According to the latest report of Valuates Reports, by 2026, the global natural sweetener market is expected to grow from USD 22.49 billion in 2020 to USD 27.94 billion, with a compound annual growth rate of 3.7%.
According to data from Innova Market Insights, from July 2016 to June 2021, the sweetener with the highest compound annual growth rate in the world was erythritol, reaching 32%, while another popular sweetener, stevia The compound annual growth rate is 13%. Erythritol has become the most popular sweetener in the world.
Erythritol is currently the only sugar alcohol product on the market that is naturally transformed and extracted through biological fermentation. It is a zero-calorie sweetener, does not participate in human blood glucose metabolism, and has a sweetness similar to sucrose. Compared with synthetic sweeteners such as sucralose, erythritol can be classified as a natural sweetener; compared with natural sweeteners such as steviol glycosides, erythritol has a purer taste and no bitterness afterward. Recognized by consumers.
However, the sweetness of erythritol is only 70% of that of sugar, and the amount is large, but the production capacity is seriously insufficient. Therefore, there is a shortage of erythritol supply worldwide. Since the beginning of this year, the market price of erythritol has continued to rise from 16,000 yuan/ton at the beginning of the year, forcing companies to reduce the amount in order to reduce costs. How to reduce the amount of erythritol while maintaining the same taste has become a new issue in the industry.
How to reduce the amount of erythritol?
1) Add fiber
In addition to providing sweetness, part of the fiber can also replicate the function of sugar. It can be used as a flavor enhancer, leavening agent, or bulking agent, and it can also increase the effect of promoting intestinal health in the product. The sweetness of naturally occurring inulin is about 10% of that of sucrose. If the inulin chain is shorter, the sweetness will increase. Short-chain inulin can provide 60% of the sweetness level of sucrose. It can partially replace erythritol to provide sweetness and volume. Another fiber that can be used to reduce the amount of erythritol is gum arabic. Due to its physical and functional properties, it is a good choice to increase the fiber content of food without compromising the appearance or flavor of the food. As a low-viscosity thickener, gum arabic can help compensate for the loss of volume, texture, and mouthfeel of sugar-reduced products, bring stability by reducing water activity, and improve softness and mouthfeel by increasing water retention capacity.
Company launched five sweetener blends with erythritol as the main ingredient this year, including B-Tru (erythritol, allulose, stevia extract); B-Intense (erythritol, Allulose, steviol glycosides, stevia extract); B-Faber (erythritol, soluble corn fiber, allulose, stevia extract); B-Clear(E) (erythritol, steviol glycosides), Stevia extract); B-Clear (A) (allulose, steviol glycosides, stevia extract), helps to stimulate the browning, crystallization, freezing point reduction, texture, and taste of sucrose, used in B-Clear (A) Best for syrups, dried fruits, and instant coffee and tea; B-Fiber and B-Clear(E) are ideal choices for hard candies; B-Tru, B-Intense, and B-Fiber are suitable for dairy products.