Consumer Survey
Thirty-three adults without any financial or business interest in
VivaLac® Inc. were each given a 1 3/4 -lb sample of Whey Low® Granular
for one to three months of evaluation in their everyday diets. They
were asked to use it as a one-for-one replacement for table sugar and
were urged to bake with it. Suggested uses were in cakes, cookies,
pies, hard candy, hot and cold cereals, cold fruit drinks, iced tea,
coffee and tea. The consumers were asked to fill out a questionnaire
about the product at the end of the evaluation period. Twenty-four
completed questionnaires were returned and tabulated. Characteristics
of the group and evaluations are reported below.
Characteristics of Group
Sex:
14 females and 10 males
Age:
7 @18 to 36 y/o
7 @ 37 to 55 y/o
8 @ 56 to 74 y/o
2 @>75 y/o
Body mass index:
5 below normal (BMI < 20 kg/m2)
7 normal (BMI = 20 - 25 kg/m2)
10 overweight (BMI > 25 - 30 kg/m2)
2 obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2)
Physically active:
17 Yes 7 No
Metabolic diseases:
2 Type 2 diabetes 4 Impaired glucose tolerance 3 Lactose intolerance
Evaluations and Comments
Any taste aspect of Whey Low®that you disliked?
0 Yes 24 No
Any gastrointestinal (or other) symptoms observed from use of Whey Low®?
0 Yes 24 No
Any other sensorial deficiencies?
2 Yes 22 No
"Turned yellow/brown when I put [it] on top of sugar cookies & baked them."
*Note from Management: Two of the sugars in Whey Low® are known to
brown easily in baking. The fruit and milk sugars form trace amounts of
Maillard products with flour more easily than does ordinary sugar.
These Maillard products are the normal colored and fragrant products
found in most baked goods. The way to minimize browning is to limit the
exposure time to oven temperatures. In this particular case, the Whey
Low® should be sprinkled on the cookies immediately after the cookies
are removed from the oven.
"Noticed slight [dairy] odor of product in container"
*Note from Management: We have changed supplier of the offending ingredient. The odor is gone, and the color is also improved.
Any aspects of its use in foods that displeased you?
2 Yes 22 No
"Molasses cookies too soft, but tasted great."
"Sugar cookies were not crisp."
"I couldn't see any difference [from table sugar] in the cookies I baked or the use in my cereal..."
Any personally negative aspects?
(all answers written into questionnaire by consumer, w/o any suggesting or prodding)
22 reported "none."
1 reported, "It is cariogenic, like sucrose."
*Note from Management: We do expect the sweetener to be nearly as
cariogenic (i.e. causing tooth decay) as table sugar. With the broad
consumption of fluoridated water in public water systems and
improvements in oral health care, tooth decay is not nearly the problem
it was in the 50's and 60's in the US.
1 reported, "Baked goods brown faster - bars, cakes, etc."
* Note from Management: When baking with Whey Low® Granular, always use the minimum oven time recommended in the recipe.
Personally positive aspects of Whey Low®
(all answers written into questionnaire by consumer, w/o any suggesting or prodding)
13 liked its low caloric content.
8 liked its great taste.
5 liked its low blood sugar elevation.
2 liked its apparent safety.
2 liked "healthful gut microflora."
1 liked "formulation [in foods] same as sugar."
1 liked anticipated "weight loss."
1 reported that cookies "tasted great."
1 liked its "clean, white appearance."
1 liked its absence of "after-taste."
1 liked "no artificial sweeteners."
1 liked "reduced absorption of starch & sucrose."
