Health Benefits of Alternative Sweeteners
Natural and artificial sweeteners face a fundamental challenge: matching sugar's complex sensory and functional properties while reducing calories. Current sweeteners achieve only 60-80% of sucrose's temporal profile, with notable deviations in onset, intensity, and lingering effects. Meanwhile, sugar substitutes must maintain stability during food processing, storage, and preparation at temperatures ranging from -20°C to 180°C.
The core challenge lies in developing sweetener compounds that can replicate sugar's multi-dimensional role in foods while delivering meaningful health benefits through reduced calories or improved glycemic responses.
This page brings together solutions from recent research—including engineered steviol glycosides produced through recombinant methods, crystalline carbohydrate compositions with improved functional properties, and screening methods for identifying high-value stevia variants. These and other approaches are enabling the development of more effective sugar alternatives that maintain food quality while supporting public health goals.
1. Food Composition Incorporating Thaumatin with Sugar for Reduced Sugar Content
Nomad Bioscience GmbH, 2023
A reduced-sugar food product containing thaumatin, a natural sweetener with low caloric content, as a replacement for some of the sugar. The thaumatin allows reducing the sugar content of foods without sacrificing sweetness. This can be used to create lower-calorie, reduced-sugar food products that taste similar to full-sugar versions. The thaumatin is combined with sugar like sucrose, glucose, or fructose to provide sweetness with less overall sugar. The reduced-sugar food product can help address health issues related to excessive sugar consumption.
2. Stevia Plant Variety Exhibiting Genetic Markers for Elevated Steviol Glycoside Content
SUNTORY HOLDINGS LIMITED, 2023
Identification of a stevia plant variety with elevated steviol glycoside content, a natural sweet component extracted from stevia leaves. The variety has specific genetic features that can be screened for to identify high glycoside stevia plants.
3. Alkaline Conversion Process of Steviol Glycosides to Carboxylate Salt Form of Rebaudioside B
PURECIRCLE SDN BHD, 2023
A highly purified sweetener ingredient from the Stevia plant called rebaudioside B and its use in food and beverages. The process involves converting steviol glycosides extracted from Stevia leaves into rebaudioside B using an alkaline process, then converting the rebaudioside B into a carboxylate salt form. The resulting purified rebaudioside B ingredient provides high quality sweetness with reduced bitterness and aftertaste compared to other stevia extracts, making it suitable as a natural, non-caloric sweetener for food and beverage applications.
4. Stevia Plant with Genetic Markers for Elevated Rebaudioside M Content
SUNTORY HOLDINGS LIMITED, 2023
A stevia plant with high rebaudioside M (RebM) content produced either by crossing or mutagenesis. The plant has specific genetic features detectable by PCR that correlate with increased RebM levels. The method can be used to screen and breed stevia plants with high RebM content for extracting the sweetener.
5. Stevia Plant Characterized by SNPs for Elevated Rebaudioside E Content
SUNTORY HOLDINGS LIMITED, 2023
Stevia plant with high content of rebaudioside E, a sweet component which provides 1.5x the sweetness of stevioside. The plant has specific genetic features that can be screened for to identify high rebaudioside E Stevia plants. The features are single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the Stevia genome sequence.
6. Dairy-Derived Sugar Substitute with Natural Sweeteners and Flavor Enhancers
SweetScience, LLC, 2023
Sugar substitute that has a clean taste similar to cane sugar but without the calories and with a lower glycemic index. The substitute is made from dairy-derived ingredients, natural high-potency sweeteners like monk fruit extract, and flavor enhancers. The dairy ingredients provide most of the bulk, sweetness is added by the natural sweeteners, and flavor enhancers balance the taste. Optionally, grain hulls can be added to mimic the taste of cane sugar. The dairy sugar substitute is free from artificial ingredients, sugar alcohols, and stevia extracts.
7. Granulated Palm Sap Sweetener with Added Vitamins and Minerals
LODAAT, LLC, 2023
A low-glycemic, nutrient-rich sweetener that tastes like sugar but contains added vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. The sweetener is made from concentrated palm sap granulated to form jaggery-like crystals with similar sweetness to sugar. The granules are dried to a low moisture content. They can be used as a natural sugar substitute that provides nutrients like B vitamins and iron.
8. Rebaudioside M Production via Engineered Yeast Fermentation with Filtration Purification
AMYRIS, INC., 2023
High purity rebaudioside M sweetener composition for reduced-calorie sugar substitutes. The process involves fermenting yeast strains engineered to produce rebaudioside M using synthetic biology. The rebaudioside M is obtained from yeast fermentation broth and purified to over 95% using filtration and drying. The high purity rebaudioside M is used as a natural intense sweetener in sugar substitutes along with bulking agents like erythritol and soluble fiber. The rebaudioside M sweetener concentrates the high sweetness without off flavors.
9. Stevia-Derived Diterpene Glycosides with Extended Saccharide Chains
The Coca-Cola Company, 2023
Novel diterpene glycosides isolated from the Stevia plant that have improved taste profiles over existing stevia glycosides. The glycosides have at least seven saccharides in the glycoside chain, allowing for higher concentrations before the off-tastes become pronounced. These novel glycosides can be used as non-caloric sweeteners in food and beverages.
10. Dairy Composition with Stevia Glycoside and Lactase Enzyme Integration
Danone US, LLC, 2023
Sweetened dairy products with reduced sugar content for a more healthy option compared to regular sweetened dairy. The products use stevia glycoside sweeteners to replace some or all of the sugar. The stevia ingredients are combined with lactase enzyme to create a dairy product that tastes more like sugar.
11. Luo Han Guo Extracts with Reduced Mogroside V and Monosaccharides via Adsorbent Media and Nanofiltration
Guilin GFS Monk Fruit Corporation, 2023
Extracts from luo han guo (monk fruit) with low mogroside V and monosaccharide content suitable for use as all-natural bulking agents in sweetening compositions. The extraction involves reducing mogroside V using adsorbent media and lowering monosaccharides using nanofiltration.
12. Chromatographic Isolation of Purified Mogrosides from Siraitia Grosvenorii Extract
PURECIRCLE USA INC., 2023
Purified novel mogrosides from luo han guo (Siraitia grosvenorii) fruit extract for use as natural sweeteners and flavor enhancers in foods and beverages. A process is provided to isolate and purify the novel mogrosides from luo han guo extract using chromatography. The purified mogrosides have improved taste characteristics compared to crude extracts. They can be added to consumables to provide sweetness and flavor enhancement. The mogrosides can be used in beverages, foods, and other products.
13. Sweetened Dairy Product with Steviol Glycosides for Sugar-Like Taste
Danone US, LLC, 2022
Sweetened dairy product with a sugar-like taste by using stevia as a sweetener. The product is a sweetened dairy product comprising a dairy material, such as milk, and at least one steviol glycoside, such as Rebaudioside A and Stevioside. The steviol glycoside provides sweetness to the dairy product that mimics sugar but with reduced calories. The product can be a fermented dairy like yogurt or strained yogurt, and may include flavors or fruit.
14. Sweetener Composition Comprising Mogroside V, Rebaudioside A, Theanine, and Dietary Fiber
HUNAN HUACHENG BIOTECH INC, 2022
Natural compound sweetener made from mogroside V, rebaudioside A, tea theanine, and dietary fiber. The sweetener solves the problem of unpleasant aftertastes and poor sweetness coverage of individual components like mogroside V. The combination provides a natural, pure, and uniform taste that is an effective sugar substitute.
15. Process for Extracting and Purifying Non-Steviol Glycoside Molecules from Stevia rebaudiana
PureCircle Sdn Bhd, 2022
Processing Stevia rebaudiana plant to extract non-steviol glycoside molecules and using them as food ingredients. The process involves extracting the plant material with water, separating the extract into steviol glycosides and non-steviol glycoside fractions, purifying the non-steviol fraction, and using it as an ingredient in consumables like food and beverages. The non-steviol glycosides provide flavor enhancement, sweetness enhancement, and other functional benefits to the consumables.
16. Aqueous Alkaline Conversion Process for Producing High Purity Rebaudioside B from Stevia Extract
PURECIRCLE SDN BHD, 2022
A process for producing a high purity food ingredient from the extract of the Stevia rebaudiana plant. The ingredient contains steviol glycosides like stevioside, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, dulcoside A, steviolbioside, rubusoside, etc. The process involves partial conversion of rebaudioside A into rebaudioside B under elevated pH conditions in aqueous media free of co-solvents. The obtained glycoside mixtures are used as-is or reb B is recovered and used as a pure ingredient. The ingredient can be applied as a sweetener, sweetener enhancer, and flavor modifier in various foods and beverages.
17. Sweetening Compositions with Sucralose and Purified Stevia Extract in Synergistic Ratios
Heartland Consumer Products, LLC, 2022
Sweetening compositions comprising sucralose and a purified extract of stevia. The compositions provide synergistic sweetness when the sucralose and stevia extract are combined in specific ratios. The synergy is greater than the expected additive effect of the individual sweeteners. The compositions can be used in foods and beverages to provide a sweet taste with reduced calories compared to using sucralose or stevia alone.
18. Stevia Rebaudiana Cultivars Yielding High-Concentration Steviol Glycosides
PURECIRCLE USA INC., 2022
Stevia extracts with higher concentrations of desirable steviol glycosides like RebD, RebE, RebM, RebN, and RebO. The extracts are made from new Stevia rebaudiana cultivars that naturally have higher concentrations of these glycosides compared to regular Stevia. The cultivars are bred to have higher concentrations of these glycosides. The extracts can be used as sweeteners and flavor enhancers in food and beverages.
19. Stevia rebaudiana Cultivars Yielding High-Concentration Steviol Glycoside Extracts
PURECIRCLE SDN BHD, THE COCA-COLA COMPANY, 2022
Stevia extracts with higher concentrations of desirable steviol glycosides like RebD, RebE, RebM, RebN, and RebO. The extracts are made from new Stevia rebaudiana cultivars that have been selectively bred to naturally contain higher levels of these glycosides. The extracts can be used as sweeteners and flavor enhancers in foods and beverages.
20. Process for Producing Glucosylated Steviol Glycosides via Enzymatic Transglucosylation and β-Amylase Treatment
PureCircle Sdn Bhd, 2022
A process for producing a highly purified food ingredient from the extract of the Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni plant and use thereof in various food products and beverages. The process involves enzymatic transglucosylation of steviol glycosides using cyclodextrin glucanotransferases (CGTases) produced by Bacillus stearothermophilus. The transglucosylation produces glucosylated derivatives of steviol glycosides. The glucosylated derivatives are then treated with β-amylase to shorten the glucosyl chains. The resulting product contains glucosylated steviol glycosides with specific chain lengths. The product is decolorized, desalted, concentrated, and spray dried. The purified glucosylated steviol glycosides are used as sweeteners, sweetener enhancers, and flavor modifiers in foods and beverages.
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