Tate & Lyle adds erythritol to sweetener portfolio

Dive Brief:

• Tate & Lyle Sugars has introduced erythritol to its portfolio of sweeteners through a distribution agreement with a leading supplier of the naturally occurring sugar alcohol, the company said. 
• The new sweetener will have 70% of the sweetness of sucrose and help the company meet demand for low-calorie sugar options, according to the announcement. 
• The erythritol launch into the retail market also marks the start of a transition phase for the company, which recently rebranded from Zucro to Tate & Lyle Sweeteners.

Dive Insight:

The British ingredients brand says the new sweetener can easily dissolve in hot drinks, and has a similar texture to sugar and offers consumers an alternative to aspartame, which has been declared a potential carcinogen by global health bodies.

“Our sucralose sweeteners deliver sweetness with no compromise in quality or taste, are aspartame-free and packaged within recyclable material,” the company said. 

Organizations like the FDA and WHO have cracked down on the use of aspartame, another low calorie sweetener that has been used for decades in popular products like Diet Coke. The FTC cracked down on influencers earlier this month who were promoting the ingredient’s safety. 

Erythritol is made naturally through some fruits and vegetables, but can also be commercially produced through fermentation.The sweetener can be used in a range of categories, including beverages, dairy, bakery and confectionery, the company said. 

Like aspartame, though, it too has risks. The sweetener has the potential to increase the chances of a heart attack and can cause mild to severe digestive issues, but only if consumed in large amounts. The ingredient has been approved by the FDA, WHO, European Commission and European Food Safety Authority.

“As sugar innovators since 1878, we understand everything there is to know about creating the perfect sweetness for your coffee, or sprinkling on your cereal and desserts,” marketing manager for Tate & Lyle Sugars Sandra Gonilho said in a statement. “With our British heritage and knowledge, we hope consumers can feel confident about making balanced choices and enjoy the control using sweetener offers, at home, on the go and when making a food service purchase.”

The demand for natural sweeteners in North America has grown in recent years, mainly due to a focus on healthy food. As consumers recognize the harmful effects of excessive sugar consumption, more opportunities for low-calorie sweeteners have been created, especially in beverage and bakery consumption, according to a report from Mordor Intelligence. The global alternative sweetener market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 4.3% from 2020 to 2025. 

Over the course of the past decade, Tate and Lyle has gone through a transformation, most recently selling their European sugar refining business. The company has shifted its focus to innovative technology that turns raw materials into ingredients, and said 2023 was the beginning of “a fresh chapter” for the growth-focused specialty food and beverage solutions business.