AN ALTERNATIVE TO SUGAR BY REPLACING THE SWEETNESS FOUND IN NATURAL SUGAR

AN ALTERNATIVE TO SUGAR BY REPLACING THE SWEETNESS FOUND IN NATURAL SUGAR

CHAPTER ONE

   INTRODUCTION:

 A sugar substitute is a food additive that duplicates the effect of sugar in taste, usually with less food energy. Some sugar substitutes are natural    and some are synthetic. Those that are not natural are in general, called artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes are found in a variety of food and beverages marketed as sugar free or diet including soft drinks, chewing gum, jellies, baked goods, candy, fruit juice and ice-cream and yoghurt. (Whitney 2011) People may not all like the same kind of baked treats but one thing we all agree on is that baked treats should be sweets usually, sugar is used to lend sweetness to foods but would cake taste just as good if the baker used a sugar substitutes instead of sugar? Many people prefer not to use sugar often due to health reasons and instead depend on sugar substitutes to sweeten their foods. But are sugar substitutes the same as sugar? What exactly are the differences between sugar and sugar substitutes? Sugar also known as sucrose comes from plants like sugar cane and sugar beets and is a carbohydrate. Sugar adds bulk to cakes, cookies and all         kinds of treats; sugar also causes browning and caramelizing in foods    when it is heated as when cookies turn golden brown in the oven sugar is a natural substance, something that our bodies can use for energy. Sugar substitutes come in three categories; artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols and natural sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners are attractive because they add almost no calories to foods and are sometimes a part of weight loss programs. Also they don’t increase blood sugar levels which mean that diabetics can use them. Many artificial sweeteners like sucralose were discovered by accident in the laboratory. In 1976, a scientist in England was studying different compounds made from sugar. The scientist asked a student to test the compounds but instead the student tested them. Another category of sugar substitutes is sugar alcohols. Sugar alcohols are not alcoholic beverages they do not contain ethanol which is found in alcoholic beverages. Sugar alcohols like sugar have calories and energy but not as much as sugar. Sugar alcohols like artificial sweeteners do not contribute to tooth decay and affect blood sugar levels slowly so diabetics can use them. Although sugar alcohols like xylitol, sorbitol and erythritol are manufactured products the sources are often natural. The last category of sugar substitutes is called natural substitutes. The categories include maple syrup, agave nectar and honey. These substances are absorbed by our digestive system and contain calories and nutrients that our bodies can use. (Michelle 2002)

                The chart   lists   some   popular   sugars categorized:

Artificial	Sugar alcohols	Novel		Natural
Sweeteners		Sweeteners		Sweeteners
Acesulfame
Potassium	Erythritol	Stevia	Extracts	Agave nectar
(sunett,sweet		(pure via, truvia)
one)
Aspartame	Hydrogenated	Tegatose		Date sugar
(Equal,	Starch	(Naturlose)
Nutrasweet)	hydrolysate.
Neotame	Isomalt	Trehalose		Fruitjuice
				Concentrate
Saccharin	Lactitol			Honey
(sugartwin, sweet
“N”   low
Sucralose	Maltitol			Maple syrup
(splenda)
	Mannitol			Molasses
	Sorbitol
	Xylitol

(Robert., 2011)

1.1   AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

AIM: To create an alternative to sugar by replacing the sweetness found in natural sugar.

OBJECTIVES:

To determine how the sweetness of sugar substitutes compare to the sweetness of sugar. In this research sugar and sugar substitutes will be tested and the sweetness will be compare in relation to sugar.

To compare the availability and affordability of the active components in the artificial sweetener and sugar

To know the components of this artificial sweetener and what makes them taste sweet

1.2   SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

Sugar substitute (honey) mimicking the taste of sugar will be a better alternative to people who are suffering from health impairment. Unlike sugar, honey has healthier glycemic index (GI) and certain antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1   TABLE SUGAR (SUCROSE): Sugar was brought to the Americas by Christopher Columbus. At the time, sugar was processed by boiling the cane juice and then harvesting the crystals left behind after the water evaporated. These crystals contained protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Sugar is generally extracted from plants sugar beet and sugar cane or a main ingredient in many foods and recipes available as sucrose or saccharose (household sugar), lactose (milk sugar), fructose (fruit sugar), glucose (dextrose). (Abishak, 2009)

2.2   THEORY OF SWEETENESS

Sweetness is universally regarded as a pleasurable experience except perhapsin excess. (Kurihara, 1992). Diversity of chemical compounds as aldehyde, ketones, some amino acids (alanine, glycine and serine) are mildly sweet. Plant species produce glycosides and  sterioside from shrub stevia are sweet. Even some inorganic compound are sweet, Berrylium chloride and Lead (II) acetate. (Guyton, 1991). A molecule must contain some structural motif called sapophore to produce that taste. Molecules with multiple hydroxyl group and those with Chlorine atoms are often sweet and are structurally similar compound.                                                                                                                              
In 1919 Oerly and Myer hypothesized that to be sweet, a compound must contain one each of the two classes of structural motif, a glyphore and auxogluc. In 1963 Robert Shellerberger and Terry Acree proposed the AH-B theory of sweetness, that to be sweet, a compound must contain a hydrogen bond ( AH ) and a Lewis base ( B ) separated by about 0.3 nanometers. (John,  2008 ) In 1972 Lemont Kier propose B-X theory that a compound to be sweet must have a third binding site ( labeled X ) that interact with a hydrophobic site on the sweetness receptor via London dispersion. Multipoint Attachment (  MPA ) theory by Jean M T and Claude N, in 1991, involves a total of eight interaction site between the sweetener and the sweetness receptor. This model has successfully directed effort aimed at finding highly potent sweeteners. ( Steveson, 2010 ) https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2695672613670435894#editor/target=post;postID=8053964627516870754

ADVERTISING AND ITS INFLUENCE ON CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

ADVERTISING AND ITS INFLUENCE ON CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

(A CASE STUDY OF MOBILE TELEPHONE NETWORK (MTN) ABUJA)

 ABSTRACT

This project title “Advertising and It’s Influence on Consumers Behaviour” A Case Study of Mobile Telephone Network (MTN) Abuja which was carried out by the researcher with the aim of working on the subject matter “advertising” which unavoidably is one of the marketing activities of business organizations (small and large scale business).  Looking at advertising, it goes beyond creation of awareness and persuasion of consumers about the existence of a particular product or service.  A successful advertisement skillfully engage and stimulate the mind of the consumer to buy or use a product or service advertised, which invariably determine the level of sales, which brings about the profitability of the whole exercise.  Therefore advertising is one of the instruments used to educate and inform the general public of the existence, uses and benefits of new and existing products or services.  The objectives of this study are: To know the influence of advertising on consumers; to find out what consumers know about the roles advertising play in economy; to know customers attitudes toward advertising whether they like or dislike the advert messages.  The following recommendations were made: Government should promulgate a strong decree to ban business organizations from conveying misleading information to consumers through advertising, and set up a Federal Trade Commission to enforce the decree; the business organizations should on their part establish a self-relation mechanism that would respond constructive to public complains about advertising and should perform creditably; business organizations should engage in advertising research to see it as necessary for them to advertise their products or services; Business organizations should carry out research on consumers needs so as to disseminate correct information to consumers through advertising.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION

The topic “advertising and its influence on consumer behavior” is a very unique and lucrative (profitable) topic that any researcher will definitely want to research upon.  It is also an important instrument of promotion that organizations, firms or companies will want to pay close attention to in order to enhance and increase their level of sales, thereby enhancing the qualitativeness of firm or companies.

As we all know, advertising is a non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods and services by an identified sponsor it’s aim is to inform, persuade and remind the target audience or prospective listener that will be interested in the products of its benefits and uses.  That is why the researcher deemed it fit or necessary to find out how advertising influenced the society, whether it has impact on the target audience or not.

Advertising is an important promotional tool in various companies or firm, whose major aim is to increase the firm’s market share which will bring about the maximization of profit and minimize loss.

Before an organization goes into advertisement, close attention must be paid to the internal environments in which the firm find itself.

The internal environment are those factors such as the products, place and promotion, they are otherwise referred to as (4ps) which are controllable by a firm.  While the external environment consist of the socio-cultural, political, legal and technological environments, which are usually the uncontrollable factors that confronts firms.

These factors to a greater extent affect the rate of advertiser.

1.1     HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Mobile Telephone Network (MTN) is one of the two South African cellular operators.  They first entered the cellular areas in June 1994 as the second licenced application of their core values as they have been successful in providing coverage and embarking on the telecommunication services in the following countries.

South Africa, Switzerland, Cameroon, Uganda, Rwanda and Nigeria.  After a successful negotiation, MTN was licenced in Nigeria and was signed.

MTN Nigeria is part of the MTN Group, Africa’s leading cellular telecommunications company.  On May 16, 2001, MTN became the first GSM network to make a call following the globally landed Nigeria GSM auction conducted by the Nigeria communications commission earlier in the year.

The commercial launching took place on 1^st August 2001, it started with over five thousand lines which covered only three areas namely: Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Abuja, and later extends its area services to other towns like Warri, Onitsha, Kaduna, Jos, Ibadan, Abeokuta, etc.  Since August 2001 to date, MTN in Nigeria has covered many parts of Nigeria and it is expected to cover all the Nigerian States by now, and more other African countries.

MTN in Nigeria is the biggest service provider in Africa and has the potential and quality to grow bigger than South-Africa market.  It is estimated that in six African countries, Nigeria has the largest MTN stations.  Nigeria covers 900 venture MTN (76.8%) and local partner (23.2%).  The investment is in excess of 1.4 billion to bring mobile telephone to Nigeria.

1.2     STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVE

The principal objectives of this study include the following:

i.                   To know the influence of advertising on consumers.

ii.                 To find out what consumers know about the roles advertising play in economy.

iii.              To know customers attitudes toward advertising whether they like or dislike the advert messages.

iv.              To make recommendations based on the findings.

1.3     STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS

Ho:    The appropriate selection of suitable media would negatively affect advertising messages about the marketing of product or services.

Hi:     The appropriate selection of suitable media would positively affect advertising messages about the marketing of products or services.

The problem of this study is to analyze advertising and its influence on consumers’ behavior and the extent to which it has succeeded, but such problems vary according to their importance.

1.4     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Firms are bound to face with problems when advertising their products or services.

Message Construct:  Advertising is faced with the problem of message construction that is the message is being constructed and carried out before it gets to the consumers.

Media Selection:  This has to do with selection of suitable media to reach the target audience in order to achieve a certain objectives.

Language:  The use of language risk properly understood by consumer negatively hinder the communication of advertising message to the target audience.

Cost:  Cost of advertising, cost however affects advertising if money spent on it is not enough to effectively create the needed level of awareness, this would definitely lead to low level of patronage.

Frequency:  Frequency of an advert affects the advertising of a product or services if not done frequently.  This keeps reminding the audience of such products or services.

Timing:  Timing affects advertising of a product or services, therefore, the right time should be chosen for advertising.

1.5     SIGNIFICANT OF THE STUDY

If we agreed that the objective of advertising is to call the attention of members of the public to an idea, product or service in order to induce them (audience) to buy, advertising must have to be distinguished from advertisement which is the oral or written words, illustrations, use of pictures that convey the intentions as a message of advertising.  The features of good advertising are as follows:

i.                   It must create attention

ii.                 It must convince the prospective buyer to buy

iii.              It should create a permanent and good impression of a product or service in the mind of the audience.

The significant of this study is to investigate the uses advertising and its influence on consumer behavior in Mobile Telephone Network (MTN) Abuja territory.  The outcome of this study is expected to shade more light on an importance of advertising to the successful marketing of goods and services.

1.6     LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Research activities are time and money consuming venture.  Some of the problems the researcher encountered are as follows:

i)       Finance:  The researcher was not financially buoyant to carry out the research work to the dept he wants and this affected the research work.

ii)      Time Factor:  Due to school programme activities, there was no adequate time to carry out the research work.

iii)     Inadequate Materials:  Materials needed for the study were not easily gotten.

iv)     Inadequate Responses:  Some of the respondents interviewed were so biased that the needed information were not accurately supply.

1.7     DEFINITION OF THE TERMS

The following register below is peculiar to the topic of this project work.

i)       ADVERTISING:  This is the creation of awareness about the goods and services of a firm or firms, with an identified sponsor but it is not personal.

ii)      ADVERTISEMENT:  This is the oral or written words that convey the intention and message of advertising.

iii)     PRODUCT:  Product means anything that is offered to the market for attention, use or acquisition, consumption etc, it include physical objects, services and ideas.

iv)     CONSUMERS:  These are users of products or services offered to the market for final consumption.

v)      PRODUCERS:  These are the people with the responsibilities of processing raw materials into finished useable products are goods, and they also provide services.

vi)     RESPONDENTS:  They are these who are given questions, with the aim of returning them with the needed information.

vii)    MARKET:  A market is a place where buyers and sellers meet to register their effect in price.