Body and mouthfeel of sugar

Beverage finished products contain about 8 - 14% sugar. The sugar not only contributes sweetness and calories t the drink but also contribute body and mouthfeel to beverages and foods.

The addition of sugar makes more vicious or gives it a less consistency. Mouthfeel was defined as those textural attributes of a sugar or beverage responsible for producing characteristics tactile sensations on the surface of the oral cavity. It relates to density, viscosity, surface tension and other physical properties.

Body is defined as the quality of a food or beverage relating either to its consistency, compactness of texture, fullness, flavor or to a combination thereof.. It is difficult to separate mouthfeel and body.

If sugar is replaced by a nonnutritive or high-intensity sweetener such as aspartame or saccharin the consistency of the food will be watery and thin.

To prevent this, another substance has to be added to give the expected body or mouthfeel to the food.

For example addition of 1 ppm neohesperidine DC to an aspartame-sweetened cola beverage was describe as improved mouthfeel and body with more sucrose-like sweetness quality.

Modified starches or gums usually are added to such food products to give the desired consistency without addition of sugar.

The addition of gums to soft drinks sweetened with sugar substitutes to make the fluid feel as heavy in the mouth as if it were flavored with sugar.
Body and mouthfeel of sugar