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BACKGROUND: Excessive sugar consumption has been linked to type 2 diabetes, obesity and other diseases. Therefore, it is indispensable to reduce sugar of food. However, the sensory characteristics of food are affected after sugar reduction (SR). Currently, SR has been reported in drinks, jams, candies, and other fruit related or sweet foods; but salty or protein related foods have not been explored, therefore there is a big gap that needs to be filled. RESULTS: Sensory scores of initial sweetness and sweetness reduced by 0.26 and 0.12 in 10% SR dried fish mince product compared with control, and there was a small difference between 25% SR (3.33) and 40% SR (3.09) samples. It also showed that 10% SR sample had a small reduction in sweetness value and free sugar content by 3.5% (0.42/11.9) and 7.8% (2.12/27.06) compared with control; while values in 25% SR sample decreased sharply but were not much different from 40% SR sample. Electronic nose results showed that SR had a small effect on odor. Texture analysis showed that texture properties of 25% SR sample were significantly different from control. CONCLUSIONS: Dried fish mince product with below 10% SR had a small difference on the sensory characteristics and there was a big change when SR was more than 20%. Dried fish mince product with 25% SR and 40% SR had no significant difference. SR had a small effect on odor, but had a great effect on texture properties, especially over 20% SR. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of reducing the sugar (50%, 100%) and fat (50%, 75%) content on the physical and sensory properties of cupcakes was investigated by using stevia and polydextrose as sugar and fat replacers, respectively. While reducing the fat content increased the density of the cake batter, it caused a decrease in the consistency values such as firmness, consistency, cohesiveness and viscosity index. Reducing the sugar content had the opposite effect, decreasing the batter density and significantly increasing the batter consistency. Reducing only sugar and only fat content showed better results than control, while reducing both sugar and fat content together negatively affected the textural properties of cakes. In general, reducing only sugar content decreased sensory satisfaction compared to reducing only fat content. The samples with only 50% reduced fat content were most liked in terms of all sensory parameters. It was concluded that only sugar or only fat contents can be reduced by 50% in cake production, especially considering the specific volume, textural and sensory properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overconsumption of added sugars is associated with higher incidences of obesity, type II diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Alternative sweeteners have long been relied on as a strategy to reduce consumption of added sugars; however these alternatives differ notably from sucrose in their sensory properties. Recently, consumers have also been looking to reduce consumption of ingredients deemed "artificial," seeking natural alternatives despite poor definitions of these terms on the whole. Wider knowledge of the sensory properties of natural sweeteners would greatly aid in this goal. Descriptive analysis and time–intensity scaling were used to characterize the temporal profile and off‐flavors of allulose, erythritol, rebaudioside (Reb) A, Reb D, Reb M, monk fruit, and thaumatin, as compared to sucrose. Further, each was blended to reduce sucrose by 50% and 75% in binary mixtures. Where significant off‐flavors were frequently reported with sweeteners, when delivered in binary mixtures for partial sugar reduction, these were much mitigated, while also bringing temporal profiles closer to that of sucrose. This suggests that partial sugar reduction may be an effective way of reducing caloric intake while not compromising sensory experience. Practical Application: The use of both descriptive analysis and time–intensity scaling allows for a more complete understanding of the sensory properties of natural alternative sweeteners. Understanding their sensory deficits and ways to improve these sweeteners plays a critical role in creating healthier products that will be accepted by consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugar is one of the key factors affecting sensory perception and consumers’ acceptance towards healthy foods and beverages. This study aimed to determine the sensory characteristics of three sugar reduced yoghurt drinks [0S0.02T0.6P, 2S0.02T0.3P, 4S0.01T0.3P where S, sugar percentage (0%, 2%, 4%); T, stevia dosage (0.01%, 0.02%); P, pectin dosage (0.3%, 0.6%)] through Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) analysis, evaluated by 151 consumer panellists. Significant differences (p

[Display omitted] • Mango aroma could enhance the sweetness perception in the low-sugar model beverage. • The mango aroma could achieve as much as 32.14% sugar reduction without sacrificing overall liking. • The aroma that was congruent with the sweetness is required to induce sweetness enhancement. Excessive intake of sugar has become a public concern. However, it is challenging for food industries to decrease sugar level without sacrificing safety and sensory profile. Odor-induced sweetness enhancement (OISE) is believed to be a novel and promising strategy for sugar reduction. In order to investigate the OISE effect of mango aroma and evaluate its degree of sugar reduction in low-sugar beverages, a mathematical model was constructed through sensory evaluation in this study. The results showed that the maximum liking of low-sugar model beverages was 4.28 % sucrose and 0.57 % mango flavor. The most synergistic of OISE was at the concentration level of 2.24 % sucrose + 0.25 % mango flavor, which was equivalent to 2.96 % pure sucrose solution. With 32.14 % sugar reduction, the mango aroma was suggested to generate the OISE effect. However, the same level of garlic aroma was not able to enhance sweetness perception, suggesting that the congruency of aroma and taste is a prerequisite for the OISE effect to occur. This study demonstrated that the cross-modal interaction of mango aroma on sweetness enhancement in low-sugar model beverages could provide practical guidance for developing sugar-reduced beverages without applying sweeteners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.

A rich sugar diet has negative health implications so it is necessary to reduce sugar where possible. The objective of this study was to determine if different sugar size fractions could increase the sweetness intensity of Shortbread biscuits and therefore, permit sugar reduction. For this, the unground commercial sugar (Control, 102 to 378 µm) and two of its sieved separates, (Coarse (C), 228 to 377 µm and Fine (F), 124 to 179 µm) were investigated in biscuit formulation with the following content: Control 100% or 50%; (C), 100 or 50% and (F), 100 or 50% or its initial content. Biscuits were tested using sensory (hedonic and intensity), physical (dimensions, fracture properties, color), and compositional analyses. Trends showed that samples containing C‐sugar with its 50% content were more preferable than samples containing the Control and F‐ sugar fractions at the same level without impact upon acceptability of the final product in all three sugar fraction sizes. As sweetness intensity scores correlated directly with flavor liking scores, these findings promote the use of this sugar fraction in the formulation of low‐sugar baked biscuits. Sugar particle size manipulation could be used as a viable, cheap, technological approach to reduce sugar in baked goods and therefore promote consumer acceptable and commercially available baked biscuits products. Practical Application: In order to reduce sucrose content in products one of the approaches might be via the utilization of small sugar particles which has been shown to increase the intensity of sweetness in chocolate brownies, which has been previously shown by Richardson et al. in 2018. This study investigates the use of a clean label approach in sugar reduction of short bread biscuits. This approach involves decreasing the sugar particles size and demonstrates how reducing the content to half of its initial content formulation will affect the sensory perception and physical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing sugar consumption in food product formulation is one of the strategies for achieving healthy food, but this has a detrimental effect on the texture and sensory properties of the product. The taste perception has been proven to be influenced by the structure and composition of the foods. In this study, the aroma and texture related cross-modal interactions on perceived sweetness of flavored milk and sugar reduction were investigated. Different treatments of chocolate milk included control treatments with different sugar content (4.5, 6 and 7.5%) and 14 treatments containing different amounts of stabilizer (0.10, 0.15 and 0.20%), vanilla (0, 0.002 and 0.004%) and caramel (0, 0.025 and 0.05%). pH, dry matter and viscosity of all treatments were determined and then all treatments were evaluated by a trained evaluator group and a semi-trained evaluator group. Data analysis was performed using TOPSIS and AHP methods to select the best product. Results showed that with decreasing sugar, pH decreased and with increasing stabilizer dry matter and viscosity increased (P<0.05). Samples containing the combination of vanilla and caramel flavors with reduced sugar by 20% had the best sensory properties. Treatments containing stabilizers also increased the perception of sweetness in the presence of flavors. Overall, this study showed that the sugar content in cocoa milk formulation can be successfully reduced until 20% by the simultaneous use of stabilizers and vanilla and caramel flavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Parent-toddler dyads evaluated old and reformulated (lower sugar, fewer processed ingredients) recipes of yogurt pouches. • All reformulated recipes were highly accepted by toddlers and parents. • Reformulated recipes acceptance was lower in sugar reductions of 28% and 30%, but not 23%. • Reformulation did not influence parent's ingredient list evaluation and purchase intention. • Healthier and more natural yogurt pouches can be formulated without jeopardizing market acceptance. Consumer demand of commercial baby food packaged in squeezable pouches has increased in the last few years. However, pouches have been criticized for having excessive levels of sugar and too many processed ingredients. This study examined how reformulations towards healthier (lower sugar levels) and more natural (fewer processed ingredients) products influenced toddlers' and parents' sensory acceptability. Three pairs of baby yogurt pouches (old versus reformulated recipes) were tested. In the reformulated recipes, fruit concentrates were replaced by fruit purees, and added sugar was eliminated. 150 parent-toddler (1–4 years) dyads were included in a 4-day double-blind randomized cross-over study in Spain. Each parent-toddler dyad tested one of the three yogurt pairs (A-B, C-D, E-F). Toddler's acceptability was measured by the toddler's reaction and by the estimated and relative intake. Parent's overall liking and sensory evaluation was measured on a 7-point hedonic scale. Although the reformulated recipes of two yogurt pairs scored significantly lower on acceptability in toddlers (pair A-B: 3.39 ± 0.49 and 3.12 ± 0.70; pair C-D: 3.54 ± 0.61 and 3.30 ± 0.65, P < 0.05) and their parents (pair A-B: 5.73 ± 0.97 and 5.04 ± 1.43; pair C-D: 5.84 ± 1.27 and 5.04 ± 1.51, P < 0.05), all reformulated recipes were highly accepted. The reformulation of food products represents a huge challenge for food manufacturers. Our findings suggest that a reduction of sugar content up to 30% along with a reduction in the number of processed ingredients is acceptable by toddlers and their parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased intake of legumes is encouraged on every dietary guideline given their health benefits. Processed sources of legumes are often preferred for convenience but contain a considerable amount of added salt and sugar. Here we addressed two questions: are sodium and sucrose levels elevated in legumes processed with sodium chloride (NaCl) and sucrose and, can these additives be reduced without affecting bean hydration, quality, nutrition and sensory characteristics of small red beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). Hydrated beans were canned in media with added NaCl from 0.5 to 2.0 g/100g and sucrose from 1.0 to 4.0 g/100g in a matrix design with small quantities of CaCl 2 and acetic acid to preserve bean firmness and colour. Cans were retort-processed at pilot scale for 26 min at 126 °C (260 kPa). Bean moisture content decreased while firmness increased with increase in salt and/or sugar concentrations. Sodium and sucrose uptake into beans determined by ICP-OES and HPLC-RI respectively, decreased significantly (p < 0.05) with salt and sugar reductions. Sensory analysis of beans showed comparable quality attributes for beans containing up to 33% lower salt and 50% lower sugar. Therefore, significant reduction of salt and sugar is possible in processed legumes enhancing healthy status without affecting overall sensory quality. • Reducing salt and sugar in bean canning increases moisture and decreases hardness. • Sodium and sucrose uptake by beans proportional to media level up to 1 and 3 g/100g. • 50% sugar and 33% salt reduction possible without affecting consumer acceptability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High levels of sucrose in foods present a great risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Therefore a low sucrose intake is strongly recommended. Sweet baked products incorporate high levels of sucrose. Sucrose in the original cake formulation was reduced and replaced with apple pomace, whey permeate, oligofructose, polydextrose. An acceptable sucrose reduction of between 21 and 27% was achieved. Cakes containing apple pomace had the lowest specific volume (1.8 cm3/g) and highest crumb firmness (8.60 N) (P <.05). Apple pomace and whey permeate had a significantly decreased L* values of the crust (P <.05). Moisture content of the cake crumb was increased significantly with the addition of oligofructose, whey permeate and polydextrose. All treatments resulted in a significant increase of the water activity of the cake crumb compared to the control (P <.05). Crumb cell structure was maintained as shown by 2-D and confocal imaging. Sensory trials revealed the reformulated cakes were acceptable to panellists. Public awareness about the health risks of diets high in sugar have increased dramatically for the last number of years. Governmental and professional groups have recommended sucrose to be reduced in certain food products; therefore the food industry is now seeking ways to reduce the sugar by substituting other materials. However, most people enjoy the taste and texture of high sugar foods, and may not want to give them up. As sugar is present in such significant amounts in cakes, altering the level used will greatly affect dough consistency and final product characteristics. Efforts have made over the last number of years to explore alternative sweetening ingredients including bulk sweeteners (polyols) and high intensity sweeteners as sucrose replacers (Di Monaco et al., 2018). However, recent consumer trends indicate a movement towards a 'clean label'. Clean label implies a food a low number of ingredients and ingredients with names with the consumer can understand (Skelke, 2018). Polyols and high intensity artificial sweeteners are not considered to be a 'clean label' ingredient, and therefore alternatives must be reviewed. This study investigates the use of clean label sweetening ingredients. Apple pomace and whey permeate are by-products of the juice and dairy industry. Both polydextrose and oligofructose can be classified as dietary fibres, and also provide other functional properties to the cake. • Sucrose was replaced by alternative sweeteners in a cake formulation. • A total sugar reduction of 21–27% was achieved and cake structure was maintained. • Addition of apple pomace negatively affected the volume and hardness of the cake. • A sensory panel ranked the reduced sucrose cakes as acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]