To help food and beverage developers meet consumers’ desire for natural, reduced sugar foods, Steviva Ingredients has published a white paper, “Taking the Mystery Out of Reduced Sugars.” The paper provides an unbiased analysis of the variety of natural, high-intensity sweetener options there are for food manufacturers and technologists targeting a health-conscious consumer.

Demands to reduce added sugar and lighten calorie loads are at an all-time high. Increased consumption of added sugars has been linked to a decrease in intake of essential micronutrients, an increase in body weight and a higher risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Though aim is clearly directed to the food and beverage industry to reduce added sugar, it’s not a simple proposition.

To help food and beverage developers meet consumers’ desire for natural, reduced sugar foods, Steviva Ingredients has published a white paper, “Taking the Mystery Out of Reduced Sugars.” The paper provides an unbiased analysis of the variety of natural, high-intensity sweetener options there are for food manufacturers and technologists targeting a health-conscious consumer.

“Satisfying the world's sweet tooth is not an easy task, not only because of the breadth of our appetite, but also because of the ways sweetness is used and perceived in food products,” says Thom King, president of Steviva Ingredients. “Consumer perception of ingredients is just one of the challenges food developers face when sweetening products. Besides meeting the shopper's conceptualized image of the ideal product label, R&D must satisfy the end users' sensorial expectations. Regardless of consumers' attitudes about sugar—whether positive or negative—the sweetener that replaces it must taste and function like sugar. It is the taste that most people equate with sweetness.”

“Taking the Mystery Out of Reduced Sugars” is available at no charge at www.stevivaingredients.com/press/Taking-the-mystery-white-paper.pdf.