In the face of continued calls to reduce sugar consumption, two things remain certain: 1) Consumers will not lose their taste for sweet things, and 2) they will continue to declare their desire to cut down on sweets. Food and beverage makers must maneuver through this contradiction by employing creative development expertise and by taking advantage of a toolbox of sweetener solutions that has expanded in both number and variety.

People are hardwired to favor glucose, fructose, and especially the disaccharide of the two, sucrose (table sugar, or simply “sugar”). Yet sugar is also considered a source of so-called “empty” calories. While sugar consumption has diminished each year for the past several years, the average American still consumes at least some 70-80g of it daily, or more than a third of a cup. (Some estimates put added sugar consumption at nearly twice that amount.) This is a clear indication that both sugar and its replacers are here to stay, and of continued value to food and beverage manufacturers.

Allulose continues its move up the ladder of preferred low-/zero-calorie replacers for nutritive sweeteners. With excellent hygroscopy and browning capacity, it fulfills nearly every function of caloric sugars. It has clean-taste similar to crystalline fructose and is nearly calorie-free (0.2-0.4kcals/g). It can be a one-to-one drop-in for sucrose or fructose in many formulations. This is because it is a sugar (often termed a "rare" sugar), chemically similar to fructose, and with a flavor profile falling between sucrose and fructose.

Although stated as having 70% the sweetness of sucrose, allulose has a long sweetness curve and fructose-similar qualities that can help elevate fruit and chocolate flavors in a number of products. This can often compensate for any diminished sweetness. It does not impact blood sugar and is non-cariogenic; its flavor doesn't linger and it has no aftertaste.

Tagatose is another rare sugar that does not impact blood sugar and is non-cariogenic. It has an extremely clean, sucrose-like flavor with no lingering or aftertaste. It also has only around a third the calories of sucrose, yet 92% the sweetness. Another advantage: In 2024 tagatose earned NutraStrong Prebiotic Verified certification.

Meanwhile, non-caloric, high-intensity sweeteners (HIS) are under pressure from the clean-label trend to be natural and pronounceable. To make it all work, marketers must take a prudent approach to added sugars, while R&D teams and research chefs focus on flavor and functionality of the sweetening matrix in new product development efforts.

Among sugar-reduction/replacement strategies, developments in sweetener blends will continue to expand and become more nuanced. Stevia remains a go-to choice for many processors, with rebaudiosides-D and M widely available and boasting a cleaner flavor and minimal aftertaste. Monkfruit, too, continues to make its way into more sweetener blends.

Sugar alcohols (polyols) are still in use, although some are fading from use, especially xylitol, most commonly used in mint candies and chewing gum due to its cooling effect. Certain polyols have been associated with g.i. disturbances in some persons, and some also have limited application due to the aforementioned "minty" cooling factor. However, they all have the benefit of not affecting blood sugar and being noncariogenic. Xylitol is toxic to dogs, and pet owners are avoiding products using it.

Erythritol, however, remains a key sweetener, prized for its cleaner flavor, lack of cooling effect, and the fact that it is far less likely to cause g.i. disturbances. It's an effective bulker and is about two-thirds as sweet as sucrose.

Trending single-ingredient sweeteners include fruit-derived sweeteners, with coconut sugar especially popular. Also, plant syrups (such as from grains, apples, pomegranates, and other sources) and sweeteners derived from purées of prunes, figs, raisins, carob, and other dried fruits are increasingly favored. Date paste contributes sweetness, as well as binding and texture. This favorite sweetener in Middle Eastern and North African tradition is enjoying Western success in on-the-shelf products, and carob sweetener is appearing in a number of products, including beverages.

Also coming back strong: favorites from the past, such as molasses, maple, sorghum, and honey. Agave, too, is making a comeback. Some of these already are well-known standards in bakery applications for manufacturers seeking to sweeten products with something other than sucrose. Soluble prebiotic fiber ingredients such as chicory root fiber (inulin) or soluble corn fiber (maltodextrin) add slight sweetness plus the bulk necessary to impart HIS benefits without compromising flavor and texture.

The best way to reduce sugar in a formulation might just be with, well, sugar. Technologists have managed to alter the structure of sugar molecules in such a manner that more of the molecule’s surface area is exposed to the receptors in the mouth, making a little go a long way, flavor-wise. Nestlé S.A. already has ice cream novelties on the market using this technology with great success.

HIS compounds range from several hundred to several thousand times as sweet as sucrose. HIS derived from plant proteins are thaumatin, which can also act as a bitterness masker, and brazzein. A recent entry is a sweet protein derived via microbial fermentation from Mattirolomyces terfezioides, the so-called honey truffle. These are either still being refined or in limited production, but they've yet to take hold in manufacturing.

In this section, you’ll find detailed listings for suppliers of a comprehensive spectrum of sweeteners. Click below for references by company name, headquarters, and website. And remember, we update these listings frequently, so keep checking back.