Agave syrup: An alternative to conventional sweeteners? A review of its current technological applications and health effects

Abstract

Agave syrup (AS) has recently gained popularity in the market for healthy, organic, functional, and diabetic foods. This trend is due to its natural origin and putative nutraceutical properties. However, the use of AS can be questioned regarding its elevated fructose concentration and its adverse effects on human health, rendering it similar to high-fructose corn syrup. This critical review aims at providing a broad overview of recent scientific research related to AS applications in the food industry and its health effects in consumers. According to the reviewed information, the manufacturing process employed to obtain AS affects its physicochemical and functional properties; therefore, the process variables need to be properly controlled. In the food industry, AS has been used in the bakery, confectionery, and functional beverage industries, due to its favorable technological properties. Despite possessing a small amount of natural compounds with possible nutritional, prebiotic, and bioactive properties, AS contains high concentration of fructose with potentially serious adverse effects on human health. Therefore, the challenge for AS production consists in finding such AS compositions that would allow for reducing the health risks and adverse effects of fructose intake while preserving its technological properties for food product development and maximizing the content of bioactive compounds with potentially beneficial properties. Finally, there is a need for close collaboration between the scientific community and food industry professionals in AS research, product development, and innovation, to increase the knowledge regarding the technological profile of AS and its adverse health effects on the consumers compared to other sweeteners on the market.