News

Nestlé announces sugar breakthrough

2 Dec 2016

Nestlé has announced what it describes as “a major breakthrough” in making it possible to enable the company to significantly decrease the total sugar in its confectionery products, while maintaining a natural taste.

Nestlé has announced what it describes as “a major breakthrough” in making it possible to develop chocolate with much less sugar.

Using only natural ingredients, researchers are said to have found a way to structure sugar differently such that, even when much less is used in chocolate, the tongue perceives an almost identical sweetness to before.

The company said that the discovery will enable Nestlé to significantly decrease the total sugar in its confectionery products, while maintaining a natural taste.

“This truly groundbreaking research is inspired by nature and has the potential to reduce total sugar by up to 40% in our confectionery,” said Stefan Catsicas, Nestlé Chief Technology Officer.

“Our scientists have discovered a completely new way to use a traditional, natural ingredient.”

Nestlé is patenting its findings and will begin to use the faster-dissolving sugar across a range of its confectionery products from 2018 onwards.

The company expects to provide more details about the first roll-out of reduced-sugar confectionery some time next year.