If a scientist wants to select the sweetest sugar for a cereal product, which option is the best choice?

Fructose is recognized as the sweetest naturally occurring sugar among the options provided. When evaluating sugars based on their sweetness, fructose typically scores higher on sweetness scales compared to other sugars. This characteristic is important for food products like cereals, where sweetness can enhance flavor and consumer appeal.

Maltose, glucose, and sucrose, while all sweet, do not match the level of sweetness that fructose provides. For instance, sucrose, which is table sugar, is sweeter than glucose but still less sweet than fructose. Therefore, fructose stands out as the optimal choice for achieving a sweeter flavor profile in a cereal product. This makes it particularly desirable for food scientists looking to maximize sweetness without having to increase the quantity of sugar used in a recipe.