Title: Alternative Sweeteners

Overview 3
II. RELATIVE SWEETNESS
Perceived sweetness is subjective and depends on or can be modified by a number
of factors. The chemical and physical composition of the medium in which
the sweetener is dispersed has an impact on the taste and intensity. The concentration
of the sweetener, the temperature at which the product is consumed, pH,
other ingredients in the product, and the sensitivity of the taster are all important.
Again, sucrose is the usual standard. Intensity of the sweetness of a given substance
in relation to sucrose is made on a weight basis. Table 1 provides the
approximate relative sweetness of many of the alternative sweeteners discussed
in this book.
Table 1 Relative Sweetness of Alternatives to Sucrose
Approximate sweetness
(sucrose 1)
Lactitol 0.4
Hydrogenated starch hydrolysates 0.4–0.9
Trehalose 0.45
Isomalt 0.45–0.65
Isomaltulose 0.48
Sorbitol 0.6
Erythritol 0.7
Mannitol 0.7
Maltitol 0.9
d-Tagatose 0.9
Xylitol 1.0
High fructose corn syrup, 55% 1.0
High fructose corn syrup, 90% 1.0
Crystalline fructose 1.2–1.7
Cyclamate 30
Glycyrrihizin 50–100
Aspartame 180
Acesulfame potassium 200
Saccharin 300
Stevioside 300
Sucralose 600
Hernandulcin 1000
Monellin 1500–2000
Neohesperidine dihydrochalcone 1800
Alitame 2000
Thaumatin 2000–3000
Neotame 8000