IFT releases informative sugar-reduction literature
These resources will aid bakers and snack manufacturers intending to produce products with reduced sugar.
GLOBAL – The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has launched two educational resources to assist food and beverage professionals in developing strategies for sugar reduction.
The “Sugar Alternatives at a Glance” resource is available for free download and provides essential information on commonly used artificial and natural sweeteners.
This includes their regulatory status, considerations for substitutions, and their sweetness levels compared to sugar. This resource aims to streamline the product development process for reducing sugar.
The resource covers 19 common sugar alternatives, such as artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin; natural sweeteners like stevia and monk fruit; and sugar alcohols like erythritol and xylitol.
It features familiar names, commercial derivations, and sweetness levels, providing a high-level overview for professionals beginning their sugar reduction journey.
In addition, IFT offers a members-only resource titled “Sugar Alternatives Overview,” which provides a comprehensive analysis of everyday use cases, regulatory status, scientific studies, and considerations for substitutions.
This resource is designed to help developers refine their formulations while saving valuable time in the product development process.
“Reducing added sugar is a priority for consumers, health and nutrition professionals, and product developers. However, finding the right sugar alternatives can be challenging. IFT’s “Sugar Alternatives at a Glance ” and “Sugar Alternatives Overview ” are invaluable tools for those looking to effectively reduce added sugars while meeting consumer taste preferences,” said Anna Rosales, IFT Senior Director of Government Affairs & Nutrition.
Additionally, IFT has published a free-to-read special collection from its scientific journals, including the “Journal of Food Science ” and “Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety ”, titled “Alternative Sweeteners and Sugar Reduction. ”
This collection examines various topics, such as sweetness perception, the human physiological response to sweeteners, sensory aspects, and applications of alternative sweeteners, as well as sugar-free and reduced-sugar products.
Previously, IFT has provided comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding efforts to reduce added sugar consumption, offering expert insights on strategies for labeling products with added sugars and reformulating foods to minimize added sugars.
IFT is a nonprofit international scientific organization dedicated to advancing the science of food and its application within the global food system. It has over 17,000 members across more than 95 countries.
IFT also offers the Certified Food Scientist (CFS) designation, the only globally recognized certification for food scientists, which has been awarded to over 1,600 individuals in 55 countries.
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