Sweetener blend optimization by using mixture design methodology and the electronic tongue.

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Sensory Science
• Product Development

Background:

• Sucrose substitution in food products is crucial for health and dietary needs.
• Multiple sweeteners can effectively replace sucrose, offering diverse flavor profiles and functionalities.
• Optimization of sweetener blends requires systematic approaches to ensure consumer acceptance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize acceptable sweetener blends using coconut sugar, agave, and stevia.
• To evaluate sweetener blends in both aqueous solutions and gluten-free granola bars.
• To determine an optimal sweetener combination for granola bar formulation.

Main Methods:

• Augmented simplex-centroid mixture design was employed for blend optimization.
• Sweetener blends were assessed by a trained sensory panel and 60 consumers.
• Electronic tongue technology was used to generate taste profiles of sweetener solutions.

Main Results:

• Significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed in both solutions and granola bars across various sweetener mixtures.
• Consumer and trained panel ratings showed high correlation (R(2) ≥ 0.79) with electronic tongue taste profiles.
• An optimal granola bar formulation comprised 89.9% coconut sugar, 6.1% agave, and 4% stevia, preferred by consumers.

Conclusions:

• Mixture design is a reliable method for developing novel sweetener blends.
• The optimized blend offers a promising sucrose substitute for food product development.
• Sensory evaluation and electronic tongue analysis effectively guide sweetener blend optimization.