in Baked Goods REBIANA

It hardly seems to need stating, but the world in general, and the United States in particular, is experiencing an epidemic of obesity and overweight. The prevalence of these unhealthy conditions is dramatically higher in the United States now than a few decades ago. The latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans (9) notes that obesity has doubled and in some cases tripled since the 1970s. A third of the U.S. population is overweight and another third is obese (2). All ages are affected, and a particular concern is the appearance in children of weight-associated diseases and conditions that were once diagnosed primarily in adults. So far, so familiar, but what may be less well-known is that baked goods are the leading source of calories for all Americans 2 years of age or older (6). “Grain based desserts” provide more energy than any other category—an average of 138 kcal per person per day. Yeast breads are number two in the list. The much-criticized sodas are relative laggards, appearing at number four in the list. It is true that sodas are by far the most significant source of added sugar, but grain-based desserts are the second most important, accounting for 13% of all added sugar in the U.S. diet (7). If there are any doubts about the significance of sugar in the diet, the American Heart Association has established specific guidelines for intake—no more than 100 kcal per day from added sugar for most women, and no more than 150 kcal per day for most men. That’s about 6 teaspoons of added sugar for women and 9 teaspoons for men (5). In contrast, the average intake is 21 teaspoons, or 336 cal, of added sugar per day (7), which far exceeds the USDA guidelines and American Heart Association recommendations. It is facts like these that have caused many concerned consumers to be especially wary of added sugar in all its forms. The latest survey of consumer attitudes by the International Food Information Council (4) shows that more than half of all consumers who consult the nutrition facts panel look at sugar content. Even more (60%) check for sugar in the ingredients list, and regardless of whether they use label information, 56% of Americans claim to be trying to limit their intake of sugar. Thus, there is considerable public concern about the sugar content of foods, much of it focused on seeking ways to reduce added sugar in the diet. At the same time there is a growing interest by consumers in natural ingredients, accompanied by a trend toward products with “clean labels” that minimize the number of synthetic additives. As a result, a significant portion of those concerned with sugar intake is also disinclined to accept existing, synthetic low-calorie sweeteners, despite their advantages. Until recently, a potentially large segment of the market for high-value, reducedand no added-sugar products remained substantially undeveloped for lack of available natural zerocalorie sweeteners. Although erythritol has been available as a natural bulk sweetener, it has a potency of only about 0.6 (sucrose = 1) and can require an added high-potency sweetener to boost sweetness back to the level of the sugar being replaced. The appearance in late 2008 of rebiana as a GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) ingredient for use in a wide range of foods and beverages transformed the market by making available a plant-derived, high-potency sweetener that could be used on its own but that also complements erythritol or even sugar itself.