Whats Cooking in the U.S. Functional Food and Beverage Market?
Functional Sweeteners: More Than Just Sweet In 2009, high fructose corn syrup was out (much to the chagrin of the Corn Refiners Association) and recently GRAS-approved stevia was in for its zero calories and improved sweet taste (thanks to companies such as Cargill and Wisdom Natural Brands). Stevia, which is typically combined with other natural sweeteners such as xylitol, can now be found in everything from zero-calorie natural colas to yogurt snacks. During the first eight months of 2009, Mintel reported that 110 U.S. products made with stevia were launched. DSM Nutrition Products is one company working to capitalize on stevia’s functional health benefits ts. In 2009, DSM applied for a patent linking stevia to improved brain function and cognitive health. NXT Nutritional’s SUSTA natural sweetener ingredient (see page 9) is already being marketed for its functional health benefits. …
