Project

Call for partners: Sweetspot - Spot-on usage of non-nutritive sweeteners

Sweetspot is a multi-disciplinary public-private partnership that seeks to optimise the use of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) in terms of health, consumer acceptance, product quality, taste, ingredient functionality and cost. Sweetspot will optimise the use of NNS and clean label sugar replacement while seeking to maximise health effects, ingredient functionality, product quality and taste.

In general, we eat too much sugar. Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) are a potential strategy to lower sugar intake, but there are some aspects that may hamper use of NNS. For instance, NNS are commonly integrated into products and presumed to be inert. However, recent evidence suggest that supplementation of specific NNS may induce person-specific, microbiome-dependent glycemic alterations (Suez et al, 2022, Cell). Moreover, the sensory quality is an important factor for acceptance and rebuy. This project will fill the gap between consumer concerns on health, costs, acceptance and current legislations.

What is PPP Sweetspot?

Sweetspot will use a multifactorial analysis approach to determine the best NNS solutions and use cases. We will study the application of NNS in foods by focusing on flavour and texturizing properties. We aim to better understand the relative impact on gut microbiota changes of individual NNS and mixtures & matrixes via in vitro tools. We will also Investigate, in dietary controlled conditions and realistic setting, the role of NNS on gut microbiota, glucose tolerance and sensory perception. We also will use a new unique recently developed method to quantify NNS exposure in humans. The project will provide sound scientific data with a high level of translatability within the current landscape and discourse around NNS.

Sweetspot is looking for industrial partners

We are looking for manufacturers of NNS and suppliers of sugar alternatives wishing to optimize application of their products, flavour houses for masking of flavours or enhancing sweetness, food product developers seeking to understand best use/practices for choice of NNS with optimal product properties, end-product manufacturers looking for added-value for their reduced calorie products and those who are interested in sugar reduction and replacement.