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ATLANTA -- The U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s approval of the low-calorie sweetener sucralose will mean more choices and exciting new tastes for American consumers, the Calorie Control Council said today.

“Our national consumer survey shows that the majority of Americans want more product choices in low-calorie, sugar-free foods and beverages,” said Lyn O’Brien Nabors, executive vice president of the Council. “Sucralose will be a valuable sweetener to help meet that consumer demand.”

Currently, 144 million American adults consume low-calorie, sugar-free products, according to a 1998 national survey just completed by the Council. The survey shows that the majority of consumers want additional low-calorie baked goods, frozen desserts and diet soft drinks. Historically, calorie-conscious consumers have used low-calorie and sugar-free products for help in weight control or to eat a healthier diet without having to sacrifice their favorite foods. Today, the primary reason for using these products is “to stay in better overall health,” according to the survey.

Sucralose is the only non-caloric sweetener made from sugar. It tastes like sugar, and it can be used virtually anywhere sugar can be used, including cooking and baking. Sucralose is approved in the U.S. for all 15 food and beverage categories for which approval was requested, which is further testimony to its extensive safety record.

Worldwide, sucralose is approved in 28 countries and has been endorsed by the World Health Organization’s Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives. More than 100 studies conducted over 20 years support the safety of sucralose.

The Calorie Control Council is a non-profit international association of manufacturers of low-calorie, reduced-fat and light foods and beverages. The Council supports the availability of a wide variety of safe low-calorie ingredients, which provides products with improved taste and texture, increased stability, lower manufacturing costs, and ultimately, more choices for the consumer.

For further information on sucralose and other low-calorie sweeteners, visit the award-winning Calorie Control Web site, at http://www.caloriecontrol.org.

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