Possibilities and limitations of sugar reduction by steviol glycosides in yoghurt
- 15.12.2014
- English Articles
- Lisa Hergesell
- Friedrich Schöne
- Andrea Greiling
- Ulrich Schäfer
- Gerhard Jahreis
Peer-reviewed | Manuscript received: October 02, 2013 | Revision accepted: October 10, 2014
Introduction
Excessive levels of sugar are consumed in Western industrial countries and this is thought to be linked to several diseases of civilization. One possible way of reducing the level of sugar in diet would be to use the natural sweetener stevia. The present study shows that stevia can be used to halve the amount of sucrose added to yoghurt, without significantly changing the taste of the fresh product.
The plant Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni
It may be possible to replace sucrose with the sweetener stevia isolated from the plant Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni (SRB) and this has encouraged a great deal of interest in the food industry, in dietetics and in the media. It is therefore essential to investigate and assess this sweetener and the plant from which it is extracted. SRB is a plant of subtropical areas with semi-humid climate and is a member of the sunflower family (Asteraceae) (• Figure 1). It grows as a perennial herbaceous bush, which can reach a height of 80 cm. This plant is also known as “sweet leaf” or “honey leaf”, as it accumulates sweet substances in its leaves [1, 2]. SRB originates from the highlands of Amambay in northeast Paraguay. For several hundred years, indigenous peoples have been using it in green herbal teas, for its sweetness and healing powers [2, 3].
Summary
Steviol glycosides – commonly known as stevia – are calorie-free and are not cariogenic. Rebaudioside A has been approved in the EU since 2011 and can taste sweet or bitter, depending on the concentration. In the present sensory study, the calorific value of yoghurt was reduced by replacing 50 % of the sucrose by rebaudioside A, the main component of the approved steviol glycosides. This did not impair the taste of the yoghurt in any way. However, if 75 to 100 % of the sucrose was replaced by rebaudioside A, the sweetness intensity was reduced. Moreover, at these levels of rebaudioside A, the yoghurt tasted bitter and astringent. The sweetener stevia is approved as food additive in the form of steviol glycosides (E 960), but not (yet) as a food ingredient or “novel food” – for example as a calorie-free sweetener –, as its safety has not yet been confirmed by EFSA.
Keywords: stevia, steviol glycosides, yoghurt, sugar reduction, sugar consumption
