An Evaluation of the Current Strategies Employed in Reducing the Sugar Content of Cakes

Abstract

Prevalence of non-communicable diseases is increasing globally. With incidence of overweight and obesity continuing to increase in Ireland, the government has launched a voluntary food reformulation framework to encourage the food industry to take responsibility for the nutritional status of the food supply. The Department of Health aims to achieve a 20% reduction in sugar in cakes by 2025, however it is recognised that sugar plays an important role in the physical and sensory attributes of cakes. Results from studies analysed in this thesis strongly demonstrate that food additives and sourdough technologies may help replace the functionalities of sugar, in sugar-reduced cakes. Results from the nutritional analysis of 234 cakes in Ireland, show that cakes still contain large amounts of sugar per 100g. Results also show that manufacturers are not using nutrition claims, which may help their product stand out from competitors. Further work is needed to assess the overall cost and efficiencies of using food additives and sourdough to reduce the sugar content of cakes.