Abstract

The paper discourses the result of a literature review to identify alternative sweeteners and their application in food industries. The paper highlights that sweeteners has continued to attract consumers as sugar replacer in food, beverages and other application as flavor enhancer. It has been proven beneficial in weight loss and diabetes management. Sweeteners are food additives that are used to improve the taste of everyday foods. Natural sweeteners are sweet-tasting compounds with some nutritional value; the major ingredient of natural sweeteners is either mono- or disaccharides. Artificial sweeteners, on the other hand, are compounds that have very little or no nutritional value. This is possible because artificial sweeteners are synthesized compounds that have high-intensities of sweetness, meaning less of the compound is necessary to achieve the same amount of sweetness. Artificial sweeteners are used in products to prevent dental cavities. They do not release energy and provide an option as sugar replacer while sugar alcohols release energy, but are metabolized more slowly in body, allowing blood sugar levels to remain more stable over time. Many products viz; bread, cake pudding, biscuits, assorted drinks, kulfi e.t.c. has been prepared for diabetic’s patients using different brand of artificial sweeteners and concluded artificial sweeteners as good option for providing sweet taste with less calories. Homemade cookies were also prepared using xylitol as sugar replacer in beverages and other confectionaries.