Title: Alternative Sweeteners

Cyclamate 69
VII. UTILITY
Although most of the product development work with cyclamate was done in
the 1950s and 1960s, Beck has reviewed some of the applications and presented
typical formulations sweetened with cyclamate or a cyclamate–saccharin mixture
(13). Perhaps the primary rule for the development of low-calorie foods and beverages
is that cyclamate (or any other nonnutritive sweetener) cannot simply be
substituted for the sugar; instead, the product must be reformulated (13). The two
most critical aspects for a successful product are its flavor and texture. Because a
flavor may not taste the same in systems sweetened with sucrose and cyclamate
(or mixtures of cyclamate and other nonnutritive sweeteners), the flavoring of a
product frequently has to be modified. A proper balance between the taste effects
of the acid and sweetener components of a product must also be achieved. For
example, if the lingering sweetness from noncaloric sweeteners results in a higher
sweetness intensity than desired, some compensation can be achieved by increasing
the level of acidity. On the other hand, if an aftertaste develops at the level
of sweetness desired, decreasing the acidity may permit a reduction in the sweetness
level, hence minimizing the aftertaste. The other major problem in the development
of low-calorie products with cyclamate is that of texture or body. This
largely results from the elimination of sugar solids and can frequently be solved
by the addition of a suitable hydrocolloid or bulking agent. An alternative approach
that has been used in soft drinks involves achieving the proper balance
between sweetness and tartness, the use of special flavors, and the adjustment of
the carbonation level.
Cyclamate has always been particularly useful in fruit products because it
enhances fruit flavors and, even at low concentrations, can mask the natural tartness
of some citrus fruits (13, 17, 21–23). The cyclamate solutions used for
canned fruits have a lower specific gravity and osmotic pressure than sucrose
syrups and hence do not draw water out of the fruit. Thus, fruits packed in cyclamate
solutions tend to have a greater drained weight than those packed in sucrose.
Cyclamate-sweetened gelatins are reasonably easy to formulate, requiring the use
of high-bloom gelatins and crystalline sorbitol or mannitol as a bodying agent,
dispersant, and filler (13, 22). Thickening and consistency represent the major
problems with jams, jellies, and puddings sweetened with cyclamate. Lowmethoxy
pectin is usually used as a gelling agent in jams and jellies because it
does not require sugar for gel formation (13, 21–23). However, low-methoxy
pectin needs more calcium than is normally present, and hence calcium cyclamate
may be preferable to the sodium salt for this application. Because of the lower
concentrations of osmotically active compounds, jams and jellies containing cyclamate
may require a preservative to extend their shelf-life. Body and thickening
of puddings can be achieved with starches or a combination of nonnutritive gums