As public health concerns over excessive sugar intake continue to grow, the demand for reduced-sugar beverages is on the rise. In this PhD project, Glenn Birksø Hjorth Andersen addressed the challenges of replacing sucrose in beverages with sweeteners, while ensuring the maintenance of taste, sensory perception, and consumer acceptance.

A multi-level approach was employed to investigate the effects of sucrose replacement with both synthetic and natural-occurring sweeteners. At the mechanistic level, the research explored how mixtures of sucrose and sweeteners interact to influence taste perception. At the product level, the study examined the impact of different sweeteners on the sensory profiles and consumer preferences for complex beverages, such as chocolate-flavored milk and iced tea. Finally, at the individual and cultural levels, the research investigated how factors like sweet taste preferences, gender, and cultural background affect consumer acceptance of sucrose-reduced beverages.

The findings hold significant implications for the beverage industry, offering valuable insights into formulating healthier, reduced-sugar products without compromising the sensory characteristics and consumer acceptance. This research contributes to the broader effort to promote healthier dietary choices.

The PhD study was completed at Department of Food Science, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Friday, 8 November 2024 at 13:00
Place: Building 5910, room 116, Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Agro Food Park 46, 8200 Aarhus N
Title of PhD thesis: Sucrose Replacement in Beverages with Non-Nutritive Sweeteners: A Multi-level Approach on Taste Mechanisms, Sensory Perceptions, and Acceptance
Contact information: Glenn Birksø Hjorth Andersen, e-mail: gha@food.au.dk, tel.: +45 23 96 70 53

Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Wender Bredie, Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Assistant Director Valentina Parma, Monell Chemical Senses Center, USA

Associate Professor Martin Krøyer Rasmussen (chair), Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Denmark

Main supervisor:
Associate Professor Ulla Kidmose, Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Denmark

Co-supervisor:
Assistant Professor Niki Alexi, Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Denmark

Professor Derek V. Byrne, Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Denmark

Professor Sun Yuan-Xia, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Technical Sciences/GSTS, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, 8000 Aarhus C.