The Low-Sugar Shift

Sugar reduction has emerged as a powerful force in the food and beverage industry, driven by growing health consciousness among consumers. According to the International Food Information Council, three-quarters of U.S. consumers are actively trying to limit or avoid sugar, and proprietary research from the global agrifood company Cargill consistently ranks the sweetener as the top ingredient consumers aim to eliminate. 

“Sugar reduction isn’t just a passing trend; it’s a key consumer demand that’s shaping the food and beverage industry,” says Smaro Kokkinidou, principal food scientist at Cargill. That demand is widely reflected in product innovation. For example, stevia-based product retail sales have grown at an 18% CAGR over the past three years, Kokkinidou notes, with more than 9,900 new products introduced in 2024 alone.

Beyond consumer demand, regulatory bodies worldwide are pushing for reduced-sugar consumption through taxes and labeling efforts. This external pressure, combined with corporate sugar-reduction commitments, means the trend isn’t slowing down anytime soon. 

The need to deliver on flavor, though, remains a constant. “On-pack claims may spark initial purchase, but it’s great taste that keeps consumers coming back for more, Kokkinidou says. “That’s the opportunity for food scientists: delivering solutions that keep sugar in check while providing an enjoyable eating and drinking experience.” Below, Kokkinidou explains how food scientists are managing the challenge of maintaining sweetness, texture, and functionality while reducing sugar content. 

What advancements have been made in sugar reduction? 

I started working with stevia around 2008. At the time, I was in academia, and we were exploring how we could use stevia, a new high-intensity sweetener, to reduce calories and sugar in formulations. We saw plenty of potential with the ingredient, especially as we recognized there were so many different sweet components in the leaf, but we also realized there were hurdles to overcome.

The advanced stevia products available today have come a long way from those early Rebaudioside A (Reb A) stevia sweeteners. Our EverSweet® stevia sweetener is a prime example. Together with joint-venture partner dsm-firmenich, we used advanced fermentation technology to produce a sweetener that is nature-identical to the best-tasting components of the stevia leaf: Reb M and Reb D. The resulting stevia sweetener brings us so much closer to the sweetness and temporal profile of sugar compared to the first-generation stevia products. Equally important, fermentation allows us to produce EverSweet in quantities and at a price point that makes widespread commercial use possible. This, in turn, opens the door for greater innovation related to sugar reduction across a myriad of food and beverage categories.

Are there other exciting advancements to come in sugar reduction? 

The future of sugar reduction looks even brighter, with new ingredient technologies and formulation techniques on the horizon. We’ve come so far in the past 10 years, and it’s exciting to consider what the next decade may hold. 

We know there are still opportunities to bring improvements to our stevia sweeteners, especially as we edge ever closer to the sweetness profile of sugar. New enzymatic processes and advances in fermentation technology could deliver glycosides that bring improved taste and functionality, especially when paired with other ingredients and technologies. Cargill continues to expand our sugar-reduction toolkit, from advances with stevia and other sweeteners, to texturizers, bulking agents, and more. This continued focus on innovation allows for deeper sugar reduction across the food and beverage landscape, without compromising on functionality, mouthfeel, taste, and the overall sensory experience.

How can food scientists leverage these advancements to create great-tasting products without compromising quality? 

When it comes to sugar reduction, there’s never a single, drop-in solution that meets every goal and solves every challenge. Label considerations, sugar-reduction and calorie-reduction goals, and cost-in-use requirements are among the factors we consider with every project.  

It’s also important to remember that sugar does so much more than deliver sweet taste; it plays critical functional roles as well, influencing texture, flavor, mouthfeel, and more. To address formulation holistically, Cargill offers a portfolio of sugar-reduction tools that includes sweeteners like stevia, erythritol and allulose, along with other supporting ingredients like texturizers, stabilizers, and emulsifiers. We deliver solutions that optimize sweetness dynamics, help harmonize flavor profiles, and even offer taste-modification properties, masking negative sensory attributes while increasing positive ones. 

Sugar reduction isn’t just about cutting calories. It’s about creating products that align with evolving consumer preferences while delivering an outstanding sensory experience. By leveraging advanced sweeteners, strategic blends, and innovative formulation approaches, food scientists can hit the sweet spot, delivering reduced-sugar products that consumers will love.

Learn more about Cargill’s sugar reduction efforts.