makeusprosentti

Makeusprosentti (sweetness percentage) is a proposed quantitative metric used in Finnish sensory science to express the perceived sweetness of a food or beverage. The aim is to provide a single number that reflects how sweet a product tastes to consumers, not merely its sugar content.

Calculation and measurement approaches typically combine sensory evaluation with instrumental data. A common idea is to use a 0–100 scale for perceived sweetness gathered from trained panelists, and to integrate this with sugar concentration measurements (for example, sugar as a percentage or g per 100 g). The resulting sweetness percentage is often obtained as a weighted or normalized average, calibrated against reference solutions such as sucrose standards to ensure comparability across products.

Applications of makeusprosentti include product development, quality control, and consumer research. It can be used to compare formulations, guide sweetness adjustments, and support labeling research focused on how sweetness is experienced by end users. In theory, it could help align product profiles with target consumer preferences more closely than sugar content alone.

However, the concept faces several challenges. Sweetness perception is subjective and affected by factors such as acidity, fat content, temperature, texture, and aftertaste. There is currently no universally accepted standard protocol or reference framework, which can hinder cross-product comparisons and regulatory acceptance. Cultural differences in sweetness preference also complicate interpretation.

In practice, makeusprosentti remains a developing idea rather than a widely adopted standard. Where it is discussed, it is typically within the context of sensory science research and internal product optimization. See also: Brix, sensory evaluation, sweetness index.