 80% tagatose showed marginal effects on the selected physico-chemical properties; however, the loss of red color (a*) and increase in yellowness (b*) of the tagatose-substituted samples were significant. Strawberry yogurts with tagatose replacements had similar acceptability scores for all attributes. Sucrose reduction showed a positive effect on the purchase intent of the strawberry yogurts (an increase of 3−30%). These findings can be used to understand the effects of tagatose/sucrose formulations on the acceptability and physico-chemical properties of yogurts.

When it comes to eating and drinking, multiple factors from diverse sensory modalities have been shown to influence multisensory flavour perception and liking. These factors have heretofore been strictly divided into either those that are intrinsic to the food itself (e.g., food colour, aroma, texture), or those that are extrinsic to it (e.g., related to the packaging, receptacle or external environment). Given the obvious public health need for sugar reduction, the present review aims to compare the relative influences of product-intrinsic and product-extrinsic factors on the perception of sweetness. Evidence of intrinsic and extrinsic sensory influences on sweetness are reviewed. Thereafter, we take a cognitive neuroscience perspective and evaluate how differences may occur in the way that food-intrinsic and extrinsic information become integrated with sweetness perception. Based on recent neuroscientific evidence, we propose a new framework of multisensory flavour integration focusing not on the food-intrinsic/extrinsic divide, but rather on whether the sensory information is perceived to originate from within or outside the body. This framework leads to a discussion on the combinability of intrinsic and extrinsic influences, where we refer to some existing examples and address potential theoretical limitations. To conclude, we provide recommendations to those in the food industry and propose directions for future research relating to the need for long-term studies and understanding of individual differences.

Reduction or replacement of sucrose while maintaining sweetness in foods is challenging, but today there are many sweeteners with diverse physical and caloric compositions to choose from. The choice of sweetener can be adapted to match reformulation goals whether these are to reduce calories, lower the glycaemic response, provide bulk or meet criteria as a natural ingredient. The current study sought to describe and compare the sweetness intensity dose-response, sweetness growth rate, sweetness potency, and potential for calorie reduction across 16 different sweeteners including sucrose. Sweetness growth rate was defined as the rate of change in sweetness intensity per unit of sweetener concentration. Sweetness potency was defined as the ratio of the concentration of a sweetener to that of sucrose at equivalent sweetness intensity, whereas the potential for calorie reduction is the caloric value of a sweetener compared to sucrose at matched sweetness intensities. Sweeteners were drawn from a range of nutritive saccharide (sucrose, dextrose, fructose, allulose (d-psicose), palatinose (isomaltulose), and a sucrose⁻allulose mixture), nutritive polyol (maltitol, erythritol, mannitol, xylitol, sorbitol), non-nutritive synthetic (aspartame, acesulfame-K, sucralose) and non-nutritive natural sweeteners stevia (rebaudioside A), luo han guo (mogroside V). Sweetness intensities of the 16 sweeteners were compared with a sensory panel of 40 participants (n = 40; 28 females). Participants were asked to rate perceived sweetness intensity for each sweetener series across a range of concentrations using psychophysical ratings taken on a general labelled magnitude scale (gLMS). All sweeteners exhibited sigmoidal dose-response behaviours and matched the ‘moderate’ sweetness intensity of sucrose (10% w/v). Fructose, xylitol and sucralose had peak sweetness intensities greater than sucrose at the upper concentrations tested, while acesulfame-K and stevia (rebA) were markedly lower. Independent of sweetener concentration, the nutritive sweeteners had similar sweetness growth rates to sucrose and were greater than the non-nutritive sweeteners. Non-nutritive sweeteners on the other hand had higher potencies relative to sucrose, which decreases when matching at higher sweetness intensities. With the exception of dextrose and palatinose, all sweeteners matched the sweetness intensity of sucrose across the measured range (3.8⁻25% w/v sucrose) with fewer calories. Overall, the sucrose⁻allulose mixture, maltitol and xylitol sweeteners were most similar to sucrose in terms of dose-response behaviour, growth rate and potency, and showed the most potential for sugar replacement within the range of sweetness intensities tested.

Fat and sugar-reduced foods and beverages have become increasingly popular for a variety of reasons, mainly relating to health and wellbeing. Depending on the food or beverage, it may be difficult to reduce the fat and/or sugar content and still maintain optimal sensory properties for the specific product. One way of approaching the problem is to gain a better understanding of how a product is affected by a reduction in fat and/or sugar. This paper aims to investigate the sensory interactions between fat and sweetness perception in a chocolate-flavored milk beverage by using a descriptive analysis with a trained sensory panel. The reduction of fat significantly reduced the sweetness intensity of the chocolate milk, while the reduction of sucrose significantly decreased the cream flavor and the fruity and lactic flavor. The perception of acesulfame-K was affected by fat concentration, similarly to sucrose. These results highlight the importance of considering the effects of reducing either sugar and fat on product attributes that are not directly related to the sugar or fat.

Successful sugar reduction in food products mimics the sensory and functional properties of the full sugar counterpart. The initial step of sugar reduction is to determine how the absence of sugar affects these properties. Descriptive analysis was conducted on four gel types (gelatin, ι-carrageenan, κ-carrageenan, and konjac glucomannan) and a range of sugar concentrations from 0-20% w / v to create a sensory profile of model confectionary gels for comparison to instrumental texture profile analysis data. The sensory descriptive data were analyzed using analysis of variance and principal component analysis. Correlation analysis, cluster analysis, and partial least squares regression (PLS-R) were used to compare and correlate sensory and instrumental data. Regardless of sugar concentration, sensory analysis primarily clustered samples by gelling agent type, such as in the case of konjac glucomannan consistently being characterized as chewy. Cohesion and gumminess were correlated highly with melt-in-mouth and a jiggly texture, while adhesion and fracturability were negatively correlated. In the PLS-R samples biplot, gelatin and iota carrageenan samples were located near these attributes indicating their aptness as descriptors. In conclusion, descriptive analysis provided a more discriminating method for characterizing model confectionary gels.

This study aimed to investigate consumer expectation of flavored water and potential consumer segments. The results showed flavored water was ranked the fourth most popular drink, after plain water, tea, and coffee, by 901 participants. Consumers highly expected functional flavored water with refreshing (87.4% selection), thirst-quenching (73.7%), and tasty (65.7%) qualities, containing vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and providing energy. Expected flavored water sensory qualities included temperature (62.4%), flavor (52.4%), and sweet taste (47.4%); lemon, berry, and lime flavors were most preferred, while bitterness, irritation, astringency, and sourness were least preferred. Pure sugar and honey were rated highest as the sweeteners for flavored water. Likewise, consumers were mostly concerned with taste followed by calories. Single demographic variables (age, reported health condition, drinking frequency, educational level) significantly influenced ( p ≤ 0.05) flavored water function, sensory quality, and sugar reduction expectations. Females had higher expectation of flavored water's refreshing and antioxidant functions. Cluster analysis revealed two consumer segments. The younger, low-education, self-reportedly less healthy cluster (mainly college students) expected various functions and flavors such as low temperature, cooling taste, diverse flavors, and sweet taste (and disliked bitterness). The older, educated, employed, self-reportedly healthy cluster had lower expectations of flavored water functions, were less sensitive to bitterness, and preferred no sweetness or little sweetness. These findings provide informative data to establish marketing and sales strategies for promoting flavored water.

Sugar-reduced chocolates with desirable sensory qualities and sweetness can be created using a 3D printer by layering chocolates with different sugar concentrations. This study aimed to evaluate the temporal sensory profile, perceived sweetness intensity, and acceptance of prototype sugar-reduced and non-sugar-reduced 3D printed chocolates. A consumer panel ( n = 72) evaluated the sensory profiles of six-layered chocolates. Sensory profiles were determined by temporal dominance of sensations (TDS), overall sweetness by a five-point intensity scale, overall liking by the nine-point hedonic scale, and differences among chocolates over time were visualized by principal component analysis (PCA). Layering by 3D printing achieved a 19% reduction in sugar without changes in the perceived overall sweetness and overall liking. Layering order of high and low sugar chocolate influenced the perceived overall sweetness and temporal sensory profiles of 3D printed chocolates with different total sugar concentrations. The dominance of attributes associated with milk chocolate was observed to increase sweetness perception while the dominance of attributes associated with dark chocolate was observed to decrease overall sweetness perception. Three-dimensional food printing technology is progressing rapidly, and further sugar reduction could be achieved with refined research methods.

Determining minimum levels of fat and sucrose needed for the sensory acceptance of sponge cake while increasing the nutritional quality was the main objective of this study. Sponge cakes with 0, 25, 50 and 75% sucrose replacement (SR) using a combination of inulin and Rebaudioside A (Reb A) were prepared. Sensory acceptance testing (SAT) was carried out on samples. Following experimental results, four more samples were prepared where fat was replaced sequentially (0, 25, 50 and 75%) in sucrose-replaced sponge cakes using pureed butter beans (Pbb) as a replacer. Fat-replaced samples were investigated using sensory (hedonic and intensity) and physicochemical analysis. Texture liking and overall acceptability (OA) were the only hedonic sensory parameters significantly affected after a 50% SR in sponge cake ( p < 0.05). A 25% SR had no significant impact on any hedonic sensory properties and samples were just as accepted as the control sucrose sample. A 30% SR was chosen for further experiments. After a 50% fat replacement (FR), no significant differences were found between 30% sucrose-replaced sponge cake samples in relation to all sensory (hedonic and intensity) parameters investigated. Flavour and aroma intensity attributes such as buttery and sweet and, subsequently, liking and OA of samples were negatively affected after a 75% FR ( p < 0.05). Instrumental texture properties (hardness and chewiness (N)) did not discriminate between samples with increasing levels of FR using Pbb. Moisture content increased significantly with FR ( p < 0.05). A simultaneous reduction in fat (42%) and sucrose was achieved (28%) in sponge cake samples without negatively affecting OA. Optimised samples contained significantly more dietary fibre ( p < 0.05).

Aroma-taste interactions, which are believed to occur due to previous coexposure (concurrent presence of aroma and taste), have been suggested as a strategy to aid sugar reduction in food and beverages. However, coexposures might be influenced by individual differences. We therefore hypothesized that aroma-taste interactions vary across individuals. The present study investigated how individual differences (gender, age, and sweet liker status) influenced the effect of aroma on sweetness intensity among young adults. An initial screening of five aromas, all congruent with sweet taste, for their sweetness enhancing effect was carried out using descriptive analysis. Among the aromas tested, vanilla was found most promising for its sweet enhancing effects and was therefore tested across three sucrose concentrations by 129 young adults. Among the subjects tested, females were found to be more susceptible to the sweetness enhancing effect of vanilla aroma than males. For males, the addition of vanilla aroma increased the sweet taste ratings significantly for the 22-25-year-olds, but not the 19-21-year-olds. Consumers were clustered according to their sweet liker status based on their liking for the samples. Although sweet taste ratings were found to vary with the sweet liker status, aroma enhanced the sweetness ratings similarly across clusters. These results call for more targeted product development in order to aid sugar reduction., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Sugar not only provides the desirable sweetness but its reduction can also alter the physico-chemical properties of foods. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of tagatose as a sugar substitute on selected physico-chemical properties and sensory acceptability of strawberry-flavored yogurts. Six yogurt samples with decreasing concentrations of sucrose (8.50 to 1.70 g/100 g) and increasing concentrations of tagatose (0.00 to 9.24 g/100 g) were evaluated. Physico-chemical tests (pH, lactic acid (%), °Brix, water-holding capacity (WHC), viscosity, and color) were conducted to examine the quality and shelf-life of yogurts during 28 days of storage at 4 °C. An acceptability test ( n = 55) was conducted to evaluate the sensory characteristics of yogurts. Sucrose reductions by the replacement of up to 80% tagatose showed marginal effects on the selected physico-chemical properties; however, the loss of red color ( a *) and increase in yellowness ( b *) of the tagatose-substituted samples were significant. Strawberry yogurts with tagatose replacements had similar acceptability scores for all attributes. Sucrose reduction showed a positive effect on the purchase intent of the strawberry yogurts (an increase of 3-30%). These findings can be used to understand the effects of tagatose/sucrose formulations on the acceptability and physico-chemical properties of yogurts.

When it comes to eating and drinking, multiple factors from diverse sensory modalities have been shown to influence multisensory flavour perception and liking. These factors have heretofore been strictly divided into either those that are intrinsic to the food itself (e.g., food colour, aroma, texture), or those that are extrinsic to it (e.g., related to the packaging, receptacle or external environment). Given the obvious public health need for sugar reduction, the present review aims to compare the relative influences of product-intrinsic and product-extrinsic factors on the perception of sweetness. Evidence of intrinsic and extrinsic sensory influences on sweetness are reviewed. Thereafter, we take a cognitive neuroscience perspective and evaluate how differences may occur in the way that food-intrinsic and extrinsic information become integrated with sweetness perception. Based on recent neuroscientific evidence, we propose a new framework of multisensory flavour integration focusing not on the food-intrinsic/extrinsic divide, but rather on whether the sensory information is perceived to originate from within or outside the body. This framework leads to a discussion on the combinability of intrinsic and extrinsic influences, where we refer to some existing examples and address potential theoretical limitations. To conclude, we provide recommendations to those in the food industry and propose directions for future research relating to the need for long-term studies and understanding of individual differences., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.