Lampados Launch 3D Stevia Sweetener
08 Jun 2017 --- Lampados International, Ltd., have launched Liteez, its new, 3D stevia sweetener for hot drinks. This “free-from” meringue kiss addresses the growing demand for sugar reduction in beverages.
The patent-pending vegan meringue kiss is a completely plant-based treat. It is free from any allergens, such as eggs, gluten, lactose, or nuts, and contains just a few simple ingredients, including prebiotic fibers that build sweetness, act as a bulking agent, and function as a nutraceutical.
“Liteez, is much more than just another sweetener,” explains Noam Kaplan, CEO of Lampados. “It’s a fun, 3D, easy-to-use sugar replacer that doubles as a sweet treat. You can eat it as a treat when drinking tea or coffee or, if you need sweetness in the drink, just stir it right in. It will completely dissolve in about half a minute.”
Kaplan spoke with FoodIngredientsFirst: “Liteez is really a 3D delivery system for sweeteners. In January, we launched it with sucralose but we got requests from customers to use stevia instead of sucralose. Stevia set big challenges in terms of acidity, off taste and other parameters. The challenge in creating a meringue kiss with stevia is not just the taste but also the texture of the foam that has to be stable on one hand and highly soluble in the drink. On the other hand, the look and feel of the meringue kiss has to be perfect and the stevia was very challenging in getting this goal.”
“Foaming at a different isoelectric point creates a completely different foam. We received a foam that is very volumetric with very low bulk density however, it was not a stable foam. we could not load the fibers on it or dry it as is,” says Kaplan.
“The physical characteristics of stevia and the challenges it poses are far greater than using sucralose. Sucralose behaved as a neutral additive to the meringue whereas the Stevia extract reacts and changes the acidity, isoelectric point and the foaming of the mixture,” he notes.
“We overcame the challenges using information we got from international stevia experts and reach a very fine balance where the stevia extract is assisting in the process rather than disrupting.”
While the Liteez sweetener delivery system can be formulated with different types of sweeteners, using stevia posed a challenge since the acidity and isoelectric point of the mixture changes completely relative to using other high-intensity sweeteners, such as sucralose.
The physical characteristics of stevia and the challenges it poses are far greater than using sucralose. Sucralose behaved as a neutral additive to the meringue whereas the Stevia extract reacts and changes the acidity, isoelectric point and the foaming of the mixture.
Attaining the delicate balance between a foam that sets firm yet is soluble enough to dissolve in a hot drink was a delicate and precise challenge for the Lampados R&D team,” explains Kaplan. “Changing the physical characteristics of the product changed the texture and manufacturing parameters. After dozens of lab trials, we successfully overcame all these challenges, maintaining the desired texture, form, flavor, color—and functionality—of the kisses.”
Because Liteez contains mostly fiber, the aftertaste of stevia also was able to be effectively masked. “This is a true breakthrough, 3D solution for consumers seeking plant-based, low-calorie sweeteners,” concludes Kaplan.
by Elizabeth Green
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