The message from the medical community is clear about consuming too much sugar. It can lead to obesity and increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease and more health problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that consumers limit their intake of added sugars to less than 10% of their total daily calories. That’s about 12 teaspoons of sugar, or 200 calories, for a 2,000-calorie diet. Although added sugars don’t include the naturally occurring sugars found in ingredients like fruit and milk, limiting them is challenging because they contribute so much to the enjoyment of sweet baked treats. 

Bakers are responding to the concerns of health-conscious consumers who want to indulge by offering them products with reduced sugar, no sugar or no-added sugar. 

“Brands often target modest reductions of 20% to 25%,” said Dave Lindhorst, technical service manager, Cargill. “However, more recently, we have fielded requests from customers exploring deeper cuts, with some aiming for reductions of 50% or more. Oftentimes, these more aggressive sugar-reduction projects are associated with brands targeting the keto or low-carb consumer, and those brands are pushing the envelope on how much sugar can be removed from these formulations.” 

Achieving lower sugar amounts in sweet goods often takes various approaches to replicate the full-sugar versions, but formulators have many tools to get the job done. They must find the right mix of ingredients for each application.

“I’ve had some pretty amazing baked goods that have used a combination of different sweeteners, and I think that’s the key,” said Thom King, chief executive officer and chief food scientist, Icon Foods. “Instead of a solo, you look for the full orchestra.”

The sugar reduction targets bakers are striving to achieve run the gamut, depending on the claim bakers want to make and the baked good that is being produced.

“Typical sugar reduction targets start at 25% and increase from there,” said Jeff Hodges, manager, bakery, snacks and confections applications, ADM. “Anything less and the change couldn’t be called ‘reduced sugar’ according to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), negating any potential benefits being claimed.”

The ‘less is more’ approach with sugar is generally considered beneficial, said Eric Shinsato, senior project leader, innovation, Ingredion Inc. Brands decide on the size of the cutback based on their target audience.

“Historically, sweet baked goods have fallen into two categories: full-sugar or sugar-free, the latter catering to specific dietary preferences,” he said. “The keto movement has further influenced this landscape, stripping most carbohydrates, including sugars, to achieve minimal sugar content. The market has seen the introduction of products promoting 25% less sugar, positioning themselves as better-for-you alternatives while still offering indulgence.”

The common ingredients bakers turn to when reformulating for a sugar reduction bring benefits and challenges. That’s why it’s important to understand what each brings to the table to make up for both the taste and functionality that sugar provides to sweet baked goods.

“In most bakery formulations, we recommend incorporating incremental changes to ensure the proper results are achieved for consumer-preferred reduced-sugar baked goods,” Hodges said. “Sweeter applications, such as cookies and pastries, can require more specific formulation adjustments. This may include swapping a traditional granulated sugar for a liquid sugar system, or vice versa, and require formulators to adjust the water content so that the overall texture and taste is not impacted in the finished bakery item. For example, a reduced-sugar decadent chocolate cake may need a more specific adjustment, such as a one-to-one substitution of ingredients, to achieve the ideal results.”

Taking several small reductions one step at a time gives bakers the chance to evaluate each iteration of the formula. This allows them to either reverse course easily if they take a wrong turn and to understand the threshold for when more dramatic changes are needed for their application.

Bob Ferraro, principal application scientist, sweet applications, Sensient Flavors & Extracts, suggested working on functionality first when lowering sugar levels.

“Once you get the product to the texture and mouthfeel that you are happy with, you can go back and improve the sweetness perception and flavor of the baked item,” he said. “With most baked items, there is no one-size-fits-all. A fiber or flavor system may work in one baked item but not as well in another. Most sugar reduction systems are customized to meet the specific needs of the customer.”

King said making sugar-free baked goods is a real challenge, especially for products like cakes that rely on sugar for leavening. But he said a deep reduction of sugar, even half or more, is manageable.

“Targeting a 50% sugar reduction is pretty easy,” he said. “You would still be back-filling with allulose and erythritol. You just give it a little bit of a nudge with some high-intensity sweeteners. And then use half the sugar. You could even use a quarter of the sugar and backfill with the rest because you’d only be using the sugar to activate your leavening.”

This article is an excerpt from the May 2024 issue of Baking & Snack. To read the entire feature on Sugar Reductionclick here.