Whats on tap for sweeteners in 2018

Go Unsweetened. This declaration works better for certain categories, namely water (still and sparkling), milk (dairy and non-dairy), coffee and tea, and attracts consumers across demographics. Developing robust flavors in unsweetened products should be a priority for brands trying to position their products as natural or better-for-you. It’s important to note that unsweetened products can contain naturally occurring sugars, so they may still impart a sweetness that some consumers find desirable (or desire). Some brands worth checking out for their products that bear the unsweetened claim include Califia Farms and Spindrift.

Natural Alternatives. Some of the trending natural alternatives to sugar include honey (even though honey is more caloric than sugar), agave, maple syrup and fruit juice. The sweetness of these alternatives is generally not as intense as sugar, so keep in mind that more might need to be used to achieve the same impact. Additionally, when the new Nutrition Facts panel goes into effect, fruit juice will play an interesting, if not nuanced, role as a sweetener. To add juice as a sweetener, and not have it be counted as added sugar, it must be added at 100% juice rather than a concentrate.

Stevia. Another option would be to use a sweetener derived from the stevia plant. Although stevia has been on the market as a popular non-nutritive sweetener for many years now, it is still undergoing a tremendous amount of research and development to improve the taste profile. The latest research focuses on Reb M, a steviol glycoside that lacks the bitterness associated with Reb A. This particular reb only makes up 1% of the stevia leaf, but the available literature discusses a fermentation process that produces the natural sugar substitute in larger quantities. In addition to using stevia as a sweetener, companies like Imbibe are developing flavor modulation technologies designed to enhance the inherent sweetness of other ingredients.