Sweeteners are substances used to sweeten various food & beverage items. The sweeteners are categorized as bulk sweeteners and sugar substitutes.

Over the years, with growing awareness about the effects of sugar on health and fitness, sugar substitutes have gained popularity and considerable market share, across the globe.

Sugar substitutes have a higher intensity of sweetness compared to sugar; however they do not add to calories. They could be of natural and synthetic origin; natural sweeteners, such as stevia and plant extracts, have recently gained popularity while synthetic sweeteners, such as polyols, aspartame, and others ,are more widely in use.

Sweeteners are important ingredients in many applications. Besides providing sweetness, thy also influence the ability of the food item to ferment, adding to the appearance, flavor, color, structure, and texture of the finished products.