RELATIVE SWEETNESS OF FRUCTOSE AND SUCROSE IN MODEL SOLUTIONS, LEMON BEVERAGES AND WHITE CAKE

The relative sweetness of fructose and sucrose was evaluated at various concentrations in distilled water, in citric acid solutions (pH = 2.35, and 3.0), in lemon flavored beverages (pH = 2.35 and 2.7), and in vanilla cake. In distilled water and in the less acidic beverage and citric acid solutions, magnitude estimates of sweetness revealed fructose to be sweeter than sucrose by a factor of 1.6 – 1.9 at lower sugar concentrations. However, the greater relative sweetness of fructose declined‐ with increasing sugar concentration. In the more acidic beverage and citric acid solutions, no difference in perceived sweetness between fructose and sucrose was found at any sugar concentration. Similarly, no difference in the perceived sweetness of the two sugars was found when each was used as a sweetener in vanilla cake. These data suggest that the greatest sweetening advantage of fructose over sucrose occurs at the lower concentrations of the two sugars: However, when used in certain beverages or foods, concomitant tastes may mask or mitigate this differential sweetness. Copyright © 1979, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved