The context: the evolution of sugar reduction
Combining consumer desire for sweet treats with the need for healthier, low-sugar formulations is a challenge for producers of biscuits. The first sugar alternatives were introduced in the 1980s, when artificial sweeteners like sucralose and aspartame came to replace sugar in recipes. However, a number of studies demonstrated that artificially sweetened products do not promote improved health outcomes in the long term and concerns rose about their safety and potential health implications. As a result, their popularity decreased. This opened opportunities for plant-based sweeteners like stevia and monk fruit extract around 2010. Stevia proved to be more natural but its bitter taste posed challenges for confectionery and biscuits manufacturers.
The challenge: balancing nutritional profile and taste
How can food manufacturers improve the nutritional profile of baked goods like biscuits, while preserving a pleasant sweet taste?
Join our Webinar: Sweet Spots: sugar reduction in bakery
The smart & tasty way
To respond to the need of combining sugar reduction with a pleasant sweet taste, Taura offers a range of no-added-sugar fruit pieces, called JusFruit. They deliver an intense release of sweetness when chewed and the lingering aftertaste gives biscuits a sweeter perception.
Consumer test to find the perfect sugar-reduced cookie
To find consumer preference for different sugar reduced cookie recipes versus a full-sugar cookie, our R&D team conducted a consumer test in collaboration with independent flavour house Aromco. 26 consumers were invited to test 3 different cookies: a full-sugar cookie (38,6g/100g), a standard sugar-reduced cookie (28,2g/100g) and a sugar-reduced cookie with Taura JusFruit pieces (27,3g/100g).
In a blind test, the panellists were asked to score the 3 types of cookies on sweetness perception and overall taste perception.
- Find out the results of the test in our On Demand Webinar about sugar reduction in baked goods. Click below to watch the webinar and download the slides.
