Gut-Friendly Sweeteners
Traditional sugar alternatives like sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners can cause significant gastrointestinal distress, with up to 70% of consumers reporting adverse effects including bloating, gas, and osmotic diarrhea when consuming more than 20-30g per day. Meanwhile, natural high-intensity sweeteners often present bitter aftertastes that limit their practical application in food products.
The core challenge lies in developing sweetener systems that deliver sugar-like taste and functionality while maintaining gut microbiome health and avoiding digestive side effects.
This page brings together solutions from recent research—including oligosaccharide compositions with specific polymerization degrees, colloid-stabilized sugar alcohol formulations, and hybrid systems combining resistant fiber with natural sweeteners. These and other approaches focus on creating practical alternatives that food manufacturers can implement while maintaining product quality and consumer acceptance.
1. Artificial Sweeteners: A Double-Edged Sword for Gut Microbiome
shereen fawzy, nizar sirag, hassabelrasoul elfadil - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2025
Background and Aim: The human gut microbiome plays a crucial role in maintaining health. Artificial sweeteners, also known as non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS), have garnered attention for their potential to disrupt the balance of microbiome. This review explores complex relationship between NNS microbiome, highlighting benefits risks. By synthesizing current evidence, we aim provide balanced perspective on AS dietary practices health outcomes, emphasizing need targeted research guide safe effective use. Methods: A comprehensive literature was conducted through searches PubMed Google Scholar, focusing effects artificial microbiota. search utilized key terms including âGut Microbiomeâ, âgut microbiotaâ, âEubiosisâ, âDysbiosisâ, âArtificial Sweetenersâ, âNonnutritive Sweetenersâ. Results: may alter but findings remain inconsistent. Animal studies often report decrease beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacterium Lactobacillus, an increase harmful strains such Clostridium difficile E. coli, potentially leading inflammation imbalance. Disruptions short-chain fatty acid (... Read More
2. Sweetener Compositions Combining Glucose from Starch Hydrolysis with Purified Hemicellulose
COMET BIOREFINING INC, 2025
Compositions for use as sweeteners, additives, and ingredients in foods and beverages that provide reduced calorie and glycemic index options. The compositions are made by combining glucose from starch hydrolysis with purified hemicellulose from lignocellulosic biomass. The glucose provides sweetness, and the hemicellulose provides bulk, viscosity, and prebiotic fiber benefits. The compositions can have varying glucose:hemicellulose ratios to match sweetness and consistency properties of conventional sweeteners.
3. Sweetener Composition with Allulose, Erythritol, Soluble Corn Fiber, and Salt
Andrew Barninger, Lucas Scheider, 2024
A nonnutritive sweetener composition having improved physical properties for use in food and beverages. The sweetener composition contains a blend of allulose, erythritol, soluble corn fiber, and salt. The specific ratios of the ingredients are optimized to provide a sweetener that closely matches the taste, texture, and functionality of sucrose (table sugar) without the negative metabolic impacts of sucrose. The sweetener can replace sucrose in recipes without needing to make other ingredient substitutions.
4. Sweetener Composition with Erythritol, Allulose, Enzyme-Treated Stevia, and Monk Fruit Extract in Specified Proportions and Particle Size
INTAKE CO LTD, 2023
Low-calorie sweetener composition that can replace sugar 1:1 and provides similar sweetness and taste to sugar. The composition contains erythritol, allulose, enzyme-treated stevia, and Monk fruit extract. The amounts are 30-50% allulose, 0.3-3.0% enzyme-treated stevia, and 0.01-0.03% Monk fruit extract based on erythritol weight. The average particle size is 150-250 µm. This composition provides a sweet taste similar to sugar without the disadvantages of sugar alcohols like diarrhea and bitter aftertaste.
5. Sweetener Composition with Thunbergia Vine Extracts and Camellia Sinensis Caffeoylquinic Acids
GIVAUDAN S A, GIVAUDAN SA, 2023
Using extracts or fractions from the Thunbergia vine and caffeoylquinic acids from Camellia sinensis to improve sweetness, mouthfeel, and mask off-flavors in low-calorie sweeteners. These extracts and acids enhance sweetness perception, roundness, and fullness of sweeteners like Reb A, sucralose, and stevia. They also reduce licorice-like aftertaste and persistent sweetness. Adding them to sweetened products improves the taste profile and sensory experience compared to using the sweeteners alone.
6. Sweetener Liquid Composition with Food Colloids and Sugar Alcohols for Modulating Gastrointestinal Absorption
ZHEJIANG HUAKANG PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD., 2023
A sweetener liquid for preventing and relieving intestinal sugar alcohol intolerance that contains specific types and amounts of food colloids like low-esterification pectin, κ-carrageenan, and locust bean gum, along with xylitol, maltitol, and sorbitol. The formulation in combination with the colloids helps slow the absorption of sugar alcohols in the gastrointestinal tract, balancing osmotic pressures and preventing diarrhea caused by excessive sugar alcohol ingestion.
7. Steviol Glycoside Compositions Incorporating Minor Glycosides for Sugar Taste Mimicry
PURECIRCLE USA INC., 2023
Natural sugar substitute compositions that mimic the taste of sugar, using steviol glycosides derived from the Stevia rebaudiana plant. The compositions contain lower levels of the major approved steviol glycosides but also include minor steviol glycosides. These less purified compositions surprisingly provide sweetness and flavor similar to higher purity extracts, allowing more efficient and cost-effective production of natural sweeteners.
8. Sweetener and Flavor Enhancer Composition with Plant-Derived Compounds
Analyticon Discovery GmbH, Brain AG, ANALYZE CON DISCOVERY GAME M BEHER, 2023
Sweeteners and flavor enhancers for use in foods and beverages that provide a sweet taste and enhance the sweetness of other sweeteners. The sweeteners are compounds found in plants like Momordica grosvenori (Kewra) and extracts from plants like Stevia, Momordica, and Siraitia. They can be used as standalone sweeteners or added to other sweeteners to enhance their sweetness. The compounds include neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, naringin dihydrochalcone, stevioside, steviobioside, rebaudioside A-M, dulcoside, and rhodoside.
9. Compositions of Oligosaccharide Mixtures with Defined Polymerization Degrees and Ratios
CAMBRIDGE GLYCOSCIENCE LTD, 2023
Food, cosmetic and nutraceutical compositions containing mixtures of oligosaccharides with specific degrees of polymerization for use as sugar substitutes. The compositions can provide bulk, sweetness, and other functional properties of sugar while being lower in calories. The compositions comprise specific ratios of cell- and xylo-oligosaccharides with varying chain lengths. The oligosaccharide mixtures can be produced from cellulose using enzymes.
10. Powdered Sweetener Composition with High-Intensity Sweetener, Non-Sucrose Bulk Sweetener, and Low-Digestible Carbohydrate Polymer
BAYN SOLUTIONS AB, 2023
A low-calorie sweetener composition that mimics the taste and mouthfeel of sucrose but has fewer calories, a lower glycemic index and is easier to handle in food manufacturing. The composition is a powder made of particles containing a high-intensity sweetener, a non-sucrose bulk sweetener, and a low-digestible carbohydrate polymer like dextrin. The high-intensity sweetener provides the sweetness, the bulk sweetener provides the body, and the low-digestible carbohydrate provides the mouthfeel. The particles are formed by mixing the sweeteners with water and then mixing that with the polymer powder and drying the mixture.
11. Sweetener Composition with Specific Ratios of Stevia Extract, Citric Acid, Erythritol, and Trifoliate Glycerin
HUNAN NUTRAMAX INC, 2023
A composition containing stevia extract, citric acid, erythritol, and trifoliate glycerin in specific ratios for use as a sweetener in food applications. The composition provides a sweet taste without calories and improves taste compared to pure stevia extract. The ratios of the ingredients are: 20 parts stevia extract, 2-3 parts citric acid, 31-35 parts erythritol, and 30-40 parts trifoliate glycerin.
12. Sweetener Compositions Combining Cellulose-Derived Glucose and Purified Hemicellulose from Lignocellulosic Biomass
Comet Biorefining Inc., 2022
Sweetener compositions for foods and beverages with reduced calories and glycemic index compared to regular sugars. The compositions are made by combining glucose derived from cellulose with purified hemicellulose derived from lignocellulosic biomass. The sweeteners have similar sweetness to sugar but contain soluble fiber components and are derived from plant biomass.
13. Natural Sweetener Composition with Steviol Glycosides, Mogrosides, and Glycine Components
Franco Cavaleri, 2022
Reduced carbohydrate natural sweeteners made from extracts of stevia, monk fruit and gymnema sylvestre. The sweeteners contain specific components including steviol glycosides from stevia, mogrosides from monk fruit, glycine, and optionally gymnemic acid from gymnema sylvestre. The sweeteners are designed to provide a low carbohydrate, natural alternative to sugar that doesn't cause gastrointestinal distress.
14. Natural Sweetener Composition with D-Allulose, Cane Sugar, and Monk Fruit Extract
Loren Miles, 2022
A 50% reduction in calorie natural sweetener composition for baking and food/beverage products that tastes like sugar but has significantly fewer calories. The composition contains a blend of three ingredients: D-allulose, cane sugar, and monk fruit extract. The exact ratios can vary within certain ranges, but a preferred composition has 55.5% D-allulose, 44.4% cane sugar, and 0.1% monk fruit extract. This provides a natural sweetener that mimics the taste, texture, and functionality of sugar in baking, while cutting the calories in half.
15. Oligosaccharide Compositions with Mixed Polymerization Degrees from Enzymatic Polysaccharide Processing
Cambridge Glycoscience Ltd, 2022
Oligosaccharide compositions that are sugar substitutes in food, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals. The compositions contain mixtures of oligosaccharides with varying degrees of polymerization, like cello-oligosaccharides, xylo-oligosaccharides, mixed-linkage glucan oligosaccharides, and manno-oligosaccharides. The compositions have improved properties like taste, texture, solubility, and mouthfeel compared to single oligosaccharides. They can be produced using enzymatic reactions on inexpensive polysaccharide starting materials.
16. Sugar Substitute Composition with Digestion Resistant Soluble Fiber, Luo Han Guo Extract, and Flavor Masking Agent
SweetScience LLC, 2022
A natural sugar substitute that contains digestion resistant soluble fiber, Luo Han Guo extract, and a flavor masking agent. The fiber is derived from various sources and provides low-calorie sweetness with prebiotic effects. It tastes like sugar without the bitter aftertaste of other natural sweeteners.
17. Syrup Composition with Enzymatically Hydrolyzed and Deglucosated Lactose Containing Tagatose, Galactose, and Glucose
INALCO S.R.L., 2021
A syrup containing tagatose, galactose, and glucose as a low-cost sweetener and prebiotic. The syrup is made by enzymatically hydrolyzing lactose to glucose and galactose, then deglucosating it to remove most of the glucose. The resulting solution is further processed to concentrate and purify the tagatose and galactose.
18. Sugar Substitute Composition with Digestion-Resistant Soluble Fibers and Natural Extracts
SWEETSCIENCE LLC, 2021
Sugar substitute derived from natural ingredients like digestion-resistant soluble fibers that provides similar properties and characteristics as sugar without the calories and glycemic index. The sugar substitute compositions include ingredients like digestion-resistant soluble fibers derived from tapioca, natural fruit extracts like Luo Han Guo, and flavor masking agents. These compositions can be used as sugar alternatives in food and beverages.
19. Non-Digestible Oligosaccharides with Monosaccharide Unit Incorporation
Optibiotix Limited, 2021
Modified non-digestible oligosaccharides with increased sweetness compared to unmodified oligosaccharides. The modification involves incorporating monosaccharide units onto the oligosaccharides. This yields prebiotic sweeteners with improved taste that can be used as low-calorie sweeteners in food products. The modified prebiotic oligosaccharides are produced by enzymatically attaching monosaccharides during synthesis.
20. Oligosaccharide Composition from Cellobiose, Xylo-Oligosaccharides, Mixed-Linkage Glucan Oligosaccharides, and Manno-Oligosaccharides
Cambridge Glycoscience Ltd, 2021
A natural sugar substitute that is a composition of different oligosaccharides derived from cellobiose, xylo-oligosaccharides, mixed-linkage glucan oligosaccharides, and manno-oligosaccharides. The mixture of oligosaccharides provides a tunable, low-calorie sweetener that can mimic the taste and properties of sugar in food, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals. The oligosaccharide composition can be produced using enzymatic reactions to combine specific types and lengths of oligosaccharides to create sugar substitute formulations with desired properties.
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