Salted plum meat is a snack many people can't get enough of, but in fact, this type of preserved fruit is almost a collection of various sweeteners! Just look at its ingredient list: fresh apricot flesh, white sugar, salt, cream, citric acid, steviol glycosides, aspartame, sodium saccharin, glycyrrhiza, vanillin, ethyl maltol, potassium sorbate, sodium saccharin, acesulfame potassium, sodium benzoate.
White sugar goes without saying. Steviol glycosides and licorice sugar are sweet substances from natural plants. Aspartame is a high-intensity sweetener derived from amino acids, while sodium saccharin, sodium saccharin, and acesulfame potassium are bona fide synthetic sweeteners with no nutritional value. Their sweetness is tens to hundreds of times that of sucrose, so only a tiny amount is needed to make them sufficiently sweet.
With so many sweet substances, it's natural for them to be cloying. Therefore, citric acid and salt are added to help make the flavor more vivid with sour and salty tastes. Vanillin and ethyl maltol are both flavor-enhancing additives that make the sweetness rich and enticing. Ethyl maltol is originally a component of bread aroma, while vanillin is originally a component of vanilla, with a sweet and creamy aroma. One of the secrets why some products have an outstanding taste lies in these two ingredients, and only a minuscule amount is needed.
Children should not eat snacks like salted plums excessively, as their detoxification functions are weaker. If combined with similar additives in beverages and other foods, the total amount of additives can easily become too high, potentially leading to adverse side effects.