Food & Beverage Asia October/November 2022

22
INGREDIENTS
Formulating with stevia in candy
and confections
As health concerns
mount over
children’s diets
and their sugar
intake, stevia
is taking a lead
role in sugar
reduction efforts
for confectionery
products
By Selina Liu, technical
director at HOWTIAN
Sugary products can have an
irresistible charm with children,
but rising trends in tooth decay,
weight gain, and chronic metabolic
diseases such as diabetes have
been alarming many parents and
consumers. Thus, it comes as no
surprise that food manufacturers
have been looking at ways to reduce
sugar in candies and snack foods
marketed towards children.
In addition, the issue has caught
the attention of policymakers, who
have proposed regulations such
as restricting the sale of sugary
drinks and snacks in primary and
secondary schools as well as other
childcare institutions. Similarly,
canteens and cafeterias are
implementing measures to reduce
the amount of sugar in lunches
and meals provided by schools.
REDUCING SUGAR IS A TOP
CONCERN FOR CONSUMERS
The concerns around children’s diets
is part of a larger trend — consumers
of all ages are taking greater care with
managing sugar in their diets. This
need for health-promoting ingredients
and nutritional foods is changing
the face of product innovation
for the confectionery industry in
particular. In recent years, many
of the newest product launches in
confections have embraced the use
of sugar substitutes such as stevia.
As confectionery manufacturers
are pressured and compelled to
innovate, they are finding, however,
that reducing the need for added
sugars in such products can come
with some formulation challenges.
THE CHALLENGE OF REDUCING
SUGAR IN CANDY
When reformulating a candy product
for sugar reduction, the two most
important considerations are
replicating the sweetness profile
of sugar and bulking the candy
back to its original size. For both
these considerations, the use of
sugar substitutes is needed.
Natural plant sources, such as
stevia and monk fruit, or artificial
sweeteners such as aspartame,
acesulfame potassium, or sucralose,
can be used. Common bulking agents
that are used with plant-based
sources include erythritol, allulose,
fibre, and maltodextrin. Artificial
bulking agents include maltitol,
xylitol, sorbitol, and polydextrose.
Among such a wide array of sweetener
options, stevia has garnered
significant attention because it is
natural, has zero calories, and can be
200–450 times sweeter than sugar.
As a result, more and more candy
products containing stevia have
been launching in the marketplace.
In addition to replicating sweetness
levels, a common challenge with
reducing sugar in confectionery is
retaining the texture, flavour, taste,
and other properties of the candy’s
formula. For example, in a traditional
gummy candy, sugar plays a number
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2022