Alternative Sweeteners: Current Scenario and Future Innovations for Value Addition

Sustainable growth and consistent demand for zero or low-calorie alternative sweeteners by the global market are mainly attributable to public consciousness about health impact of artificial sugar substitutes. Despite limited market for natural sweeteners, a spurt in preference to plant derived-alternative sweeteners is known. Sugar substitutes, such as non-nutritional artificial sweeteners, low calorie or zero calorie natural sweeteners that include sugar alcohols and plant derived non-saccharide sweeteners find use in making various types of foods and beverages. From an industry point of view, approval for usage of sugar substitutes in food products by the regulatory agencies can initiate major trends. These trends can contribute to the safety and health consciousness of consumers and also to food and beverage industries to get better market and price. There is a need to further refine the available technologies for the production of alternative sweeteners, especially natural sweeteners through a plantderived or microbial cell based production platform with the intervention of metabolic engineering to produce novel sweeteners.

Keywords: Acesulfame, Alitame, Artificial sweeteners, Aspartame, Erythritol, Isomalt, Lactitol, Low-Calorie sweeteners, Maltitol, Mannitol, Natural sweeteners, Neotame, Non-saccharide sweeteners, Polyols, Rebaudioside, Reduced-Calorie Sweeteners, Sorbitol, Stevioside, Sucralose, Xylitol.