Is it better to add sugar substitute or sugar to candy?
Abstract: This article explores the differences between adding sugar substitutes or regular sugar in the candy manufacturing process, and analyzes in detail the characteristics of the two in terms of taste, health impact, process adaptability, and market acceptance. Through research on the current status and future trends of the industry, it provides a comprehensive reference for candy manufacturers when making raw material selection decisions, aiming to help them achieve product innovation and commercial success while meeting consumer needs, responding to health trends and regulatory requirements.
Introduction
Candy, as a traditional snack food, has a wide range of consumer groups around the world. However, with the continuous improvement of consumers' health awareness and the increasingly prominent health problems such as obesity and diabetes, the confectionery industry is facing
facing new challenges and opportunities. The source of sugar in candies - sugar substitutes and ordinary sugar, has become the focus of the industry. The two have significant differences in product characteristics, market positioning and development prospects, and have a profound impact on the raw material selection strategies of candy manufacturers.
Application of Ordinary Sugar in Candy Manufacturing
Process Characteristics
Ordinary sugar, such as sucrose, glucose and fructose, has an irreplaceable position in the candy manufacturing process. Its good solubility and crystallinity enable the concentration and viscosity of the sugar solution to be accurately controlled during the sugar boiling process, thereby shaping candies of various textures, such as the crispness of hard candies, the softness of soft candies, and the mellow texture of toffees. For example, in the production of hard candies, sucrose is boiled at high temperature, the water gradually evaporates, the concentration of the sugar solution increases, and when it reaches a supersaturated state, it quickly cools and crystallizes to form a hard and transparent sugar body. This traditional process is mature and stable, and can ensure the quality consistency and production efficiency of candies.
Taste and flavor
Ordinary sugar can give candy a rich and pure sweetness, which is a classic taste that consumers have long been familiar with and love. When it dissolves in the mouth, it can stimulate the taste buds to produce a strong sweetness perception, bringing consumers instant satisfaction and pleasure. Take milk chocolate as an example. The sucrose in it not only provides sweetness, but also balances with the bitterness of cocoa, creating a rich and mellow taste level, which has become a unique flavor pursued by chocolate lovers.
AGOLYN currently mainly provides candies with added sugar. You can choose from
soft candies, hard candies and
festive candies. Of course, our top sellers at the moment are
mango flavored peeling candies and
mango squares. Why do we choose candy with regular sugar added? First, to ensure the texture and taste of sugar, existing sugar substitutes may not be able to completely replace the effect of sugar, and reducing sugar will change the shape and taste of candies. Second, studies have shown that sugar substitutes may indirectly affect body weight and blood sugar levels by affecting intestinal microbiota and hormone secretion. Therefore, sugar substitutes are not completely harmless, and their health effects still need further research.
At the same time,
synthetic sugar substitutes usually have a higher cost-effectiveness, so most sugar substitute foods use synthetic sweeteners as the main ingredient. This is beneficial for reducing the production cost of candy, but if we only consider reducing costs, it has violated our original intention of being committed to making healthy foods.
Sugar not only provides sweetness in candy, but also helps lower the freezing point and reduce ice crystals produced during the freezing process, affecting the texture and taste of candy. Existing sugar substitutes may not be able to completely replace the role of sugar, and reducing sugar will change the shape and taste of candy.
Whether you choose candy with sugar substitutes or candy with ordinary sugar, you need to start from your actual situation, but the idea that sugar substitutes mean high-quality and healthy candy needs to be viewed dialectically.
Market Status and Challenges
Although ordinary sugar has an advantage in the taste of candy, its high calorie content runs counter to the current consumer demand for healthy food. Excessive intake of ordinary sugar will lead to excess energy intake and increase the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. This makes candy products with ordinary sugar as the main raw material face pressure to lose market share among consumers with a strong health consciousness. At the same time, some countries and regions have begun to implement tax policies or sales restrictions on high-sugar foods, further compressing the market space for ordinary sugar candies.
Application of sugar substitutes in candy manufacturing
Types and characteristics of sugar substitutes
Sugar substitutes cover a variety of types, including artificial synthetic sugar substitutes (such as aspartame, sucralose) and natural sugar substitutes (such as steviol glycosides, erythritol). Artificial synthetic sugar substitutes have the characteristics of high sweetness and low calories. Their sweetness is usually dozens or even hundreds of times that of sucrose. Only a small amount of addition can achieve the same sweetness effect as a large amount of sucrose. For example, aspartame is about 200 times sweeter than sucrose and is widely used in products such as beverages and chewing gum. Natural sugar substitutes are favored by consumers for their relatively natural sources and better safety. Erythritol is a naturally occurring four-carbon sugar alcohol that contains almost no calories and has a special metabolic pathway in the human body. It does not cause fluctuations in blood sugar and insulin levels and is more friendly to diabetics and obese people. Stevioside is a natural sweetener extracted from the stevia plant. It has high sweetness, low calories and certain health functions, such as anti-oxidation and blood pressure reduction.
Advantages in candy manufacturing
1. Healthy attributes
The low-calorie or zero-calorie properties of sugar substitutes make them an ideal choice for people who are concerned about health and weight management. For diabetic patients, sugar substitutes will not cause a sharp rise in blood sugar, and can meet their demand for sweet foods while effectively controlling blood sugar levels. Sugar-free chewing gum made with xylitol as the raw material can freshen breath without adversely affecting blood sugar, and is deeply loved by diabetic patients.
2. Tooth-friendly
Unlike ordinary sugar, sugar substitutes are not easily fermented and utilized by bacteria in the mouth, thus reducing the production of acidic substances and the risk of tooth decay. This feature makes sugar substitutes have a wide range of application prospects in oral care candy products, such as sugar-free mints with added xylitol or erythritol, which can not only provide a fresh breath effect, but also protect tooth health.
3. Product innovation opportunities
The diversity of sugar substitutes provides candy manufacturers with abundant room for product innovation. Different sugar substitutes have unique sweetness, flavor, and physical and chemical properties, and can be flexibly combined according to the target market and product positioning. For example, the combination of stevioside and erythritol can reduce calories while improving the bad aftertaste of single stevioside, creating a new sugar-free product with a taste closer to traditional candy.
Challenges
1. Taste and flavor challenges
Although sugar substitutes can simulate ordinary sugar in terms of sweetness, there is still a certain gap in the complexity of taste and flavor. Some sugar substitutes may have peculiar smell or aftertaste. For example, some artificial synthetic sugar substitutes have a slight metallic taste or bitter taste, which to some extent affects consumer acceptance. In candy manufacturing, how to improve the taste and flavor of sugar substitutes through formula optimization, flavor modification technology or compounding with other natural ingredients is an important technical challenge facing the industry.
2. Differences in regulations and standards
Different countries and regions have different regulations and standards for sugar substitutes, which increases the difficulty for candy manufacturers to promote products containing sugar substitutes in the global market. For example, some sugar substitutes are approved for use in some countries, but may be restricted or banned in other countries. Manufacturers need to pay close attention to the regulatory trends of various countries to ensure that their products meet local requirements, which undoubtedly increases the cost and complexity of R&D, production and marketing.
3. Consumers’ misunderstandings
Although sugar substitutes have certain advantages in terms of health, some consumers still have misunderstandings about them. Some consumers believe that sugar substitutes are “chemical synthetic substances” and have doubts about their safety; some consumers equate “sugar-free” with “healthy” and over-consume products containing sugar substitutes while ignoring the intake of other nutrients. Therefore, strengthening consumer education and improving consumers’ correct understanding of sugar substitutes is one of the key links in promoting the widespread use of sugar substitutes in the candy industry.
Raw material selection strategy of candy manufacturers
Target market positioning
Candy manufacturers should first clarify the target market positioning of their products. If targeting consumer groups such as children and teenagers who have high taste requirements and relatively weak health awareness, ordinary sugar candies may still have a large market share. However, for adults who pay attention to health and pursue a low-sugar or sugar-free lifestyle, especially special groups with chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity, sugar substitute candies are more attractive. For example, some high-end chocolate brands have launched sugar substitute chocolate products for fitness enthusiasts and diabetics, meeting the needs of specific consumer groups through precise market positioning.
Product innovation and differentiation
In the fiercely competitive candy market, product innovation and differentiation are the key to companies gaining a competitive advantage. Manufacturers can make full use of the diversity of sugar substitutes to develop new candy products with unique taste, flavor and function. For example, by combining natural fruit extracts with sugar substitutes, soft candies with fruit flavor and low sugar and calories can be developed; or probiotics can be compounded with sugar substitutes to create candies with intestinal health functions. Through continuous innovation, we can meet the increasingly diverse needs of consumers and improve product added value and market competitiveness.
Cost-benefit analysis
Raw material cost is one of the important factors that candy manufacturers must consider when choosing between sugar substitutes and regular sugar. Generally speaking, the price of sugar substitutes is higher than that of regular sugar, especially some new natural sugar substitutes. However, with the continuous development of sugar substitute production technology and the gradual emergence of economies of scale, its cost is on a downward trend. Manufacturers need to comprehensively consider factors such as raw material costs, production process costs, packaging costs, and market prices to conduct a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis. In some cases, although the raw material cost of sugar substitutes is higher, it is still a viable option from the perspective of overall economic benefits because it can meet specific market needs and achieve high value-added sales of products.
Regulatory Compliance
Compliance with the laws and regulations of various countries is a prerequisite for candy manufacturers to conduct international business. When choosing sugar substitutes or regular sugar, companies must ensure that the raw materials used comply with local food safety regulations, labeling requirements and advertising regulations. The scope of use, limit standards and labeling regulations of sugar substitutes should be studied and understood in detail. At the same time, companies should also pay attention to the dynamic changes in regulations and adjust product formulas and production processes in a timely manner to avoid risks such as product recalls and fines due to non-compliance with regulations.
Conclusion and Outlook
In the candy manufacturing industry, the choice between sugar substitutes and ordinary sugar is not a simple choice between the two, but a complex decision-making process that requires comprehensive consideration of multiple factors. Ordinary sugar still occupies an important position in some market segments with its traditional craftsmanship advantages and classic taste and flavor; while sugar substitutes, with their health attributes and innovation potential, have brought new development opportunities to the candy industry. With the continuous improvement of consumers' health awareness, increasingly stringent regulations and policies, and the continuous deepening of scientific and technological research and development, the application prospects of sugar substitutes in candy will be broader. Candy manufacturers should pay close attention to market dynamics and technological development trends, flexibly use the respective advantages of sugar substitutes and ordinary sugar, and achieve sustainable development of enterprises through precise market positioning, continuous product innovation and strict regulatory compliance management, so as to provide consumers with candy products that are both delicious and healthy. In the future, we look forward to seeing the emergence of more innovative candy products to meet the diversified needs of different consumer groups in terms of taste, health and function, and promote the entire candy industry to a new stage of development.
