Sweeteners Top the List for Upcoming Food Items

A panel of experts convened by food giant Tate & Lyle predicts that, among other things, sweeteners will be among the top food and beverage trends in the coming year.

Sweeteners and "stealth sugar" allow food manufacturers to offer products with a "higher sweetness profile" that doesn't mean added calories or sacrificing flavor.

In the last 20 years the popularity of sugar substitutes like sucralose (Splenda), saccharin (Sweet n' Low), and the up-and-comer stevia, have exploded. Once only a market for those with diabetes or other extreme diets, the use of sweeteners in every day products has gone entirely mainstream.

So, Tate & Lyle's ingredient predictions aren't surprising.

But what they are is heartening in a market of current sugar instability. With modern sugar substitutes offering the same or similar taste and texture of standard sugar, offering a reduced-calorie or low-sugar alternative in a variety of goods could be a smart means of minimizing costs.

And as more Americans become concerned with their weight, their health, and their overall well-being, sugar substitutes offer a product that fits neatly into the market.

It's hard to predict exactly how long the sugar substitute craze will last. Another food trend on Tate & Lyle's list was the "simple" food that relies on natural ingredients and few preservatives. White sugar itself often falls into this category, and more food manufacturers are offering "natural" or raw sugar products that would compete in this market for consumers.

However, for the time being it appears that both sweeteners and sugar itself can coexist. This means that food distributors have a variety of options to choose from, and multiple means of pleasing their consumers, and boosting their business.