Sucrose relative sweetness

Table 3. Relative Sweetness of Sucrose and Other Sweet Substances...

The sweetness of fmctose is 1.3—1.8 times that of sucrose (10). This property makes fmctose attractive as an alternative for sucrose and other commercially available sweeteners. Fmctose is probably sweetest ia comparison with sucrose when cold and freshly made up ia low concentrations at a slightly acidic pH (5). This relative sweetness difference is commonly attributed to changes ia fmctose stmcture when cold ( P-D-fmctopyranose(l), sweet) as compared to the stmcture when the sweetener is warm ( P-D-fmctofuranose (2), less sweet). Based on nmr spectroscopy and sensory panel evaluation of sweetness, however, it has been observed that the absolute sweetness of fmctose is the same at 5°C as at 50°C, and is not dependent on anomeric distribution (11). Rather, it maybe the sweetness of sucrose, which changes with temperature, that gives fmctose sweetness the appearance of becoming sweeter at low temperatures. 

Table 23.2 gives the relative sweetness of the mono- and disaccharides considered here, along with sucrose substitutes. 

S = sweet, tr = trace sweet, 0 = no sweetness. B = bitter, tr = trace bitter, 0 = no bitterness. Values in parentheses are relative sweetness-intensities compared to sucrose (= 100). Some panelists reported trace sweetness. 

The high sweetness of fructose combined with that of glucose means invert sugar is sweeter than sucrose, so it provides a cheaper, less calorific sweetener than sucrose. The relative sweetness figures for sucrose, glucose and fructose are 1.0, 0.7 and 1.7 respectively. Honey is also composed mainly of invert sugar. 

An interesting structure-taste study of sweet Ao-vanillyl derivatives has been published <1998JFA4002, 2001QSA3>. It was found that only one enantiomer of each pair proved to be sweet, the other being tasteless. The R-(+)-enantiomer of compound 129 was the sweetest molecule among the variety tested with a relative sweetness, RS, of 20000 (RS = [sucrose]/[compound]). (The 6 -(—(-enantiomer was also tasteless.) As in these Ao-vanillyl derivatives, the difference in the taste of two enantiomers seems to be general and helps in defining receptor-active sites. 

Lactitol. Lactitol (4-0-/ -D-galactopyranosyl-D-sorbitol), is a synthetic sugar alcohol produced on reduction of lactose, usually using Raney nickel. It can be crystallized as a mono- or di-hydrate. Lactitol is not metabolized by higher animals it is relatively sweet and hence has potential as a non-nutritive sweetener. It is claimed that lactitol reduces the absorption of sucrose, blood and liver cholesterol levels and to be anticariogenic. It has applications in low-calorie foods (jams, marmalade, chocolate, baked goods) it is non-hygroscopic and can be used to coat moisture-sensitive foods, e.g. sweets. 

The relative sweetness of lactitol, depending on the concentration, is about 35% of that of sucrose (van Velthuijsen 1979). For example, an 11.4% (w/w) lactitol solution has sweetness equal to a 4% (w/w) sucrose solution. 

Fig. 2 Chemical structures of glycyrrhizin and of the sweet glycosides of Stevia rebaudiana Bert and relative sweetness of stevia glycosides compared to sucrose (4%) ...

Saccharin is about 300 times sweeter than sucrose. However, it has a bitter and metallic aftertaste that limits its use singly (Table 1). This aftertaste can be overcome by blending with other sweeteners. A mixture of saccharin with cyclamate (1 10) produces desirable sweetness. Saccharin has a slow onset of sweetness that gradually builds to a maximum intensity and then persists. Relative sweetness is affected by concentration, acidity, temperature, and type of food and flavor (3-5,8,9,58). 

Sweetener/ carbohydrate Relative sweetness (Sucrose =1) Solubility (g/100 g water at 20°C) Insulin- dependent metabolism Caloric value (kcal/g) Approval for use in soft drinks Dietary fibre approval ... 

Fructose is unique among known sugars in being sweeter than sucrose. In solution, fructose can exist as four or five isomers, and the relative sweetness of a solution is dependent upon the equilibrium between the sweeter pyranose isomers and the less sweet furanose isomers, which is in turn dependent on such conditions as pH and temperature. In cold conditions the pyranose form predominates and, therefore, fructose solutions are sweeter (Danisco Sweeteners, 2003). Fructose has a clean, sweet taste it is also synergistic with many bulk and intense sweeteners and is often used at low levels to improve the taste profile of some intense sweeteners. It is very soluble and also relatively hygroscopic, compared with sucrose (Danisco Sweeteners, 2003). 

Sweetness is an important and easily identifiable characteristic of glucose- and fructose-containing sweeteners. The sensation of sweetness has been extensively studied.80-82 Shallenberger83 defines sweetness as a primary taste. He furthermore asserts that no two substances can have the same taste. Thus, when compared to sucrose, no other sweetener will have the unique properties of sweetness onset, duration and intensity of sucrose. It is possible to compare the relative sweetness values of various sweeteners, as shown in Table 21.17,84 but it must be kept in mind that these are relative values. There will be variations in onset, which is a function of the chirality of the sweetener,85 variations in duration, which is a function of the molecular weight profile and is impacted by the viscosity, and changes in intensity, which is affected by... 

Sweet taste can be quantified in units of molar relative sweetness (MRS), a measure that compares the sweetness of a substance to the sweetness of sucrose. For example, saccharin has an MRS of 161 this means that saccharin is 161 times sweeter than sucrose. In practical terms, this is measured by asking human subjects to compare the sweetness of solutions containing different concentrations of each compound. Sucrose and saccharin taste equally sweet when sucrose is at a concentration 161 times higher than that of saccharin. 

Table 4-8 Relative Sweetness of Polyols and Sucrose Solutions at 20°C...

Launay, B. and Pasquet, E. 1982. Sucrose solutions with and without guar gum rheological properties and relative sweetness intensity. Prog. Food Nutri. Scl 6 247-258. 

Stone, H. and Oliver, S. 1966. Effect of viscosity on the detection of relative sweetness intensity of sucrose solutions./. FoodSci. 31 129-134. 

Values of relative sweetness on a weight comparison basis to sucrose (= 1.0) are taken from the relevant literature source or from a review article/book chapter. 

Relative sweetness varied with the concentration of sucrose. 

The following carbohydrate sweeteners are in common use (their relative sweetness (RS) in respect to 10% aqueous solution of sucrose is given in Table 5.3) ... 

Acquiring Information In a reference book, find a table comparing the relative sweetness of various sugars and artificial sweeteners. How do the following artificial sweeteners compare in sweetness with sucrose (table sugar) sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, and acesulfame-K ... 

Most tests have shown D-fructose to be the sweetest of the sugars, although the actual ratios between the various sugars depend to a considerable extent on the taster and on the methods and conditions adopted for the comparison. Compared to a sweetness value for sucrose of 100, that for D-fructose has been reported as varying from 103 to 173. The alleged relative sweetnesses of some sugars and other organic compounds can be found in Ref. 1. 

The relative sweetness of invert sugar as compared to sucrose has been studied by Cameron (13, 14) and Miller (74) At concentrations of 10% they are equivalent in sweetness, at concentrations below 10% sucrose is sweeter, while above 10% invert is sweeter. However, because of the sweetness-enhancing power of sucrose, a solution of partly inverted sucrose will be sweeter than one completely inverted. 

The effect of temperature on sweetness in comparing the relative sweetness of sucrose to levulose has been made by Yamazaki et al, (128). Comparing 5 and... 

Figure 1. Data of Cameron and Dahlberg (14, 27) on Relative Sweetness of Various Compounds Compared to Sucrose...

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