Integrated perception, psychology, and physiology for maintaining sweetness perception via sugar replacement and reduction for value added healthy beverage applications

 

InnoSweet is a unique interdisciplinary collaboration between sensory scientists, psychologists, clinical researchers and economists from the three universities, Aarhus University, DK; Oxford University, UK and Copenhagen University, DK  and innovation experts from the three key ingredient and beverage companies, Carlsberg Breweries A/S, DK; DuPont Nutrition Biosciences ApS, DK and Rynkeby Foods A/S.

Sugar intake, especially from beverages, is very high amongst specific consumer segments, e.g., adolescents, who will be the target group of InnoSweet. From a food production perspective, there has been great emphasis on reducing the sugar content in beverages using alternative sweetness. However, these methods have been met with only partial success due to the drastic alteration in the sensory properties of products Perception and acceptance of sweetness differ between individuals due to sensory and psychological factors and brain-rewarding systems. They are also embedded in our culture and background. Hence, these factors can be exploited as active tools to model sweetness perception and acceptance of products with reduced sugar content.

 

Our aim is to apply an integrated scientific-based sensory perceptual-, psychological-, and physiological (PPP) approach to sugar-reduced or -replaced (SRR) beverages enabling lowering the sugar content whilst maintaining acceptable sweetness perception, ensuring market success.

 

1) Combined efforts of academia and industry will identify sensory, physiological and psychological determinants involved in sweetness perception and combine them. This knowledge will be used in a model identifying significant PPP-factors to maintain the sweetness perception and liking of SRR-beverages.

2) The technology will be validated and applied by industry partners in SRR-product application of new carbonated beverages and modified fruit beverages with unaltered sweetness perception. Acute health implications of consuming the beverages are used as critical validation points.

3) Feasibility of SSR-beverages in terms of acceptance and economic gain across markets is determined via cross-cultural studies and economic modelling using the acceptance data to calculate gain/loss and creating a novel economic decision-making tool for product launch.

 

InnoSweet is a four year project started in 2017 and funded by Innovation Fund Denmark.

 

Innovation Fund Denmark invests in the development of new knowledge and technology creating growth and employment in Denmark. The Fund focuses on societal challenges, strengthens research and increases innovation commitment within private companies Inovations fonden.