Course:FNH200/Assignments/2026/Snack Pack- Regular vs No Sugar
Introduction
For this comparison, we selected Snack Pack Chocolate Fudge Pudding and Snack Pack No Sugar Added Chocolate Pudding, both commonly available in Canadian grocery stores. The regular pudding is a sweet, creamy chocolate dessert made with added sugar. The no-sugar-added version offers a similar flavour and texture but uses maltitol, sucralose, and acesulfame-potassium instead of added sugar, making it a lower-sugar and lower-calorie alternative.[1]
Product's Picture
Ingredient lists
Typed Ingredient Lists
| Snack Pack Chocolate Fudge Pudding (Regular) | Snack Pack No Sugar Added Chocolate Pudding: |
|---|---|
|
|
Identification of Fat Substitutes, Sugar Substitutes, and Additives
| Snack Pack Chocolate Fudge Pudding (Regular) | Snack Pack No Sugar Added Chocolate Pudding: | |
|---|---|---|
| Fat Substitutes | None | None |
| Sugar Substitutes | None |
|
| Additives |
|
|
roles of fat substitutes, sugar substitutes, and/or additives
Sugar Substitutes
- Maltitol (Sugar Alcohol / Polyol): Acts as a bulk sweetener that mimics the physical bulk, density, and viscosity of sucrose.[1] It yields fewer calories than sucrose (approx. 1.5–3.0 Cal/g vs. 4 Cal/g) and produces a minimal glycemic response.[1]
- Sucralose (High-Intensity Sweetener): A chlorinated sucrose molecule that is roughly 600 times sweeter than sucrose.[1] It delivers sweetness without adding calories or carbohydrates and remains stable under processing temperatures.[1]
- Acesulfame-Potassium (High-Intensity Sweetener): 200 times sweeter than sucrose. [1] When paired with sucralose, it acts synergistically to provide a rapid sweetness perception on the tongue and mask lingering aftertastes.[1]
additives
- Modified Corn Starch (Starch Modifying / Thickening Agent): Gelatinizes during thermal processing to form a semi-rigid gel network.[2] It provides the pudding with smooth viscosity, body, and prevents syneresis (water separation) during shelf storage.[2]
- Sodium Stearoyl-2-Lactylate (Emulsifier): An amphiphilic additive containing both hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions.[2] It lowers interfacial tension between the water phase and high oleic sunflower oil, maintaining a uniform dispersion and preventing oil separation.[2]
Compare and Contrast of Product Formulations
| Formulation Feature | Product 1 (Chocolate Fudge) | Product 2 (No Sugar Added) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Base Ingredient | Skim milk from concentrate | Water |
| Sweetening Agent(s) | Sugar (Sucrose) | Maltitol, Sucralose, Ace-K |
| Caloric Value per Serving | 110 kcal | 60 kcal |
| Total Sugars per Serving | 13 g | 1 g |
| Emulsifiers & Stabilizers | Modified corn starch, SSL | Modified corn starch, SSL |
Comparison & Differences:
- Sweetening System: Product 1 utilizes traditional sucrose, which acts both as a sweetening agent and a structural bulking agent. [1] Product 2 replaces sucrose with a multi-component sweetener system: Maltitol supplies volume and texture, while Sucralose and Ace-K provide high-intensity sweetness.[1]
- Ingredient Precedence: Product 1 lists skim milk from concentrate first, followed by water and sugar. Product 2 lists water first, followed by skim milk from concentrate, reflecting a higher proportion of water to offset the absence of liquid sucrose volume.[1]
- Shared Colloidal Architecture: Both products share the same underlying hydrocolloid and emulsifier framework (modified corn starch and SSL) to form a stable oil-in-water gel emulsion.[2]
Labels
Description of Information Found on Packaging Labels
- Brand & Product Common Name: "Snack Pack" logo with clear common names ("Chocolate Fudge Pudding" and "Chocolate Pudding").[3]
- Bilingual Compliance: All mandatory packaging information (common name, net quantity, ingredient statements, allergen alerts, and Nutrition Facts) is presented in English and French with equal prominence.[3]
- Net Quantity: Stated as 4 x 99 g cups (396 g total).[3]
- Nutrition Facts Table (NFT): Standard Canadian format displaying serving size (99 g), calories, fat, saturated fat, trans fat, carbohydrate, fiber, sugars, sugar alcohols (Maltitol listed on Product 2), protein, sodium, potassium, calcium, and iron.[3]
- Front-of-Package (FOP) Symbol: Product 1 displays Health Canada's black-and-white magnifying glass icon indicating "High in / Élevé en Sugars / Sucres".[3][4]
- Allergen Declaration: Standardized "Contains: Milk / Contient: Lait" statement placed directly below the ingredient list.[3]
- Dealer Identification: Full corporate name and location details for Conagra Brands Canada.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 University Course Materials. (2026b). Lesson 3: Fat and sugar substitutes and sensory properties. Course Module 3.1–3.2.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 University Course Materials. (2026a). Lesson 2: Food components and colloidal dispersions. Course Module 2.1–2.2.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 University Course Materials. (2026c). Lesson 4: Food standards, regulations, and food additives. Course Module 4.1–4.8.
- ↑ Health Canada. (2026). Front-of-package nutrition symbol labelling guide for industry. [online] Government of Canada. Available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/nutrition-labelling/front-package.html[Accessed 21 Jul. 2026].
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.
 |
This Food Science resource was created by Course:FNH200. |