The United States can't seem to get enough of sucralose, the no-calorie
artificial sweetener sold under the brand name Splenda.
However, the demand for this sweetener has forced Tate & Lyle (the
company that makes sucralose) to ration shipments of it, which is affecting
production for both small and large companies who are dependent on sucralose
for business. Some companies are even willing to hold off on making certain
products until the supply of sucralose has been replenished.
The growing public interest in this sweetener has been a reflection on
the fact that many Americans are partaking in low-carb diets, not to mention
have a constant desire to cut calories.
Manufacturers have also taken an interest in sucralose
because it:
- Has at least twice the shelf life of aspartame, the key ingredient found
in Equal
- Does not react to heat and can easily be used in baking and in products
that use high temperatures during their manufacture
The interest in low-carb dieting, in conjunction with the fame of sucralose
among manufacturers, has led to an abundance of artificially sweetened food
products on the market. In fact, the number of products containing sucralose
as a key ingredient has more than doubled this past year from 573 to 1,330.
And, with 22 percent of Americans striving to eat less sugar, the market
for artificial sweeteners has grown significantly, though the success of
sucralose has far surpassed its competitors:
- Equal's share of the American tabletop sweetener market has dropped
from 23.7 percent to 19.4 percent
- Sweet'N Low's share declined from 17.8 percent to 15.6 percent
- Splenda's share has risen from 37.3 percent to 48.8 percent
As the success of Splenda/sucralose mounts, competitors are determined
to devise ways to make their sweeteners more appealing to consumers. Merisant,
the maker of Equal, has been focused on doing a better job marketing and
packaging their product, and have even considered creating different flavors
of Equal.
SunHerald.com
December 4, 2004
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