Press release: naturally mask Stevia off-flavors with PURAC FIT Plus
20 October 2009. Back
to overview
Low-calorie beverages are gaining importance, but the right
choice of sweeteners is essential. Stevia sweeteners are
increasingly preferred, but their aftertaste can be a problem.
Purac introduces PURAC FIT Plus, a natural, high-purity lactic acid
with a great clean flavor. It's ideal for use in low-calorie
beverage formulations with Stevia (Reb A) to mask off-flavors.
Consumers expect great-tasting, healthy beverages. In the case
of low-calorie drinks, the use of high-intensive sweeteners could
easily lead to off-flavors and an unpleasantly bitter or sweet
aftertaste. Stevia (Reb A) is an all-natural and calorie-free
high-intensive sweetener. However, Stevia (Reb A) can sometimes
have a bitter or liquorice-like aftertaste. Unlike citric acid,
PURAC FIT Plus masks the characteristic off-flavors of Stevia and
other high-intensive sweeteners, resulting in a better-tasting,
more rounded beverage.
High-intensive sweeteners such as Stevia, sucralose and
aspartame typically have a long-lasting sweet taste compared to
sucrose. This lingering effect accentuates any off-flavor or
artificial notes in the beverage. PURAC FIT Plus reduces this
undesirable lingering effect.
"Masking comes naturally with PURAC FIT Plus," says Koen Kummel,
Category Manager of Taste & Acidification at Purac. "Carefully
choosing your sweeteners and acids to deliver the optimal
sour/sweet balance greatly improves the taste of beverages
containing Stevia (Reb A)."
Combining PURAC FIT Plus with other acids like citric acid works
synergistically; the resulting beverage has a round, well-balanced
taste and the flavor is boosted, leading to potential savings due
to reduced sweetener and flavor usage.