Sweetness Evaluation of Mixtures of Fructose with Saccharin, Aspartame or Acesulfame K

ABSTRACT Some sensorial properties of synthetic sweeteners are limiting factors for use in low calorie soft drinks, By combining synthetic sweeteners with small fructose additions, these limitations can be overcome. Using paired comparison evaluation tests, nonlinear sweetness/concentration relations were established against sucrose, in acidified noncarbonated mineral water, for fructose, saccharin, aspartame and Acesulfame K. In binary combinations with fructose, sweetness additivity was demonstrated, for each of the three synthetic sweeteners. This is in contrast with literature reporting specific synergistic effects. By taking advantage of the high relative sweetness of fructose, low calorie soft drinks containing as little as 2–3% sugar could not be distinguished sensorially from traditional sucrose drinks.