Course:FNH200/Assignments/2024/Werther’s Original - Regular vs Sugar free

Introduction

Werther's Original Hard Caramel & Werther's Original Sugar Free Hard Caramels

Werther's is a brand of hard candy portrayed as beloved by the elderly in media. Storck Inc. has many different soft and hard candies in different flavors e.g., green apple, chocolate, caramel...

Werther's sugar-free options aim to give the classic creamy, sweet, rich flavor that caramels' are known for while being safe for diabetics and those with limited sugar intake.

Our Team aims to compare these two Werther's hard candies

Products Pictures

Image 1: Werther's Original Hard Caramel	Image 2: Werther's Original Sugar Free Hard Caramels
Image 3: Werther's Original Hard Caramel Nutrition	Image 4: Werther's Original Sugar Free Hard Caramels Nutrition

Nutritional Information & Ingredients List

1. Nutritional Information & Ingredients

Werther's Original	Werther's Original Sugar Free
Nutritional information Nutrition Facts Per 3 pieces (16 g) % Daily Value* Calories 70 Fat 1 g 1 % Saturated 1 g 5 % Trans 0 g Carbohydrate 14 g Fibre 0 g 0 % Sugars 10 g 10 % Protein 0.1 g Cholesterol 5 mg Sodium 60 mg 3 % Potassium 10 mg 0 % Calcium 0 mg 0 % Iron 0 mg 0 %	Nutritional information Nutrition Facts Per 5 pieces (16 g) % Daily Value* Calories 40 Fat 1 g 1 % Saturated 1 g 5 % Trans 0 g Carbohydrate 14 g Fibre 0 g 0 % Sugars 0 g 0 % Sugar Alcohol 14 g Protein 0 g Cholesterol 5 mg Sodium 75 mg 3 % Potassium 0 mg 0 % Calcium 0 mg 0 % Iron 0 mg 0 %

Werther's Original	Werther's Original Sugar Free
Sugar Glucose Syrup (From wheat or corn) Cream Whey Butter Salt Soy Lecithin Artificial Flavor	Isomalt Butter(milk) Cream Salt Natural and Artificial Flavors (From wheat) Soy Lecithin Acesulfame K (6mg/serving)
Contains Milk, Soybeans, and Wheat	Contains Milk, Wheat, and Soy

2. Substitutes and Additives used

	Werther's Original	Werther's Original Sugar Free
Sugar Substitutes	None	Isomalt Acesulfame K
Fat Substitutes	None	None
Additives	Soy Lecithin	Soy Lecithin

3. Role of Substitutes and Additives

Werther's Original

Sugar Substitutes: None

Fat Substitutes: None

Additives:

• Soy Lecithin: Is a naturally occurring emulsifier that is commonly found in egg yolk and soybean oil. It belongs to a family of fat molecules called phospholipids. Lecithin is an amphoteric compound with a hydrophilic head and a hydrophobic tail. This characteristic helps stabilize emulsions by reducing interfacial tensions between oil and water. Soy Lecithin helps create an emulsion by positioning itself between the water and oil interface using their amphoteric characteristics.

Werther's Original Sugar Free

Sugar Substitutes:

• Isomalt: Isomalt is a sugar-alcohol that is used as a bulk sweetener, which means that it can replace sugar in the same amount as sugar, but it is not as sweet as sucrose. Isomalt is absorbed at a very low rate and only yields 1.5 – 3.0 Cal/g
• Acesulfame Potassium: Acesulfame-k is another sugar substitute used in this product. It is often used in combination with other sweeteners to improve sweetness. Acesulfame-k is around 200 times sweeter than sucrose. acesulfame-k is a non-caloric sweetener because the human body is incapable of metabolizing it 0 Cal/g. This is one of the reasons why the sugar free option has around 43% less calories compared to the original product.
• Isomalt and Acesulfame Potassium: Although these products on their own are useful as artificial sweeteners when used together it allows the combination to participate in Caramelization, something that many artificial sweeteners are unable to do. One of the benefits of using acesulfame-k and isomalt is that they do not promote tooth decay because they cannot be fermented by the bacteria that are present in the mouth.

Fat Substitutes: None

Additives:

• Soy Lecithin: Is a naturally occurring emulsifier that is commonly found in egg yolk and soybean oil. It belongs to a family of fat molecules called phospholipid. Lecithin is an amphoteric compound with a hydrophilic head and a hydrophobic tail. This characteristic helps stabilize emulsions by reducing interfacial tensions between oil and water. Soy Lecithin helps create an emulsion by positioning itself between the water and oil interface using their amphoteric characteristics.

4. Compare & Contrast

Similarity: Butter, cream, salt, soy lecithin, artificial flavors, milk, and wheat.

Difference: The main differences between the two products regarding ingredients come down to sugar substituents found in Werther’s original sugar-free that are absent in Werther's original. In Werther’s original, the sweet taste of the candy comes from natural sugar but in Werther’s original sugar-free candy, the sweet taste comes from Isomalt and Acesulfame K. Isomalt belongs to a category of low calory sweeteners called sugar alcohols and are naturally occurring in wide varieties of fruits and berries. Isomalt or generally sugar alcohols is less sweet than sugar. Compared to sugar used in Original Werther's, they do not promote tooth decay and are safer options for patients with diabetes. Acesulfame K used in Werther’s original sugar-free belongs to a category of sweeteners called non-caloric sweeteners, they are typically used in conjunction with other sweeteners and produce 200 times more sweetening effect than sucrose. Compared to sugar, they produce 0 calories, are a safer option for diabetic patients, and don’t promote tooth decay often observed with sugar used in Werther’s original. Other than the sweetening agents used between the two products, all of the other ingredients used in both products are approximately the same with similar proportions.

Labels (1 points)

Labelling Information.	Werther's Original Hard Caramel & Werther's Original Sugar Free Hard Caramels
Common Name	It is commonly known as Werther's Original and Werther's Original Sugar Free
Bilingual Labelling	For both products, the labelling depends on where the packages were shipped. Packages that are shipped directly to the Canadian factory contain English and French labels. Packages that are shipped to a US factory contain English labels only.
Country of Origin	Both products are made in Germany.
Date Marking and Storage Instructions	There is a best before date on the back of the package, near the bottom. It also states to keep cool and dry. Shelf life for this product is around 2 years but can be extended if properly stored.
Identity and Principal Place of Business	In Canada, the primary import site is in Mississauga, Ontario under the company Storck Canada Inc.
Legibility and Location	The labelling is easy to read and the products are widely available in Canada.
Net Quantity	Although quantity can vary due to different package sizes, Werther’s Original Hard Caramels typically comes with a net weight of 5.5 OZ (155.9g) and Werther’s Original Sugar Free Hard Caramels have a net weight of 2.75 OZ (77.5g) which is declared on the front of the package.
Irradiated Foods	These products are not irradiated, so it is not stated on the labels.
Nutrition Facts Table	The nutrition facts table contains required information including calories, fat (saturated and trans fat), carbohydrate, fibre, sugar. protein, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, calcium, and iron. *See image 3 and 4*
List of Ingredients and Allergens	List of ingredients for Werther’s Original Hard Caramel include sugars, cream, condensed whey, butter, salt, soy lecithin, and artificial flavour, as stated on the back of the package. The sugar free version contains isomalt, butter, cream, salt, natural and artificial flavors, soy lecithin, and acesulfame potassium. For allergen information, the package states that it contains wheat, milk and soy. *See image 3 and 4*
Sweeteners	Werther’s Original Sugar Free Hard Caramels use isomalt as the primary sugar substitute and acesulfame-K as the artificial sweetener, as seen in the ingredients list.
Food Additives	Both packages contain the additive soy lecithin, as stated in the ingredients list.
Claim and Statements	Both packages contain a caution that states hard candies may be inadvertently swallowed and cause choking. The sugar free product also claims excessive consumption may have a laxative effect (due to isomalt).

The information stated above complies with the regulatory requirements outlined in lesson 4. Both packages include a nutrition facts table, ingredient list, best before date, and other important information.

Personal Choice (5 points)

Please submit your individual component of this assignment on Canvas to protect your privacy and your personal opinion

References

Please use the Wikipedia reference style. Provide a citation for every sentence, statement, thought, or bit of data not your own, giving the author, year, AND page.

Note: Before writing your wiki article on the UBC Wiki, it may be helpful to review the tips in Wikipedia: Writing better articles.

This Food Science resource was created by Course:FNH200.