Sweeteners

Dairy processors seek alternatives to sugar to sweeten dairy foods

Americans want to cut back on sugar intake. Dairy product formulators can choose from an array of nutritive and non-nutritive sweeteners, some of which contribute flavor, color and nutrients.

Leading Sweeteners Used in Dairy Products

Sweetener Name	Description	Presence on Whole Foods Market’s “Unacceptable Ingredients in Food” List (as of March 1, 2012)
Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K)	A combination of an organic acid and potassium; 200 times sweeter than sucrose; not broken down by the body; contains 0 calories per gram	Yes
Aspartame	A combination of two amino acids (phenylalanine and aspartic acid); 180 times sweeter than sucrose; contains 4 calories per gram, on a dry basis	Yes
Agave	An extract from the agave cactus plant; high in fructose; can contribute color and flavor; 1.4 to 1.6 times sweeter than sucrose; contains 4 calories per gram, on a dry basis	No
Erythritol	A four-carbon sugar alcohol, or polyol; manufactured by the fermentation of corn; about 60% less sweet than sucrose while having a similar bulk density; not fully metabolized; contains 0.2 calories per gram, on a dry basis	No
Fructose	A monosaccharide known as fruit sugar; a component of sucrose; 1.7 times sweeter than sucrose when tasted alone; contains 4 calories per gram, on a dry basis	No
High-fructose Corn Syrup	A combination of fructose and glucose derived from corn; sweetness similar to or slightly less than sucrose; contains 4 calories per gram, on a dry basis	Yes
Honey	A viscous sweetener based on fructose and glucose and produced by bees; sweetness similar to sucrose; can contribute color and flavor; provides solids and moisture; contains 4 calories per gram, on a dry basis	No
Isomaltulose	A low-glycemic, tooth-friendly bulk sweetener made from sugar beets; sweetness similar to sucrose; contains 4 calories per gram, on a dry basis	No
Molasses	A viscous sweetener produced from sugar cane or sugar beets; up to 30% less sweet than sucrose; can contribute color and flavor; a source of numerous vitamins and minerals; contains 3 to 4 calories per gram, on a dry basis	No
Monk Fruit	An extract (mogrosides) from the Siraitia grosvenorii plant; also known as luo han guo; up to 300 times sweeter than sucrose; contains 0 calories per gram	No
Neotame	A combination of two amino acids (phenylalanine and aspartic acid); similar to aspartame; 7,000 to 8,000 times sweeter than sucrose; rapidly metabolized and excreted from body; contains 4 calories per gram	Not specifically, but it is a derivative of aspartame, which is on the list
Polyols	Molecules that resemble both a sugar and alcohol; sweetness levels vary from about 60% less sweet to slightly sweeter than sucrose; contains 0.2 to 3.0 calories per gram, on a dry basis	No
Saccharin	A chemical known as benzoic sulfilimine; 300 times sweeter than sucrose; not broken down by the body; contains 0 calories per gram	Yes
Stevia	An extract (steviol glycoside known as rebaudioside A, or reb-A) from the Stevia rebaudina plant; 200 to 300 times sweeter than sucrose; contains 0 calories per gram	No
Sucralose	A molecule derived from sucrose; 600 times sweeter than sucrose; not broken down by the body; contains 0 calories per gram	Yes
Sucrose	A disaccharide of fructose and glucose derived from either sugar cane or sugar beets; the sweetness standard that all other sweeteners are compared to; contains 4 calories per gram, on a dry basis	No
Syrup	A viscous sweetener extracted from various plants or grains, ranging from maple trees to rice kernels; sweetness varies by source, but typically similar to sucrose; contains 3 to 4 calories per gram, on a dry basis	No