Consumers today are prioritising sugar reduction over calories – but both remain important. Better-for-you options are the expectation, and consumers don’t want to compromise; many love sweet things. So, the ingredients you choose to build back sugar’s sweetness and functionality matter.
Sugar does more than just sweeten – it also depresses the freezing point in frozen goods, adds glazing or coating effects in confectionery applications, contributes to browning in baked goods, and so much more. Achieving the full-sugar sensory experience requires a diverse array of ingredients and a deep understanding of their interactions.
There are many sides to sweetness to consider. How sweet does your product need to be? What is the temporal profile and how does sweetness evolve over time during consumption? And then there’s aftertaste, sweet linger, shelf stability, processing stability and more. Fortunately, we’re not just market leaders in sweetening, we’re pioneers. Our team have a range of sweetening solutions to solve your problem and win with consumers.
Common sugar reduction challenges we can help you overcome
Solutions spotlight
With expert support and an extensive ingredient portfolio spanning fibres, sweeteners, starches, hydrocolloids and more, we can find the right solution for any goal.
Allulose
Maltodextrin
Sucralose
Stevia
Pectin
Carrageenan
Xanthan gum
Gellan gum
Locus bean gum
Soluble fibre
FOS
GOS
Polydextrose
Citrus fibre
Chickpea flour
Chickpea protein
Microparticulated whey protein concentrate
- Functional blend systems
Thickening starches
Gelling starches
Film formers
Clean-label starches
Formulating for reduced sugar or lower calories isn’t contained to one category of food and beverage – and neither is our expertise. Discover the work we do across multiple sectors of the industry.
Beverages
Dairy
Soups, sauces and dressings
Bakery and snacks
Confectionery
Give consumers the healthier options they demand while maintaining the sweet taste they love. Our experts can help you navigate key challenges to formulating sugar-reduced food and beverages that taste great.
Frequently Asked Questions
Health-conscious consumers increasingly expect food and beverages with less sugar and fewer calories, while still wanting the taste, texture and enjoyment of their favourites. Formulations that meet both needs are better placed to encourage trial and repeat purchase. The opportunity is to reduce sugar without reducing the eating or drinking experience.
Sugar contributes much more than just sweet taste. It can add bulk and texture, influence viscosity, depress the freezing point in frozen products, support glazing or coating in confectionery and contribute to browning in baked goods. Successful reformulation therefore requires a combination of ingredients for optimal sweetness and functionality.
The complete sweetness experience includes sweetness intensity, how sweetness develops over time, aftertaste, sweet linger and stability during processing and shelf life. Tate & Lyle combines sweetening expertise, sensory understanding and a broad portfolio to address these factors and build a profile tailored to the product and consumer target.
When sugar is removed, formulations may also lose bulki, viscosity and familiar textural attributes. Tate & Lyle uses complementary mouthfeel solutions to rebuild these elements and optimise the full sensory experience. The aim is a reduced-sugar product that still delivers the body, texture and satisfaction consumers expect.
Soluble fibres can help replace bulk and support texture and stability when sugar and calories are reduced. They can also add nutritional value, including digestive and prebiotic benefits, while supporting formulations designed for a lower glycaemic response. This makes fortification a useful part of a broader sugar-reduction strategy.
Tate & Lyle's portfolio spans sweeteners, fibres, starches, hydrocolloids, proteins, functional flours and functional blend systems. The relevant combination depends on the product goal because sweetness, bulk, texture, stability, processing behaviour and label requirements all interact in the finished formulation.
The Tate & Lyle portfolio includes allulose, sucralose, stevia and other sweetening and bulking solutions. Ingredient selection should reflect the desired sweetness profile as well as calorie, functionality, processing, shelf-stability, cost and labelling objectives. A single ingredient swap is not always enough to recreate the full-sugar experience.
Yes. Reformulation can combine sugar and calorie reduction with added fibre and other nutrition-forward benefits. Tate & Lyle's approach considers sweetness, mouthfeel and fortification together so that a product can offer better-for-you positioning while maintaining taste, texture, stability and performance.
Sugar and calorie reduction is relevant across beverages, dairy, soups, sauces and dressings, bakery and snacks, and confectionery. Each category has different technical demands, from freezing point and browning to coating, bulk, viscosity and texture, so the formulation approach is tailored to the application.
Tate & Lyle brings together expert support, sensory and application knowledge, and an extensive ingredient portfolio. The team evaluates the sweetness profile and the functionality sugar provides, then identifies complementary solutions for taste, mouthfeel, nutrition, processing and shelf performance. The goal is simple: reduce sugar, not enjoyment.
Prospective purchasers are advised to conduct their own tests, studies and review of the intellectual property and regulatory space to determine the fitness of Tate & Lyle products for their particular purposes, product claims or specific applications