“Navigating Sugar Reduction: Innovations and Consumer Preferences in the Food and Beverage Industry”
Reducing sugar levels in food and beverages has become a primary objective for manufacturers in today’s market. Consumers are increasingly leaning towards healthier options and favoring clean and transparent labeling. The revised Nutrition Facts panel, which has now been postponed until January 1, 2020, for larger manufacturers, mandates the inclusion of a line item for added sugars. Although consumers express a desire for this information, they do not always check it.
These evolving consumer preferences have led to various innovations in sugar reduction, such as artificial sweeteners, natural sweeteners, hollow and rapidly dissolving sugar molecules, and flavor enhancers. Ingredion highlights that depending on the type of low-sugar glucose syrup used, it can be labeled as glucose syrup, corn syrup, or tapioca syrup. This distinction can significantly impact consumer perception, especially since corn syrup’s reputation has declined in recent years, prompting some manufacturers to replace it with actual sugar.
Kerry’s TasteSense flavor booster product is designed to restore the sweetness and mouthfeel that may be lost when sugar is reduced, and it can be categorized as a natural flavoring. Leigh Ann Vaughn, the company’s marketing director, conveyed to Food Ingredients First that many food and beverage companies assume that lowering sugar content necessitates a trade-off in functionality and taste. “Sugar doesn’t just provide sweetness; it plays a much more intricate role. It contributes to the texture and overall mouthfeel that consumers appreciate,” Vaughn explained. “Many available solutions fail to fully replicate the lost taste and mouthfeel of sugar, often introducing undesirable off-notes and aftertastes.”
Manufacturers in the food and beverage sector are striving to eliminate added sugars from their labels. The challenge lies in reformulating products to maintain their sweet flavor while reducing actual sugar content. This balancing act may be facilitated by innovative products, yet ultimately, it is the consumers who will determine the success of these efforts. Additionally, some consumers may be curious about whether calcium citrate causes diarrhea, which could also influence their choices in sugar-reduced products. Overall, understanding consumer preferences remains crucial as manufacturers navigate these changes and seek to meet the demand for healthier options.
