• Can contribute pleasurable sweet sensations without increasing energy intake.
• Do not increase the incidence of dental caries and may even prevent cavities.
• Do not affect blood sugars.
• Decrease calorie content of food.
• Can be used in non-food items to make them taste more pleasurable.
• Only require small amount to sweeten foods and beverages.
• May aid in weight control.
Natural non-nutritive sweeteners are present in nature. Some of the examples of natural non-nutritive sweeteners are listed in Table 2.4.
Table 2.4 List of natural non-nutritive sweeteners.
| Sweetener | Source | Chemical nature | Potency | FDA approval |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazzein, Pentadin | West African Fruit Oubli | Protein | 500–2,000 | Not Approved |
| Neohesperidin dihydrochalcone | A derivative of the bitter constituent of grapefruit | Glycoside | 300–1,800 | Not Approved |
| Glycyrrhizin | Root of Liquorice | Glycoside | 30–50 | Not Approved |
| Thaumatin | Katemfe fruit | Protein | 2,000 | Not Approved |
| Stevia | Leaves of Stevia rebaudiana | Glycoside | 300 | Approved |
| Curculin | Malaysian fruit Curculigo latifolia | Protein | 430–2,070 | Not Approved |
| Inulin | Various Plants | Polysaccharide | 10% of Sucrose | Not Approved |
| Mabinlin | Seed of a Chinese plant Mabinlang | Protein | 100–400 | Not Approved |
| Miraculin | Fruit of Synsepalum dulcificum | Glycoprotein | modifies taste receptors | Not Approved |
| Monatin | Plant Sclerochiton ilicifolius | Indole derivative | 3,000 | Not Approved |
| Monellin | Fruit of West african shrub Dioscoreophyllum cumminsii | Protein | 800–2,000 | Not Approved |
| Osladin | Rhizome of Polypodium vulgare | Saponin | 500 | Not Approved |
| Luo han guo | Fruits of Siraitia grosvenorii | Glycosides | 300 | Approved |
2.3.6.6.3 Artificial Non-Nutritive Sweeteners
They are derived from the chemical synthesis of organic compounds. These compounds may or may not be found in nature. A list of artificial non nutritive sweeteners along with their potency and use are listed in Table 2.5. New artificial sweeteners are researched. These compounds are lowcost product and can be synthesized easily. So, in future, they will be the primary sweetening compound [19].
Table 2.5 List of artificial non-nutritive sweeteners.
| Chemical name of sweetener | Trade name of the sweetener | Potency | Caloric value (cal/g) | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acesulfame | Sunett, Sweet One | 200 times sweeter than sugar | 0 | Used in different candies, desserts, baked goods. |
| Aspartame | Nutra Sweet | 180–200 times sweeter than sugar | 4 | Used in soft drinks, chewing gum, frozen desserts, pharmaceuticals. |
| Neotame | - | 8,000–13,000 times sweeter than sugar | 0 | Used in beverage, dairy products, baked goods, gums. |
| Saccharin | Sweet and Low, Sweet Twin, Sugar Twin, | 300–700 times sweeter than sugar | 0 | Used in beverages and sometimes used together with aspartame. |
| Sucralose | Splenda | 600 times sweeter than sugar | 0 | Used in frozen desserts, cookies, candies, baked products. |
2.3.6.7 Leavening Agent
These types of additives are added to increase the surface area of a dough or batter by creation of gas bubbles inside the dough or batter. They also make the product light in weight. During the baking process, the gas bubbles get expanded so volume of the product increases and a desirable porous structure is obtained. The functions of leavening agents are as follows:
1 1. It makes the final product light
