Saccharin
Description
The calorie-free sweetener Saccharin was discovered as long ago as 1879. Since the turn of the century, it has been used to sweeten food and drink. There was a massive increase in its use during both world wars when sugar became scarce.
Sweetening strength
Saccharin is about 300 - 500 times sweeter than sugar.
Utilisation in the body
Saccharin is not absorbed or broken down in the body and is rapidly excreted unchanged via the kidneys.
Advantages
- When sugar is replaced by Saccharin, the calorie count in food and drink is reduced.
- Very stable - has a long shelf-life
- Suitable for cooking and baking
- Protects the teeth and can be used by people with diabetes
- Has a synergistic effect when combined with other sweeteners. (These sweetener combinations are sweeter than the sum of the individual sweeteners.)
Cyclamate
Description
Cyclamate is a calorie-free sweetener that was discovered in 1937.
Sweetening strength
Cyclamate is about 30 to 40 times sweeter than sugar.
Utilisation in the body
Cyclamate is usually excreted unchanged via the kidneys. In a few people (less than 5%) a limited amount is broken down in the gastro-intestinal tract.
Advantages
- When sugar is replaced by cyclamate the calorie count in food and drink is reduced.
- Stable - has a long shelf-life
- Suitable for cooking and baking
- Protects the teeth and can be used by people with diabetes
- Has a synergistic effect when combined with other (low-calorie) sweeteners. (These sweetener combinations are sweeter than the sum of the individual sweeteners.)
Aspartame
Description
Aspartame is a low-calorie sweetener that is about 200 times sweeter than sugar. Because of its intense sweetening strength, the amounts required are so small that Aspartame can be regarded as practically calorie-free.
Ingredients
Aspartame contains two amino acids, L-aspartic acid and L-phenylalanine, two of the building blocks of protein.
The amino acids that make up Aspartame occur naturally in most protein foodstuffs, e.g. meat, cereals, milk products and vegetables.
During digestion, Aspartame is broken down into phenylalanine, aspartic acid and traces of methanol. Phenylalanine is one of the essential building blocks of protein. Methanol occurs naturally in the human body and is contained in many foodstuffs. The amount of methanol in Aspartame is very small compared to the amounts that occur naturally in food. For instance, tomato juice contains 6 times the amount of methanol as in the same volume of a soft drink sweetened with Aspartame.
Advantages
- Tastes good
- Intensifies aromas, particularly in citrus and other fruit this form.
- The calorie content of food and drink can be drastically reduced by replacing sugar with Aspartame
- A minuscule amount of Aspartame with one-tenth of a calorie has the same sweetening strength as a teaspoon of sugar, which has 16 calories
- Protects the teeth, does not encourage caries
Acesulfame-K
Description
Acesulfame-K is a calorie-free sweetener. It was discovered in 1967.
Sweetening strength
Acesulfame-K is 130 to 200 times sweeter than sugar.
Utilisation in the body
Acesulfame-K is not broken down in the body but is excreted unchanged via the kidneys.
Advantages
- When sugar is replaced by Acesulfame-K, the calorie count in food and drink is reduced.
- Rapidly detectable sweet taste
- Long shelf-life, very stable during normal food preparation and processing, withstands heat and therefore suitable for cooking and baking.
- Protects the teeth and can be used by people with diabetes
- Has a synergistic effect when combined with other (low-calorie) sweeteners. (These sweetener combinations are sweeter than the sum of the individual sweeteners.)
Sucralose
Description
Sucralose was discovered in 1976. From 1980 onwards joint technical development by Tate & Lyle and McNeil Speciality Products (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson). Sucralose is the common name for a new high-intensity sweetener derived from ordinary sugar.
Sweetening strength
Sucralose is about 600 times sweeter than sugar.
Utilisation in the body
Sucralose is not broken down in the body but is excreted unchanged via the kidneys.
Advantages
- high quality of sweetness
- good water solubility
- excellent stability in a wide range of processed foods and beverages
- synergistic sweetening effect in combination with other low-calorie sweeteners
- Like sugar, sucralose will hydrolyse in solution, but only over an extended period of time under extreme conditions of acidity and temperature
- Sucralose does not promote tooth decay
Thaumatin
Description
Thaumatin was discovered in the middle of the nineteenth century. A low-calorie (virtually calorie-free) protein sweetener and flavour modifier. The substance is often used for its flavour modifying properties and not as a sweetener.
Sweetening strength
Thaumatin is approximately 2000-3000 times sweeter than sucrose.
Utilisation in the body
Thaumatin is metabolised by the body as any other dietary protein.
Advantages
- Totally natural, intense sweetness.
- Multi-functional ingredient with benefits to flavours and sweeteners
- Stable in freeze-dried form and soluble in water and aqueous alcohol
- Effective masking properties
- Does not promote tooth decay
- Heat and pH stable
- Synergistic when combined with other low-calorie sweeteners (the combinations are sweeter than the sum of the individual sweeteners)
- Adds mouth-feel
Neohesperdine DC
Description
Discovered in 1963. Neohesperidine DC is about 1500 - 1800 times, customary concentration 400 - 600 times sweeter than sugar. Neohesperidine DC is a low-calorie sweetener and flavour enhancer which may be produced by hydrogenation of neohesperidine, a flavonoid occurring naturally in bitter oranges.
Sweetening strength
Neohesperidine DC is 1500 - 1800 times sweeter than sucrose at threshold levels. At practical use levels, it is about 400-600 times as sweet as sucrose. Relative to and in mixture with aspartame and acesulfame-K, neohesperidine DC is several (7 to 20) times sweeter depending upon the food in which such mixtures are used.
Utilisation in the body
Neohesperidine DC is not absorbed to a significant extent. It is metabolized by the intestinal flora, yielding the same or similar breakdown products as its naturally occurring analogues.
Advantages
- In combination with other sweeteners it shows remarkable synergistic effects.
- Enhances the quality of sweetener blends
- Even at very low concentrations it can still improve the overall flavour profile and mouthfeel of certain foods
- Acts as a flavour enhancer and modifier rather than as a sweetener
- Neohesperidine DC also has bitterness-reducing properties
- Is heat stable and can therefore be used in foods requiring pasteurization or UHT processes
- Does not promote tooth decay and may be used in products for people with diabetes
Steviol Glycosides
Description
Steviol glycosides (INS 960) are natural, sweet tasting constituents of Stevia rebaudiana a plant native to South America, belonging to the Compositae family. Steviol glycoside preparations are obtained by hot-water extraction from the leaves of the plant, followed by further concentration, purification and (usually) spraydrying.
Sweetening strength
Steviol glycoside preparations (min. 95% Steviol glycosides) are approximately 200 to 300 times sweeter than sucrose.
Application
Depending on regulations and approval status Steviol glycoside preparations may find broad applications as a sweetener as Steviol glycosides are heat stable. Water extracts of the crushed leaves of the stevia plant have been used as a sweetener for many years in some countries in South America and in Asia.
Advantages
- When sugar is replaced by Steviol Glycosides the calorie count in food and drink is reduced.
- Stable - has a long shelf-life
- Suitable for cooking and baking
- Protects the teeth and can be used by people with diabetes
Regulatory statuseuropean union
In Europe, steviol glycosides are not yet approved for use as a sweetener. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has conducted a general safety assessment for the approval of Steviol glycosides as a sweetener in foodstuffs and for use as a flavour enhancer. A positive scientific Opinion from EFSA, setting an ADI of 4 mg/kg body weight, was published on 14th April 2010. The European Commission are currently drafting legislation for the authorisation and placing on the market of this substance in the EU.
