Course:FNH200/Assignments/2026/Oreo - Original vs Sugar Free

Introduction

Original Oreo is a popular chocolate sandwich cookie consisting of two chocolate flavored cookies with a sweet creme filling. It is widely enjoyed as a snack and is available in many countries around the world. To provide an option for consumers who want to reduce their sugar intake, Oreo also offers a Sugar Free Oreo that uses alternative sweeteners while maintaining a similar chocolate flavor and texture.

We chose Original Oreo and Sugar Free Oreo because they are nearly identical products except for their sweetening ingredients. This comparison allows us to explore how replacing sugar with alternative sweeteners changes the product's ingredients, nutrition information, and food additives while maintaining a similar taste and texture. It also helps us evaluate how the Sugar Free Oreo complies with Canadian food labelling regulations.

Pictures of the Products

Oreo Label

Sugar Free Oreo Label

Ingredient lists (4 points)

1. Type out the lists of ingredients

Original Oreo:

Ingredients: Sugar, unbleached enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate [vitamin B1], riboflavin [vitamin B2], folic acid), palm and/or canola oil, cocoa (processed with alkali), high fructose corn syrup, leavening (baking soda and/or calcium phosphate), salt, soy lecithin, artificial flavor, chocolate, natural flavor, yellow 5, blue 1, red 40, red 3.

Contains: Wheat, soy.

Sugar Free Oreo:

Ingredients: Maltitol, unbleached enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate [vitamin B1], riboflavin [vitamin B2], folic acid), high oleic canola and/or palm oil, polydextrose, cocoa (processed with alkali), cornstarch, glycerin, inulin (natural extract from chicory root), emulsifiers (vegetable mono- and diglycerides, soy lecithin), leavening (baking soda and/or sodium acid pyrophosphate and/or calcium phosphate), salt, dextrose, natural and artificial flavor, cellulose gum and gel, chocolate, heavy cream (from milk), acesulfame potassium (sweetener), sucralose (sweetener).

Contains: Wheat, milk, soy.

2. Fat substitutes, sugar substitutes, and/or additives used

Category	Original Oreo	Sugar Free Oreo
Fat Substitutes	• None • Uses conventional fats • Palm oil • Canola oil	• None • Uses conventional fats • High oleic canola oil • Palm oil
Sugar Substitutes	• None • Sweetened with sugar • High fructose corn syrup	• Maltitol (sugar alcohol) • Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) • Sucralose (high intensity sweetener)
Food Additives	• Soy lecithin (emulsifier) • Baking soda (leavening agent) • Ammonium bicarbonate (leavening agent) •Artificial flavour • Salt	• Soy lecithin (emulsifier) • Mono and diglycerides (emulsifier) • Baking soda (leavening agent) • Sodium acid pyrophosphate (leavening agent) • Calcium phosphate (leavening agent) • Glycerin (humectant) • Polydextrose (bulking agent) • Inulin (dietary fiber/bulking agent) • Cellulose gum (stabilizer) • Cellulose gel (stabilizer) • Natural and artificial flavours

3. Explain the roles of fat substitutes, sugar substitutes, and/or additives used in terms of the functional properties they contribute to the product

Regular Oreos use sugar and high fructose corn syrup as its primary sweetening agent.

The sugar-free Oreos use a combination of sugar substitutes to maintain sweetness while reducing sugar and calories content. Maltitol and Sorbitol are sugar alcohols that act as bulk sweeteners. These provide sweetness, volume, and texture similar to sucrose which is what preserves the structure and similar feel of the cookie and the cream filling. These sugar alcohols also contribute fewer calories than sugar, do not significantly increase blood glucose levels, and do not promote tooth decay. This makes them suitable for consumers with diabetes or people seeking lower-sugar products. It is important to note however, since they are absorbed slowly in the intestine, excessive intake may have a laxative effect.

Sucralose and acesulfame potassium are high-intensity sweeteners that are hundreds of times sweeter than sucrose. Therefore, only very small amounts are needed to achieve the same sweetness for less calories. Acesulfame potassium works with other sweeteners to produce a more sugar-like taste. Both sweeteners can withstand the heat of the baking process.

Also, polydextrose functions as a bulking agent, which replaces some of the volume and texture normally provided by sugar.

4.Compare and contrast the lists of the two products and explain differences

Similarities:

The two products share many similarities in their basic ingredients. Both products include unbleached enriched wheat flour, cocoa, salt, soy lecithin, chocolate, and natural and artificial flavors. These common ingredients provide the cookies with their basic texture and classic flavor.

Main Differences:

Sweeteners

The most significant difference between the two products is their sweeteners. The original OREO uses sugar and high-fructose corn syrup as its primary sources of sweetness. In contrast, the sugar-free version uses maltitol, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium. Maltitol is a low-calorie sugar alcohol sweetener that is used in similar quantities to sugar. It mainly maintains sweetness at a wide range of temperature and storage conditions in solutions over time (Lesson 3 - 3.1.2). Sucralose and acesulfame potassium are non-calorie sweeteners.  They also have good heat stability, which makes them suitable for baking (Lesson 3 - 3.1.2). The combination of low-calorie sweeteners and non-calorie sweeteners allows the sugar-free version to maintain a sweetness level similar to the original version with reduced calories .

Add additional ingredients (To address the lack of sugar function)

Sugar not only provides sweetness but also offers many other functions. To compensate for the loss of viscosity, texture, and stability resulting from the removal of sugar (Lesson 2- 2.2.1.1), sugar-free Oreos add several ingredients. For example, in terms of viscosity, cellulose gum, cornstarch, and inulin work together to effectively enhance the product’s thickness (Lesson 4 - 4.7; Lesson 2 - 2.2.1.1). In terms of texture, polydextrose and heavy cream make the cookies smoother (Government of Canada, 2017; Lesson 3). In terms of stability, emulsifiers help stabilize the product (Lesson 4 - 4.7).

Change the original ingredients

Besides substitutions for sweeteners and the addition of new ingredients, the sugar-free version also makes adjustments to some of the original ingredients. For oils, the sugar-free version replaces regular canola oil with high-oleic canola oil, which helps to reduce oil oxidation (Government of Canada, 2023).  For the leavening ingredients, the original version used baking soda and calcium phosphate, while the sugar-free version adds sodium acid pyrophosphate based on this group. As an acid reactant, it works with baking soda to improve the cookies’ rise during baking (Government of Canada, 2025; Lesson 4 - 4.7).  These adjustments ensure the sugar-free version maintains its ideal product quality after the changes to ingredients.

Labels (1 points)

1. Provide detailed description of the information found on the labels

Both products include the following information on their labels:

• Product name and branding: Clearly identifies the product as Oreo, with the sugar-free version prominently labelled "Sugar Free OREO."
• Nutrition Facts table: Provides serving size along with the amount of calories and nutrients (e.g., fat, carbohydrates, sugars, protein, sodium) per serving to help consumers make informed choices.
• Ingredient list: Lists all ingredients in descending order by weight, allowing consumers to identify the main ingredients and compare the formulations between the two products.
• Allergen information: States that the products contain wheat and soy, helping consumers with food allergies avoid ingredients that may cause reactions.

• Serving size: Indicates the number of cookies per serving, which is used as the basis for the Nutrition Facts information.

Additional information on the Sugar Free Oreo label:

The main difference is that the alternative product is labelled as “Sugar Free OREO,” showing that sugar has been replaced with sugar substitutes. However, the package also states “not a reduced calorie food,” which informs consumers that removing sugar does not necessarily make the product lower in calories. This is because ingredients such as maltitol, sorbitol, and polydextrose still provide calories and help maintain the texture and structure of the cookie.

The Sugar Free Oreo packaging also includes the statement, “Why settle for another sugar free cookie when you can have a Sugar Free OREO! Sugar Free OREO gives you the freedom to enjoy! Go ahead – twist, lick and dunk!” This marketing message highlights that the product aims to provide the same experience as regular Oreos while offering a lower-sugar option.

The label also includes a “Carb Choices: 1” claim, which may help consumers who are monitoring their carbohydrate intake, such as individuals managing diabetes. Overall, the label shows that Sugar Free Oreos are designed to provide a similar taste and texture to regular Oreos while reducing the amount of sugar in the product.

2. Indicate whether the information complies with the regulatory requirements as outlined in Lesson 04.

The Sugar Free Oreo label generally complies with the Canadian food labelling requirements outlined in Lesson 04.The package includes all of the major mandatory information required for prepackaged foods, including the common name, a Nutrition Facts table, a complete ingredient list, the net quantity, the manufacturer information, and an allergen declaration stating that the product contains wheat, milk, and soy. The ingredient list is presented in descending order by weight, allowing consumers to identify the main ingredients and make informed purchasing decisions. These mandatory labelling elements improve transparency and help ensure that consumers receive accurate and consistent information about the product.

The label also complies with the regulatory requirements related to food additives and sugar substitutes. Instead of using regular sugar, the product contains maltitol, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose, all of which are clearly identified in the ingredient list. Other food additives, such as soy lecithin, mono and diglycerides, baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, calcium phosphate, cellulose gum, and cellulose gel, are also listed according to Canadian labelling requirements. Clearly identifying these additives allows consumers to understand the purpose and composition of the product while ensuring transparency regarding the ingredients used in manufacturing.

Finally, the label appears to follow the regulatory principles established under the Food and Drugs Act and discussed in Lesson 04. The package does not contain false, misleading, or deceptive claims regarding the product's composition or health benefits. Instead, it provides standardized nutrition information, ingredient disclosure, allergen information, and manufacturer details that allow consumers to make informed food choices. Overall, the Sugar Free Oreo label appears to comply with the major Canadian regulatory requirements for food labelling and food additives presented in Lesson 04.

References

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This Food Science resource was created by Course:FNH200.

4. Government of Canada. (2025).10. List of Permitted Acidity Regulators and Acid-Reacting Materials (Lists of Permitted Food Additives). https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-safety/food-additives/lists-permitted/10-adjusting-agents.html

5. Government of Canada. (2023). Novel food information: High oleic acid/low linolenic acid canola lines 45A37, 46A40 https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/genetically-modified-foods-other-novel-foods/approved-products/high-oleic-acid-low-linolenic-acid-canola-lines-45a37-46a40.html

6. Government of Canada. (2017). Sugar Alcohols (Polyols) and Polydextrose Used as Sweeteners in Foods - Food Safety - Health Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-safety/food-additives/sugar-substitutes/sugar-alcohols-polyols-polydextrose-used-sweeteners-foods-food-safety.html

7. University of British Columbia. (2026). FNH 200 Lesson 03: Fat and Sugar Substitutes-Sensory Perception of Foods. Canvas course materials.

8. University of British Columbia. (2026). FNH 200 Lesson 02: Chemical and Physical Properties of Food. Canvas course materials.