The sugar challenge

In order to master the sweet sensation, we need to understand how sweetness modulation mechanisms work, in other words, we need a scientific understanding of how sugar is perceived. 

Our brains use a wide range of sensory systems to perceive the taste of what we are eating: gustatory (the taste buds), olfactory (the aroma of the food) and trigeminal (sensations such as spiciness or freshness), but also tactile (the mouthfeel of the food) and visual (how the food looks). From a molecular standpoint, the gustatory and trigeminal systems are triggered by what we refer to as “non-volatile” compounds, which are heavier and remain in the mouth. Meanwhile, lighter ones, known as “volatile” compounds, travel between the mouth and nose, triggering the olfactory system. 

All of this comes together to influence how we experience sweetness and, therefore, in order to come up with a viable substitute for sugar. There are many sweeteners out there that seek to do the job that sugar does in our products. However, as everyone is well aware, the sugar-free alternatives to many kinds of food and drink do not have the same effects on us as their traditional counterparts. This is because there are many other factors that affect our mouth and brains: the intensity and amplitude of the sweetness, the sugar mouthfeel and the aftertaste, or lack thereof. 

To really analyse how we experience sweetness, what we need is a multi-modal taste modulation approach that takes into account three different aspects: intensity, timing and quality. We incorporate these three aspects into our 3D model, which forms the basis for reproducing the sweetness as faithfully as possible. To provide a better understanding of this, we will now look into what these three dimensions mean.

-      Intensity refers to the quantification of the sweetness perception. Sweetness intensity is gauged by a trained panel who rate the level of sweetness according to a scale. We can also run pair testing to test sugar against alternative products. 

-      Another crucial aspect is how sweetness is perceived over time, which is known as the temporal profile and allows us to gauge the release dynamic. While sugar’s sweetness is experienced as a quick rush, some alternatives, such as sucralose, aspartame and stevia, are not sensed quite as quickly and can linger for longer in the mouth, making the experience far different from that of traditional sugar. As such, solutions are needed to mask, enhance and modulate the experience of sweetness in the mouth. 

-      Quality refers to the sugar-like profile and the mouthcoating of sugar, which are also very important factors for reproducing the perception of sweetness. This also involves identifying certain off-notes that can exist in sweeteners, including astringency, bitterness and a metallic taste which anyone who has tried certain sugar alternatives will easily recognise. 

Following our 3D model, we have formulated natural flavourings able to modulate efficiently the sugar experience enabling consumers to reduce their sugar consumption with food and drink they love made from ingredients they trust.