RESEARCH ABOUT THE BEST SWEETENERS USED TO DESIGN A FOOD SUPPLEMENT WITH HIGH ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL.

Food supplements with strong antioxidant potential are increasingly being used by consumers to maintain good health [1], [5], [6], [8], [9], [10], [11], [15]. The best food supplements use natural and organic raw materials and "Mild Food Processing" operations. This work paper presents a management technique for food additives (used, in this case, in the testing and selection of used sweeteners) in the design of a black tea-based food supplement. The raw material used was tested by A.A.S. (Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy) to check for the absence of contamination with residues or heavy metals [2], [3], [12], [13], [14]. For the determination of the influence of sweeteners on the basic chemical composition, it was used UV-VIS optical spectrometry and some elements of mathematical statistics. The obtained results from this step of the research led to the establishment of the best sweetening option for food supplement based on black tea. The obtained and selected product can be used (as raw material) in the following technological steps, showed a chemical composition close to the unsweetened version but it also had much improved sensory properties. The best sweetening variant in this case was determined depending on the minimal change on the basic chemical composition of black tea and the preservation of the basic sensory characteristics. The development of innovative methods and technologies for the management of food additives facilitates the production of high-quality end products with high levels of food safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]