On Oct. 16, 2018, beverage development company Imbibe, in conjunction with the Institute of Food Technology (IFT), opened its facility for a panel discussion on sugar reduction and the technical challenges of creating beverages with a lower sugar content.

Featuring Imbibe staff Liz Sisel, ingredient technologist; Guy Affolaby, manager of regulatory affairs; and Aparna Oak, director of flavor innovation; and Ilana Orlofsky, marketing manager, the panel of experts discussed technical consider­ations for creating sugar-reduced beverages.

Bringing Back Flavor

The event started with an example of sugar reduction in practice. Attendees were asked to taste a sample of a sparkling coffee beverage at normal sugar levels and then compare it to another sample at 20% reduced sugar without any added flavors. After testing the samples, most attendees agreed that the reduced sugar beverage tasted different, as it featured a more rounded flavor profile. The panel went on to discuss how sugar reduction directly impacts the flavor of beverages.

Read the full article on Perfumer & Flavorist.