How to test for the sweetness of substance?

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In summary: There are no laboratory instruments to perform the task, no absolute or even arbitrary units of sweetness. Instead we have to rely on the human tongue and the hope that if we average the findings of large numbers of tongues we can obtain useful data. The data scientists obtain will still not be in absolute units but will be expressed relative to some arbitrary standard, usually sucrose.The above reverence agrees with my and GCT's assesment that further measurement is purely subjective (following the underlined hyperlink).
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real
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any testing solution or other method that can test for the sweetness of some substance. I mean except using the mouth.
 
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  • #2
any people can help on this problem?
 
  • #3
it's kind of a weird suggestion, sweetness is subjective, in order to determine whether a substance is "sweet" you'll need to test it subjectively and statistically.
 
  • #4
If you're measuring a solution known to have sugar in it. You can measure the sweetness using Brix refractometry. It is commonly used to measure sweetness of fruit juice and wine. :tongue2:
 
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  • #5
how about measure the sweetness of the sweetener?
i doesn't contain any sugar.
 
  • #6
real said:
how about measure the sweetness of the sweetener?
i doesn't contain any sugar.
GCT summed that up very well, it is subjective and requires a statistical sampling by tasters (just like grading the quality of tea after a harvest). :tongue2:
 
  • #7
then why i can find the detail that some sweeteners are about 100times sweetness of sucrose, and some is about 1000 times. how can the scientist get this kind of value?
 
  • #8
http://www.science.edu.sg/ssc/detailed.jsp?artid=67&type=6&root=3&parent=3&cat=30
There are no laboratory instruments to perform the task, no absolute or even arbitrary units of sweetness. Instead we have to rely on the human tongue and the hope that if we average the findings of large numbers of tongues we can obtain useful data. The data scientists obtain will still not be in absolute units but will be expressed relative to some arbitrary standard, usually sucrose.
The above reverence agrees with my and GCT's assesment that further measurement is purely subjective (following the underlined hyperlink).

A typical way a panel assess sweetness is to make a dilution series of the solution. (10:1, 100:1, 1000:1 etc...) At some dilution, the entire panel will no longer taste any sweetness. A relative scale is constructed based on this taste test. (similarly http://www.garlic-central.com/chiles/scoville.html Units were developed to measure heat (spicey) units).
 
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1. How do you measure the sweetness of a substance?

The sweetness of a substance is typically measured using a tool called a refractometer. This instrument measures the amount of light that is bent or refracted as it passes through a solution, which is directly related to the concentration of sugar in the substance. The higher the sugar concentration, the sweeter the substance will be.

2. What units are used to measure sweetness?

The most common unit used to measure sweetness is degrees Brix (°Bx). This unit represents the percentage of sugar in a solution by weight. For example, a substance with a sweetness level of 10°Bx would contain 10 grams of sugar for every 100 grams of solution.

3. Can you test for sweetness using taste alone?

While taste can give us a general idea of the sweetness of a substance, it is not an accurate or reliable way to measure sweetness. Our taste buds can become desensitized and may not be able to detect subtle differences in sweetness levels. Additionally, factors such as temperature and personal taste preferences can also affect how we perceive sweetness.

4. Are there any alternative methods for testing sweetness?

Yes, there are alternative methods for testing sweetness, such as using a hydrometer or a titration method. These methods also measure the sugar concentration in a substance, but they may require more specialized equipment and expertise to perform accurately.

5. How does the sweetness of a substance affect its chemical properties?

The sweetness of a substance is determined by the types and amounts of sugars present. These sugars can affect the chemical properties of a substance, such as its solubility, viscosity, and browning reactions. For example, a substance with a higher sugar concentration may have a thicker consistency and a lower freezing point compared to a substance with a lower sugar concentration.

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