Novel protein-based sugar substitutes with improved gustatory and processing properties

In recent decades, not only has sugar consumption continuously increased, but the number of chronic diseases attributable to excessive sugar consumption has also risen sharply worldwide. Diseases such as tooth decay, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases (stroke and heart attack), type 2 diabetes, and overweight and obesity in children and adults are caused or promoted by long-term sugar consumption. To counteract the increasing health problems caused by diet, the German Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food (BMEL) aims to reduce the sugar content in convenience foods and beverages in order to lower the direct and indirect costs for the economy and society as a whole. Sweet-tasting proteins, isolated for the first time from tropical and African plants, can serve as a template for developing healthier alternatives to sugar and counteracting diet-related diseases.