Replacing sugar is technologically challenging because its functionality is not only related to the sweetness perception but also to the texture, making the overall sensory experience broader than just about sweetness. This is according to Stefano Renzetti from Wageningen University & Research (WUR) Department of Food Sciences and Agrotechnology. 

“If we take out sugar, the overall structure and mouthfeel of a product will be altered, but if we know what are the functionalities of sugar in contributing, then we will know how to mimic those functionalities, in order to maintain the specific qualities of the food,” he tells. 

Renzetti is an internationally recognized scientist in the field of sugar and fat reduction and dietary fiber enrichment in pastries and bakery products. He stresses that there is not one single ingredient that can replac sugar and have the exact same functionality in a product, but “a mixture of ingredients can be optimized to mimic sugar and have the same functionality.”

That means that you are not necessarily bound to a specific use of an ingredient but you have more opportunities to define what that mixture should be, depending on the strategies of the company in relation to a nutritional profile, he notes.

Sugar reduction remains a major concern for consumers and industry alike. Health concerns such as obesity and Type 2 underline the need to reduce sugar content in food applications, while sugar taxes, that came into force in several markets in 2018, including the UK and Ireland, continue to prompt reformulation across most segments. Consumers, however, demand the health benefits of low sugar while maintaining traditional tastes and textures in food applications. Hurdles in reformulating products have highlighted the need for more expert insight on the matter.

“The number of companies that make products which contain less sugar while retaining a similar taste and texture is rapidly rising,” says Joost Blankestijn, Program Manager of Food Innovations for Responsible Choices at WUR. “Reformulation – and sugar reduction in particular – has become mainstream.” 

“There is plenty of knowledge on reformulation,” Blankestijn continues. “The Dutch government is encouraging sugar reduction with its National Prevention Agreement and companies are increasingly showing interest, determination and transparency in relation to their working methods. In short, the road is open for a reformulation revolution.” 

Renzetti says that the industry should not think in terms of replacing one ingredient with another but at the nutritional context and formulation design of products. “We should be looking at user formulation principles to create products that actually have improved in overall nutritional quality. So, not just sugar, but fiber and even providing more sustainable energy during the day. Or even to stimulate gut health,” he notes.

Reducing sugar intake remains a top priority for consumers. In an Innova Consumer Lifestyle and Attitudes Survey (2018), nearly seven out of ten consumers across the countries surveyed (US, UK, France, Germany, China and Brazil) said that they had reduced their sugar intake. The consumer survey found that this trend is most prevalent in the UK and US wher 57 percent and 52 percent of consumers respectively claim to have cut down on sweet snacks.

Sugar reduction is the main topic on the agenda of an upcoming Food Reformulation Workshop from WUR on April 4th. At the event, a string of experts will discuss food reformulations they have been researching for more than a decade, mainly for the baking and confectionery sectors.“We will talk about replacing sugar, as well as the topics of fiber enrichment in these product categories. We will also share information on fat reduction in food products,” Renzetti says.

“In terms of products we will address largely, bakery applications, from bread to biscuits and we will also have examples of confectionery products and the type of knowledge that we will share is also generic knowledge. The insights that we will bring are also useful for applications like dairy or even candy types of applications,” he adds.

Decades of research into reformulation have provided WUR’s expert researchers with substantial knowledge on the topic. “A number of competing ingredient suppliers will present their tastiest sugar-free cake and take part in a taste test for the participants – the ultimate proof of increasing transparency. And lastly, this will be the first time all stakeholders – companies, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, and the Dutch Food Industry Federation – will come together to share their know-how,” concludes Martijn Noort, WUR Reformulation Researcher.