Chr. Hansen is launching its next-generation Sweety culture, the latest addition to its sugar reduction portfolio for fresh dairy applications. 

Using the power of fermentation, Sweety enables producers to maintain a level of sweetness their customers desire, all while reducing added sugar by up to 1 g for every 100 g of yogurt. 

Low sugar for fresh dairy
According to Katarzyna McCall, senior commercial development manager in Chr. Hansen’s fresh dairy practice, a growing number of consumers are cutting sugar from their diets. She says consumers also “prefer to steer clear of artificial sweeteners.”

Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, McCall reveals that Sweety Y-3 can remove approximately 9 kg of sucrose per ton of yogurt without compromising on sweetness. “This means not only fewer tracks of sugar to the factory but also a significant improvement to the appeal of the product. The yogurt consumers are commonly guided with different types of front pack logos and rating systems. For example, we can easily change the Nutri-Score rate from yellow to green by reducing total sugar. 

“We believe that Sweety could be a natural solution to enhance the sweetness and will fuel innovation within kids yogurt categories.”

“We wanted to explore how the industry could satisfy the near-universal craving for a bit of sweetness while meeting emerging consumer preferences for all-natural options.” 

“Our introduction of Sweety Y-3 is our newest innovation within Chr. Hansen’s sugar reduction portfolio,” continues McCall. “The Sweety culture uses nature’s process of fermentation to cut the sugar and keep the sweetness. It works by converting lactose to glucose, naturally enhancing the sweetness perception in yogurt and enabling organic and vlog labeling.” 

Sweety Y-3 builds on the previous generation by offering thicker, more indulgent texture capabilities. 

Sweety Y-3 culture adds new, fermentation-powered capabilities to Chr. Hansen’s sugar reduction portfolio.McCall believes the opportunities Sweety Y-3 offers the marketplace are “timely, important and necessary for supporting better health and meeting growing consumer demand for tasty yogurt with a reduced sugar content.” 

“With one in three consumers reporting that they look for foods with limited or no added sugar, Sweety Y-3 enables producers to naturally reduce the added sugar content in yogurt without compromising its appeal, so that consumers can lower their sugar intake without having to lower their standards,” she comments. 

Policies spotlighted
Health experts warn of the addictiveness of sugar and predict increases in health issues if current eating habits and lifestyle choices continue on their current trajectory, McCall underscores. 

“EFSA recommends that intake of added sugars should be as low as possible. A science-based Tolerable Upper Intake Level for dietary sugars cannot be set since the intake of sugars and risk of adverse health effects are positive and linear, i.e., the higher the intake, the greater the risk of adverse effects.”

The World Health Organization recommends reducing sugar intake to less than 10% of total energy intake and reducing further, to 5%, for improved health outcomes, she says, further highlighting how sugar is an important topic in the dairy industry. 

“Consumers are increasingly interested in cutting sugar from their diets – not because its consumption may be associated with certain health issues, but because they aim to improve their general well-being.”

Raising the bar on dairy performance
According to McCall, Chr. Hansen will continue to expand the fermentation-powered space.

“There have been several innovations in recent years, and I believe there is more to be explored. The challenge remains to deliver natural and tasty solutions, and that is wher our focus has been,” she states.

Sweety Y-3 joins a robust portfolio of Chr. Hansen cultures and enzymes designed to balance fresh dairy recipes and reduce sugar. 

Chr. Hansen also offers Nola Fit and Ha-Lactase, both of which use enzymatic activity to reduce lactose and optimize the natural sweetness in dairy. 

To avoid the use of added sugar to compensate for increased acidity during shelf life, Chr. Hansen offers its pH-stable YoFlex cultures, which create a mild base for optimized lactase performance. 

Earlier this year, the company launched Vega Culture Kit specifically developed for fermented plant bases. It allows plant-based innovators to create customized and differentiated features of their products in taste, texture, health and sustainability. 

In April, Chr. Hansen also unveiled its latest generation of FreshQ, a range of food cultures that improve fermentation’s bio protective effects in dairy.