Fructose

Fructose
Of the other natural sugars used by humans, fructose, a monosaccharide is the sweetest and it is the most water soluble of the sugars. It is hygroscopic, making it an excellent humectant when used in baked goods.

The value of humectant in baked food is that it retards their hydration. Solutions of fructose have a low viscosity that results in lower “body” feel than sucrose but in greater flexibility of use over a wide range of temperature. Because of its greater solubility and more effective sweetness than sucrose, fructose is a better alternative to sucrose when very sweet solution are required, as fructose will not crystallize out of solution, whereas sucrose will.

Fructose has sometimes been called the fruit sugar since it occurs in many fruits and berries. It also occurs as a major component in honey, corn syrup, cane sugar, and beet sugar. In fact, sucrose, a disaccharide, is composed of glucose and fructose. Of these two components the glucose moiety cannot be metabolized by diabetics, and it is for this reason that the ingestion of sucrose cannot be tolerated by diabetics.

Fructose, on the other hand, does not require insulin for its metabolism and can, therefore, be used by diabetics with no concern. Its use also appears to reduce the incidence of dental carries. When used with saccharin, it tends to mask the bitter aftertaste of saccharin. As it apparently accelerates the metabolism of alcohol, it has been recommended as a rapid source of energy for athletes and, in combination with gluconate and saccharin, as an economic, effective, safe, low calorie sweetener for beverage.
Fructose

Disadvantages of Using Imitation Flavors

Disadvantages of Using Imitation Flavors
The need of imitation versions of naturally occurring flavors is undoubtedly present; but before considering their virtues it is also well to establish their disadvantages. Imitation flavorings based on synthetic organics may present the following problems:

The imitation flavor may pose difficulties in labeling and must always be formulated so as to comply with any legislation in the country ibn which the end product is to be consumed.

The original natural flavor is often, but not always, of a more subtle and acceptable character whereas the imitation version may be described as “chemical.”

Many natural flavor have a built in reservoir of flavor precursors which, under certain conditions, can results in the generation of additional flavor – a feature which is absent in imitation flavors.

Imitation flavors generally require the use of either a solvent or a carrier. These may be restricted by legislation or may pose problems with texture in the end of product.
Disadvantages of Using Imitation Flavors

Sweeteners in Foods

Sugars and sweeteners have an important role in the human diet and choosing the right ones in the right amounts can influence health.

Sweet tasting substance play an important role in modulating food choice and preference. It is highly palatable and very popular. Many processed foods have sweeteners added and much of their success depends on having the right degree of sweeteners to attract the consumer.

Sweetening agents are added to a large number of foods and beverages. Sweeteners include other sugars, as well as an abundance of natural and synthetic agents of varying strength and caloric values.

Many sweeteners are classified as nonnutritive sweeteners. While this classification might imply a lack of nutritional value, the implication is correct only in a relative sense. The introduction of diet soda in the 1950s sparked the wide spread use of nonnutritive sweeteners, substitutes for sugar that provide no calories. 

Evidence shows that diets that use nonnutritive sweetened products can aid in weight loss and/or maintenance (i.e. weight control) in obese people. Nonnutritive sweeteners were generally consumed in beverages.

Replacement of sugars in foods has given a new perspective on healthy foods where claims such as ‘sugar free’, ‘no-added-sugar’ and ‘reduced calorie sugar’ are being exploited by food manufacturer.

There are other sweet substances know as D-tagatose and trehalose recognized in GRAS and can be added to foods. Small amounts of tagatose are found naturally in some dairy foods, and tagatose is derived from lactose.
Sweeteners in foods