Models of Additivity for Sugar Sweetness

Abstract

Observers judged the sweetness of nine different sugars mixed at different concentrations either with glucose or with fructose. Power functions fitted to the sweetness of unmixed sugars were modified to yield two alternate predictors of mixture sweetness: (I) Summation of concentrations or (II) Summation of perceived sweetnesses. Model I and Model II were both appropriate for mixtures with glucose, whereas only Model II appeared appropriate for mixtures with fructose. Both models systematically underpredicted mixture sweetness, suggesting synergistic effects that extend beyond simple additivity. The studies illustrate the use of direct ratio scaling of taste intensity to suggest and to test alternate ways by which the taste system processes mixtures.