Title: Alternative Sweeteners

Polydextrose 505
Figure 4 Hygroscopicity of polydextrose at 25°C.
of the water to participate in chemical reactions, physical reactions, and support
of microbial growth in a food product.
The water activity of various polydextrose solutions is reviewed in Table
4. At equal concentrations, polydextrose has less effect on water activity than
smaller molecular weight products such as sucrose and sorbitol.
E. Taste
Polydextrose is not sweet. It is used to replace the physical functionality of highcalorie
ingredients such as sugar, but not the sweetness. In some food products,
a less sweet taste may be desirable, and thus at least partial sucrose replacement
can be achieved without compensating for the loss in sweetness. In most cases,
it is necessary for calorie-modified foods to have the same quality and quantity
Table 4 Water Activity of Various Polydextrose Solutions
Solution concentration (% w/w)
Sweetener 50% 60%
Sorbitol 0.90 0.85
Sucrose 0.95 0.91
Polydextrose 0.95 0.92