Abstract
The influence of different non-nutritive sweeteners (sucralose, stevia, acesulfame potassium and aspartame) combined with bulk polyols (isomalt, maltitol and erythritol) on optical, mechanical and sensory properties of sugar-free strawberry jam was evaluated. For this purpose different formulations were tested: (1) stevia-sucralose-maltitol, (2) stevia-sucralose-erythritol, (3) stevia-sucralose-isomalt; (4) aspartame-acesulfame potassium-isomalt and (5) sucralose-acesulfame potassium-isomalt. Quality properties of the different jam formulations were studied during 60 days of storage at 25 ºC. Jams behaved as pseudoplastic fluid exhibiting yield stress. The Herschel-Bulkley (HB) model described adequately the steady-state rheological behaviour of the product. Samples from formulation 4 showed the highest values of consistency index (k) and yield stress (τ0) and the lowest value of flow behaviour index (n). Dynamic rheological test characterized strawberry jams as weak gels. For all the samples, the G' values were always higher than the G", which is the typical behaviour of gels with a predominant elastic character. Regarding colour properties no differences were observed among all the samples. Similar behaviour was observed for all the formulations analysed during the storage time. Sensory analysis showed that among all the samples studied and taking into account the color, aroma, taste, consistency and overall acceptability, the most acceptable jam was the sample prepared with sucralose and acesulfame potassium combined with isomalt (formulation 5).
