FDA Approves New Sweetener for Beverages; PepsiCo Launches New Drink

Food & Drink Weekly, July 6, 1998

FDA last week approved the use of the calorie-free sweetener acesulfame potassium, or Ace-K under the brand name Sunett, in liquid beverages. The sweetener, made by German-firm Nutrinova, is expected by analysts to revolutionize the diet beverage industry in the United States because of its unique taste characteristics and stability.

Millions of Americans already consume Ace-K in products such as chewing gum, candies, baked goods, ice cream, syrups, and dry-base beverage and dessert mixes. U.S. consumers were first introduced to Sunett in 1988 when it received FDA approval for limited use. Since then, FDA has increasingly widened its approval.

A Nutrinova spokesperson says Sunett creates a beverage with a more sugar-like taste than one sweetened with any single low-calorie sweetener, and without the aftertaste. Beverages containing Sunett sustain their sweetness over longer periods of time, thereby increasing the sweetness shelf life of beverages and other food products, says Nutrinova.

Ace-K is a popular ingredient in beverages around the world. The sweetener is widely used in beverages in Europe and Canada. It is 200 times sweeter than sugar, calorie-free and heat stable, which means it can be used in cooking and baking.

One of the most thoroughly studied food ingredients, the sweetener has a 15-year track record of safe use around the world, according to FDA. Numerous scientific and health authorities around the world have endorsed the sweetener's safety, including the Joint Expert Committee for Food Additives of the World Health Organization.

The Calorie Control Council applauded the agency's decision and called it "sweet news" to the 87 million diet soft drink consumers in the United States. The non-profit association says 144 million American adults consume low-calorie, sugar-free products on a regular basis, according to a 1998 national survey commissioned by the Council and that the majority of current consumers want additional dieage as a Canadian beer.