The effect of sweeteners on perceived viscosity

Area of Science:

• Food science
• Sensory science
• Rheology

Background:

• Sweeteners are common food additives.
• Viscosity is a key sensory attribute of liquid foods.
• Understanding sweetener-viscosity interactions is important for food product development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of sweeteners (sucrose and aspartame) on perceived viscosity.
• To determine if sweetener concentration influences viscosity perception.

Main Methods:

• Two experiments were conducted using carboxymethylcellulose-thickened solutions.
• Sweeteners (sucrose, aspartame) were matched for sweetness intensity.
• Solutions were presented at different viscosity and sweetener concentrations.

Main Results:

• In the first experiment, both sucrose and aspartame appeared to decrease perceived viscosity across all tested levels.
• The second experiment, however, found no effect of sucrose concentration on perceived viscosity.
• Conflicting results were observed between the two experimental setups.

Conclusions:

• The impact of sweeteners on perceived viscosity is currently unclear.
• Further research is required to resolve the conflicting findings and establish definitive conclusions.
• The interaction between sweeteners and viscosity perception warrants additional investigation.