Even the most diehard fans of sugar-free sweeteners might admit their flavor profile isn’t perfect. Now, science has a way to make them taste better: mineral salts.
Researchers at the American Chemical Society have found that just a pinch of mineral salts can compensate for the lingering sweet aftertaste in some zero- and low-calorie drinks. Mineral salts can also help mimic the satisfying “mouth feel” of pure sugar.
To determine that, the scientists focused on three mineral salts — calcium chloride, magnesium chloride and potassium chloride. The research was an offshoot of earlier findings, which found that a different blend of two mineral salts could accelerate the onset of sweetness and keep it from lingering. But the two-chemical blend required higher concentrations of the mineral salts, which led to an off-taste.
So, the scientists pressed on and found a chemical sweet spot. The three mineral salts appear to work by accelerating the beginning and end of sweetness sensations on taste buds. The three compounds work together, reducing lingering sweetness up to 79% and improving the sugar-like “mouth feel” of 10 noncaloric sweeteners.
But don’t just take the scientists’ word for it: They commissioned a trained sensory panel to evaluate the results. After testing reduced-chloride versions in two commercial calorie-free colas, the taste was deemed to be improved and free of any lingering salty taste. Likewise, the mineral blends created a more sugar-like taste experience in reduced-calorie orange juice and a citrus-flavored soft drink.
Before long, you may be sipping calorie-free drinks that taste just like their sugary counterparts.