Utilization of Alternative Sweeteners on Honey Lychee Moringa Tea

Abstract

The Enrichment Program was conducted at PT Sinar Sosro, a company specializing in the packaged beverage industry. The primary activities, carried out as part of the Research and Development Division, involved participation in product quality control and product development through research on honey lychee moringa tea. This project focuses on the development of a healthier honey lychee moringa tea by reducing sugar content and replacing it with alternative sweeteners, while maintaining sensory properties similar to the standard sucrose formulation. The project aims to create a ready-to-drink (RTD) tea that is both lower in sugar and offers comparable taste due to the high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in Indonesia and the associated health risks, such as obesity and diabetes. The project involved three formulations, normal sugar, reduced sugar, and zero-sugar, utilizing sucralose and acesulfame potassium as alternative sweeteners. Brix was analyzed to compare the sugar content across the formulations. Additionally, a duo-trio test was conducted to assess any significant differences between formulations, followed by a 9-point hedonic scale. The duo-trio test revealed no significant differences between the normal sugar and reduced sugar formulations (Z = -0.42) or between the normal sugar and zero-sugar formulations (Z = 0.14). The 9-point hedonic scale showed moderate acceptance across all formulations, with overall liking scores ranging around 6 to 7 out of 9. The reduced sugar formula was found to achieve higher acceptance scores in sweetness, flavor, mouthfeel, and overall liking, demonstrating the potential for a healthier RTD tea option.