Infographic transcript

Can a world without sugar be as sweet?

Consumers don’t want to lose the taste sugar offers, but many are ready for a change in pursuit of healthier lifestyles.

For decades, sugar consumption has been on the rise globally.

The figure below shows the relationship between sugar consumption and obesity worldwide. Other than a slight dip in sugar consumption between 1990 and 2000, the general trajectory shows a rise in both obesity and sugar intake.

But consumers are craving a change in their sugar and sustainability habits.

• Sugar reduction is a key consideration for consumers’ commitment to health & wellness ⁵
• 76% of global consumers find limiting their sugar intake important for their health^*1
• Half of consumers have made changes to their diets in the last two years to lead a more sustainable lifestyle⁶
• Both "no added sugar" and "reduced sugar" claims are important to nearly 3/4 of consumers.
• Globally, about 66% of consumers will pay more for sugar reduction

Imagine a world led by a sugar alternative that doesn’t sacrifice taste.

Consumer acceptability of sugar alternatives⁷

Honey: 65%
Stevia: 58%
Monk fruit: 34%
Agave syrup: 34%
Sorbitol: 11%

• Over half of global consumers see stevia as a suitable alternative to sugar.¹
• When stevia was first commercialized it was a single molecule solution. Today, we formulate with dozens of stevia molecules to unlock great taste.
• Reb M is a molecule found in the stevia leaf which has significant taste improvement over earlier generations of stevia sweeteners.

Evolution of stevia sweetener taste⁸

The left side of the figure below compares the sweetness and bitterness in taste between Reb M stevia and Reb A stevia. Reb M has a more intense sweet taste and is significantly less bitter.

On the right side of the below figure, Reb M is compared to sucrose from a flavor and taste perspective. Both are extremely similar in their flavor and sweetness flavor profiles.

Ingredion has all your innovative sugar solutions in one place.

As your end-to-end partner, Ingredion is the only ingredient provider that uses all major Reb M stevia production technologies, providing brands with the best options for efficient sugar reduction formulations.

Leaf extraction: A process that extracts steviol glycosides directly from the stevia leaf, although it produces the least amount of Reb M. This is the conventional process of extracting and purifying sweeteners from the stevia leaf.

Bioconversion: Starting with the stevia leaf, bioconversion uses an enzymatic process to amplify the amount of Reb M produced compared to extraction.

Fermentation: Starting with sugarcane, we use our proprietary fermentation technology to convert sugar cane into the same molecule, Reb M, which exists in the stevia leaf.

Reb M meets consumer trends

• Sustainably sourced
• Better taste
• Zero Calories

Reb M was previously in limited supply and at a higher cost, but new production methods like leaf extraction and fermentation have increased sustainability and yield of Reb M. 

Take the sustainable path to a sugar-free future. 

The right ingredients can mean the right thing for your brand and our planet. Through an extensive life cycle analysis, it was found that Reb M produced through both bioconversion and fermentation are sustainable paths toward a sugar-free future.^**9 

2 in 3 consumers believe brands should be doing more to protect the planet.⁶ 

When compared to sugar on a sweetness equivalence basis...*** 

Reb M bioconversion 

• 83% less land usage
• 50% less climate impact
• 30% more water efficiency
• 81% less cumulative energy demand

Reb M fermentation

• 88% less land usage
• 82% less climate impact
• 99% more water efficiency
• 88% less cumulative energy demand

With our leading-edge innovation, customized formulation and expertise in applications, we’ll take a collaborative approach to help you meet your goals.

Together, let’s recreate the sugar experience.

• Global footprint in 120 countries with local expertise and support
• Industry's largest stevia sweetener and FMPs toolkit with a range of functional build back tools
• Develop winning consumer products with consumer insights and sensory science
• Expertise in every application and sugar reduction level
• Broadest portfolio of stevia proprietary technologies and patents
• 30+ idea labs and more than 350 scientists across the globe

Bottom line: Ingredion offers the best-tasting and most sustainable stevia solutions for your brand.⁹

 

^{Citations:
Ingredion proprietary research, Sugar Reduction Insights Program Power BI Dashboard, 2022
Ritchie and Roser, 2018. Global Trends in Obesity, Presented by Vasanti Malik, October 9, 2018.
IDF, Diabetes Atlas and World Health Organization, 2020
Sugar Consumption Per Capita, Helgi Analytics, 2022
ATLAS, Ingredion Proprietary Global Consumer Research, 2020
The road to sustainability, FMCG Gurus, 2022
ATLAS, Ingredion Proprietary Global Consumer Research, 2021
Ingredion Proprietary Global Sensory Data, 2017
Ingredion proprietary research, Life Cycle Assessment, 2022}

^{*Respondents agree somewhat or completely
** Compared to sugar
*** Reb A and leaf extract data is similar to bioconversion}