Sweetness of bulk sweeteners in aqueous solution in the presence of salts

The perceived effect of adding salts on the sweetness of bulk sweeteners (s ucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol and xylitol) depends on the sweetener t ype and concentration and on the type of salt. Sodium chloride enhances the sweetness of all the sweeteners to some degree. Potassium chloride has lit tle effect on any sweetener other than sorbitol, which shows sweetness enha ncement at low sorbitol concentrations and suppression at high sorbitol con centrations. Magnesium chloride additions tend to enhance sweetness, partic ularly of sucrose and glucose. The effects observed can not be ascribed to any inherent sweetness of the sails themselves, suggesting that the observe d effects are a result of interactions between the salts and sweeteners in the aqueous medium. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.