Stevia

Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies 11 (2010) 225–230

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Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies
j o u r n a l h o m e p a g e : w w w. e l s ev i e r. c o m / l o c a t e / i f s e t

Dual-stage sugar substitution in strawberries with a Stevia-based sweetener
Juan Garcia-Noguera a, Curtis L. Weller a, Francisca I.P.Oliveira b, Sueli Rodrigues c, Fabiano A.N. Fernandes b,⁎
a b c

Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA Universidade Federal do Ceará, Departamento de Engenharia Química, Campus do Pici, Bloco 709, 60455-760 Fortaleza, CE, Brazil Universidade Federal do Ceará, Departamento de Tecnologia de Alimentos, Campus do Pici, Bloco 858, 60455-760Fortaleza, CE, Brazil

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a b s t r a c t
The present study introduces and analyzes a new process denominated dual-stage sugar substitution (D3S). This process aims to induce sugar substitution in strawberries. In a first stage, high-calorie sugars (sucrose, fructose and glucose) are partially removed from the fruit samples and in a second stage, low-calorie sugar(stevioside and rebaudioside) is incorporated to the fruit to maintain its sweetness. The process was evaluated by studying the use of ultrasound application in one or both stages of the D3S process. Best performance of the process was obtained by subjecting the fruit samples to ultrasound in the sugar removal stage followed by immersion of the samples in Stevia-based solution without application ofultrasound in the sweetener incorporation stage. These operating conditions result in the highest sugar removal during the first stage, highest water loss during the process and highest sweetener incorporation during the second stage of the D3S process. Industrial relevance: The work described in this research is relevant to the production of dried fruits. A process to produce low-calorie dried fruit ispresented. The process removes high-calorie sugars from the fruit and replaces it with a natural low-calorie sugar restoring the sweetness of the fruit. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Article history: Received 23 May 2009 Accepted 4 July 2009 Editor Proof Receive Date 14 August 2009 Keywords: Stevia rebaudiana Drying Strawberry Ultrasound Sugar substitution

1. Introduction Recentsociological trends, including reduced levels of physical activity and the increased availability of inexpensive low-nutrient, high-calorie food products, have contributed to concerns regarding the healthiness of current diets in developed countries (Brownell, Schwartz, Puhl, Henderson, & Harris, 2009; Dietz, Benken, & Hunter, 2009; Drewnowski, Fulgoni, Young, & Pitman, 2008; Silver & Bassett,2008). As consumers have become more aware of different diets and their impact on health, food companies and marketers have begun to dedicate more time and effort to develop healthier and more nutritive products. Foods such as yogurts and carbonated beverages available today have been introduced successfully into the market as low-calorie products incorporating artificial sweeteners. Among these,saccharine and aspartame have been reported as the most widely implemented artificial sweeteners in the food industry (FDA, 2007). Stevia rebaudiana, a perennial herb native of Brazil and Paraguay, is used to produce a natural sweetener that is used in Asia and South America and that have gained recent attention by many food and beverage multinational enterprises (Panpatil & Polasa, 2008). Steviolglycosides, which are up to 300 times sweeter than sucrose, are found in high concentrations in the leaves of S. rebaudiana (Brandle &

⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: +55 85 33669611; fax: +55 85 33669610. E-mail address: fabiano@ufc.br (F.A.N. Fernandes). 1466-8564/$ – see front matter © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.ifset.2009.07.001

Telmer, 2007). Sweeteners derived...