Sweetness is one of the five basic tastes perceived by humans. Of all the tastes, it is the only one universally associated with pleasure and enjoyment; among the senses, tasting sweetness is a sure-fire trigger for feelings of pleasure and contentment.

But sweetness also packs a powerful physiological punch, traditionally associated with carbohydrates such as sucrose (from sugar) or glucose and fructose (found in honey and fruit). Such carbohydrates are full of food energy and deliver it in a concentrated burst. However, to coin an old phrase, you are what you eat, and these days we know more about the relationship between the energy in food and the effect it has on our bodies.

At Cargill, our fascination is in broadening the range of food energy options open to food manufacturers and consumers while delivering on emotional expectations of sweetness and taste.