SWEET SUBSTITUTES

Dairy Field, May 2005 by Dahm, Lori

Sucrose and corn syrup solids are the traditional sweeteners used in regular ice cream products; they add functional characteristics such as sweetness and bulk, and also depress the freezing point.

"At last year's IFT [Institute of Food Technologists show] we featured our no-sugar-added vanilla and chocolate ice creams that use a maltitol syrup designed to replace sucrose and corn syrup. Because maltitol is 90 percent as sweet as sucrose, no high-potency sweetener is required," says Dr. Ron Deis, Ph.D., vice president of technology, SPI Polyols, New Castle, Del. "Polyols do not participate in Maillard browning, so a no-sugar-added vanilla ice cream is whiter in appearance than its sugar counterpart, but the sweetness and texture are very close to a regular ice cream, according to extensive sensory studies conducted at Perm State."

When alternative sweetener ingredients are used in ice cream and frozen dairy desserts, the product attributes such as bulk, sweetness and freezing point must be considered and offset by other ingredients in the formulation.

"Most no-sugar-added products, and especially the no-fat or lowfat products, often contain high levels of polydextrose or maltodextrin to help provide body to the ice cream, but these ingredients can sometimes mask flavor," says Linda Dunning, dairy technical manager for Danisco Sweeteners, New Century, Kansas. "Danisco uses our 'Aura' flavor line that was designed for use in artificially sweetened and reduced-sugar dairy applications to help overcome some of the masking and the 'artificial' flavors associated with no-sugar-added ice creams. By selecting the right balance of sugar alcohols, bulking agents and artificial sweeteners, it is possible to effectively replace the technical attributes provided by traditional sweeteners."

Yogurts and Smoothies

In the yogurt category, reduced-calorie and lowfat yogurts are an established segment, particularly because consumers often eat yogurt for its health benefits and therefore seek yogurt products with lowered fat levels or reduced calorie content. The most commonly used sweetener ingredient in yogurt is aspartame.

"The typical fat-free or sugarfree yogurt uses aspartame; most use aspartame and some crystalline fructose for their synergistic effect in yogurt applications," Naulty says. "In years past, these products were targeted toward diabetics who couldn't tolerate sugar. But now the desire for reduced sugar has gone mainstream, and in the dairy aisle the fat-free yogurt arena with aspartame has become a relatively large category."

In yogurt applications, aspartame is usually added after fermentation to the fruit prep for yogurt products so that the yogurt cultures do not degrade. Aspartame has a sugar taste and can enhance fruity flavors, particularly citrus flavors.

Of course, the marketing reach of Splenda has extended beyond the freezer case and now some of these reduced-sugar and reduced-fat yogurts are starting to use Splenda in their formulations.

"Splenda-brand sucralose is low pH stable, and so is able to extend the shelf life of high-acid products such as yogurts and acidified milk drinks," Simms says. "It offers dairy producers great functionality and is ideal for any manufacturer looking to change a product formulation into low calorie or low sugar."