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No Longer

a Thai-betic Future

Thailand’s sweet tooth is alarming. On average, Thais
consume around 4.7 times the daily intake of sugar
recommended by the World Health Organisation. With
close to 1 in 10 Thai adults already suffering from
diabetes , and with close to three quarters worried
1
about the diabetes situation according to a recent
Kerry survey, the excise tax on sugar-sweetened
beverages by the authorities last year is a reflection
of the changing perceptions and affinity towards
sugar in Thailand especially as Thais grow more
health-conscious.

The growing affluence of Thais means consumers have the means
and motivation to vote with their wallets for healthier, but still great
tasting alternatives as well. Our survey of over 200 consumers in
Thailand found that while 60% of Thais claim to monitor their sugar
intake, 3 in 4 are unwilling to sacrifice taste over nutrition. The statistics Taste Modulation Technology 2
demonstrate the health consciousness of Thais and is also a reflection There needs to be a holistic approach when looking at reducing
of a wider trend across the region – where nearly a third of the sugar, and taste modulation might be the solution. These
respondents said they are now drinking fewer soft drinks than they technologies can enhance the sensory perception of taste like
were three years ago due to health concerns. sweetness itself, and convincingly mimic the functional properties
As reduced-sugar products become a ‘need to have’ rather than of sugar. Via this approach, manufacturers are able to retain taste
a ‘nice to have’, brands that are able to reduce the sugar in their perception authentically, and even improve flavour profiles without
products but not at the expense of taste will be best-placed for excess sugar to produce healthier products while preserving taste.
success. The good news is that innovation in sugar alternatives has This is our focus at Kerry, and what we believe will be the future.
2
accelerated in recent years. With a growing number of options that Taste Modulation Technology aims to builds back sweetness and
brands can explore to reduce the sugar content of their products, other properties that are compromised when sugar is reduced,
allowing consumers to enjoy as close to the full taste that sugar
which are the best sugar alternatives to adequately preserve taste delivers, without the negative labelling impact.
and mouthfeel, whilst satisfying the simultaneously growing consumer Derived from natural botanical extracts, our taste modulation
preference for ‘natural’ ingredients? technology is designed to be compliant with applications including
2
Are Sugar Replacements the Answer? beverages, soups, sauces, marinades, dairy, baked goods, cereals
and confectionery. Sweet optimisation solutions from our taste
While there are a great variety of established artificial sweeteners for modulation technology can help customers achieve up to 50 per
2
brands to consider, including aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame, cent sugar reduction, with different solutions that also depends on
neotame and sucralose, they have always compromised on true labelling and regulatory requirements. Importantly,it is Halal certified

taste. With many consumers complaining of metallic off-notes and and can be labelled as natural flavourings – a bonus as clean label
slightly bitter aftertaste, artificial sweeteners are not able to replace rises up the consumer agenda.
sugar convincingly. With the ‘natural’ and Clean Label movements
gaining ground in Thailand, consumers are also starting to question Have Your Cake, and Eat It Too
if there are any health implications from artificial sweeteners as well. The excise tax is an impetus for manufacturers to revise recipes or
Close to half of Thai consumers perceive artificial sugar as unhealthy reduce sugar in their products for Thailand. However, brands might
according to our survey, and the trend towards products made with stand to miss the boat entirely with changing attitudes towards sugar
less artificial ingredients means synthetic sugar alternatives are among Thais, brought on by increasing awareness of and preference
starting to lose appeal with many. for healthy living. This uncompromising environment is the new-
Other food and beverage manufacturers leverage natural high- normal in Thailand, and brands can only retain market share if they
impact sweeteners (HIS) that boosts perceived sweetness instead can succeed in cutting sugar without compromising on taste
of artificial sweeteners such as stevia, monk fruit and erythritol. expectations by consumers.
However, the role of sugar goes beyond just sweetness, other
functional properties of sugar in food and beverages include เอกสารอ้างอิง/Reference
mouthfeel, aroma, viscosity and colour. Especially for products with 1 International Diabetes Federation – Western Pacific Members. Available
complex textures such as baked goods, cereal bars and ice cream, on PubMed: https://www.idf.org/our-network/regions-members/western-
pacific/members/115-thailand.html
HIS is simply not able to replicate the role of sugar beyond just the
sweetness. ข้อมูลเพิ่มเติม/Additional Information
TM
2 TasteSense by Kerry
2 ผลิตภัณฑ์ TasteSense พัฒนาขึ้นโดยบริษัทเคอร์รี่
TM
36 FOOD FOCUS THAILAND JUN 2018