SweetDesign, a one-for-one sugar replacement system, is marketed as easy to use, with no reformulation necessary and a performance equal to sugar in a number of bakery applications.
"It's always been very difficult to match the performance of sugar so we've done a lot of work understanding the functionality of the different components in the system, and we've tried to optimize the blend to perform at its peak for taste and texture," said Wendy Erickson, food bakery scientist at Cargill.
The system, which is also marketed as bringing a 'good' source of fiber claim to products, contains high intensity sweeteners neotame and acesulfame potassium, as well as erythritol, isomalt, sorbitol and polydextrose.
Cargill said it also has a blend without the high intensity sweeteners, designed for use in countries where neotame is not permitted, such as Canada. This allows manufacturers to add their own blend of high intensity sweeteners.
SweetDesign, which also exists as a complete system for dairy applications, was first introduced earlier this year, and is currently priced at around $1.85 per pound, depending on volume, said the company.
According to Cargill, its product also has the advantage of being more digestively tolerant than other polyols such as sorbitol and malitol, and the firm is currently working on a second round of the system, with higher levels of tolerance.
"We mainly focused on performance and functionality in our first round. The new blend, which should be commercially available in fall 2007, is expected to be twice as digestively tolerant as malitol," said Erickson.
The firm is also trying to increase the fiber content of the sweetener system for its new round, and hopes it will allow manufacturers to make 'excellent' fiber source claims (5g or more).
"We've had a very positive response so far, and there has been good interest at the IFT. Our customers feel it has exceeded their expectations particularly in its flavor profile. Sweet Design has a very clean flavor for a no sugar application; some polyols have a bitter aftertaste, but this system doesn't," Erickson told FoodNavigator-USA.com.
The ingredient system currently allows manufacturers to reduce calories by around 20 percent, depending on the application. Products formulated with Sweet Design are able to carry a 'no sugar added' claim.