Food-tech startup B.T. Sweet, Ltd. reports Cambya, its plant-based sweetening platform, can reduce sugar in hazelnut and chocolate spreads.

Cambya is a one-to-one drop-in sugar replacer for use in multiple food applications. The proprietary formula, based on soluble fibers, monk fruit and select botanicals, is equivalent to sugar both in function and flavor, while acting as a source of naturally-derived beneficial fibers. Cambya delivers optimal sweetening capacity, without the need for masking agents. It is ideal for lowering sugar levels in confectionery, cereals and ice cream.

"For many, a breakfast or school sandwich is incomplete without chocolate hazelnut spread," said Yoav Gaon, CEO of B.T. Sweet. "Parents struggle with their kids' demands for it and have a hard time resisting it themselves. We succeeded in developing a tasty solution that kids of all ages love simply by switching white sugar with Cambya."

B.T. Sweet’s food technology team and chief confectioner tested the sweetening platform in several spread formulations with the goal of creating low-sugar spread applications that cut the sugar content by at least 50 percent. The challenge was to mimic the flavor, color, and texture of a traditional category-leading sweet spread without any change to the mass of the product. In addition to extensive sensory lab testing across all parameters, the company had children and their parents try the products.

“Kids are the primary market for chocolate spreads, birthday cakes, cookies filled with cream and similar products," said Dagi Pekatch, founder and chairman of B.T Sweet. "We received excellent feedback from them. They loved the taste of our Cambya sweetened hazelnut and chocolate spreads, and we all know kids are hard to fool.”

Since Cambya is one-to-one equivalent to sugar in taste, body and texture, there is no need for additives to keep the same weight of the product. A low-sugar spread with Cambya, offers a rich, chocolatey, nutty taste with a creamy texture, without adding any colors, preservatives or added flavorings. Moreover, it is enriched in fiber and is low in calories.

Cambya's plug-and-play sweetening platform allows food companies to reformulate their spreads, as well as other products with less white sugar. Manufacturers have the flexibility to completely switch to BT Sweet's natural sweetening system, or balance it with sugar and other sweeteners according to desired levels without any adjustment to the recipe, thus saving R&D time and money.