COMPARISON STUDY OF NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS APLIYNG ANALYTIC

HIERARCHY PROCESS (AHP)

Q.A. HELBER YAMID CACERES
TECHNICAL AND PROCESSES DIRECTOR
PROJECT MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST
calidad@vidastevia.com






















LABORATORIOS VIDASTEVIA S.A.
BOGOT D.C.
COLOMBIA
2012


COMPARISON OF NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS




The sweetener market is constantly expanding. Therefore it is important to know what are the
different types that exist and see what are their differences and similarities. This is important
to make a comparative analysis, in which a comparison of the natural and artificial sweeteners. In
the late nineteenth century discovered the first substances that could replace sugar or sucrose.

This discovery was and is very useful to treat diseases such as diabetes, hypertriglyceridemia and
/ or overweight.

Currently there are a variety of sweeteners, which are classified as natural and artificial depending
on their origin. They have presented controversial since its discovery, some as saccharin
and sodium cyclamate has been banned and they have been reauthorized.

In short, as there are a variety of sweeteners, it is interesting to make a comparative analysis and
see which is which, what are their differences and what are their similarities.

The features in this table serve not only to know each sweetener in particular, but to know which
one to choose, taking into account the particular situation of each. Remember, when in doubt you
should consult your doctor.










COMPARISON OF NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS
SWEETENER SOURCE CALORIES
MAXIMUM DAILY
INTAKE
SWEETENER
POWER
BENEFITS CONTRAINDICATION
Saccharose Natural. Comes from the sugar cane. 4 Cal/gr
No restrictions if thin
people
1
Natural
sweetener.
Source of
energy.
Dental caries.
Obesity.
Diabetes.
Stevia
Natural. It is obtained from the plant with the
same name
0 5,5 mg/Kg 300
Cardiotonic.
digestive action.
No produces
dental caries
Antioxidant.
Strong at high
temperature.
No secondary effects.
Fructose
Natural. It is extracted from the fruit and
honey
0
No restrictions if thin
people
1,5
Natural.
Extracted from
fruits.
Readily decomposes at
high temperatura.
Low sweetening power.
Sucralose
Artificial. Although sucralose is made from
sugar, the sugar molecule is chemically
modified to make sucralose, which is
classified as an artificial sweetener.
0 15 mg/Kg 600
No production of
glucemic
reaction.
Strong at high
temperatures
The molecule has three
atoms of cholrine
Aspartame
Artificial. It is made with aspartic acid and
phenyl alanine
4 Cal/gr 10 mg/Kg 125 - 200
Flavor similar to
White sugar.
No bitter after
taste.
Contains phenyl alanine.
Possible acumulative
effect.
It produces phenyl
cetonnuric effect.
Acesulfame-K
Artificial. It is potassium derivated from
sulfamic and acetoacetic acids.
0 9 mg/Kg 150 - 200
Strong at high
temperatura.
It is prohibited in a lot of
countries..
Possible carcinogenic
effect.
Saccharine
Artificial .Derived from a substance in the oil
formed from asparctic acid and
phenylalanince.
0 2,5 mg/Kg 300 - 500
No nutritional
value
Possible carcinogenic
effect.
Bitter after taste.
Sodium Cyclamate Artificial. It is obtained from acetic acid. 0 600 mg/Liter 40
Improves flavor
and stability of
drinks.
Possible carcinogenic
effect.
It must to cambine with
other sweetener..

Figure 1. Comparison between sweeteners.
GENERAL COMPARISON STUDY

Based on an analytic hierarchy process, we designed a structure based on the criteria shown in
Figure 2, confronting the most usedsweeteners in the market to determine what the best
alternative for consumers.

Criteria were as follows:

Quality.
Cost.
Sweetening power.
Benefits.
Caloric content.
Source (Natural or artificial.

The evaluated sweetners were as follows:

Saccharose.
Stevia.
Fructose.
Sucralose.
Aspartame.
Acesulfame-K.
Saccharine.
Sodium Cyclamate.




Figure 2. Evaluation Criteria.




1. QUALITY

According to expert judgment as to product purity, a source of product, it was found that the
product of Stevia has excellent quality compared to other natural and synthetic sweeteners.

Figure 3. Quality

2. COST

Within the market has found that sucrose or table sugar, the sweetener is cheaper, and therefore is
the one with the best price for consumers because of their low cost.

Stevia is one of the more expensive sweeteners found in the industrial market in its pure form,
although in the retail market presents very competitive with other sweeteners, non-caloric
sweetener made with others.


Figure 4. Cost.

3. SWEETENING POWER

As for the sweetness of the products found in its pure form, sucralose has one of the
largest compared to sucrose (reference point of all sweeteners).

Stevia has good sweetness respect of sucralose, and in many instances, is superior to other natural
and synthetic sweeteners.


Figure 5. Sweetening power.

4. BENEFITS

Stevia is the sweetener of natural origin that gives consumers more benefits. First for its low calorie
content ("0"), and then the other beneficial factors specific to the plant, which can be seen in
Figure 1.


Figure 6. Benefits.


5. CALORIC CONTENT

This point was evaluated based on whether the product (natural or synthetic), gives some kind
of calories the body of the consumer.

In this case we see that sucrose and aspartame are sources ofenergy intake compared with other
sweeteners evaluated.


Figure 7. Caloric Content.

6. SOURCE (NATURAL OR ARTIFICIAL)

As to the origin of the product of Stevia, this is defined as natural, because the active substance is
contained in the leaves of the plant Stevia rebaudiana.

The extraction of the active principle is performed by means of mechanical mechanisms and
as dissolution medium, water. Therefore, no chemical additives that accelerate the process and
does not alter the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the product.


Figure 8. Source. (Natural or artificial).

CONCLUSION




Figure 9. Final Result. Better Sweetener.


After conducting a review of the results of the items assessed for each of the most
used sweeteners in the market, is that Steviabased products are better than
their main competitors products.

Fructose is the second sweetener that would fit better to be natural and not have changes in
taste of food where it is applied.

Despite the immense publicity of sucralose, we find that it is the best sweetener and this is because
it is of synthetic origin, despite having one of the highest powers of all sweeteners.