Whether it’s to enhance flavor profiles, reduce calories or to mask the off-notes of added vitamins and minerals, beverage manufacturers continue to turn to sweeteners to help produce products that appeal to consumers’ taste preferences. Food and beverages account for nearly 58 percent of the sugar volume used annually in the United States, according to Rockville, Md.-based market research firm Packaged Facts’ report, “Sugar, Sugar Substitute and Sweetener Trends,” published in September 2011.
According to data released in January by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, nearly 36 percent of U.S. adults were obese from 2009 to 2010. To combat this problem, the CDC encourages the U.S. population to live an active, healthy lifestyle by exercising regularly, eating fruits and vegetables as well as reducing caloric intake.