Nestlé in ‘groundbreaking’ 40% sugar cut research

The Swiss food manufacturer, which makes Kit Kat and Smarties, said its scientists used “only natural ingredients” to restructure sugar crystals. The sugar dissolved more quickly, so less sugar was needed in the manufacturing process to maintain “an almost identical sweetness to before”.

The findings were being patented, and the new sugar will be deployed across all of Nestlé’s brands from 2018 onwards, the manufacturer said.

‘Truly groundbreaking research’

Nestlé chief technology officer Stefan Catsicas said: “This truly groundbreaking research is inspired by nature, and has the potential to reduce total sugar by up to 40% in our confectionery.

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

The reduced sugar content would help Nestlé meet its public commitments on nutrition, the manufacturer said. It aimed to reduce the sugar and salt content of its products that don’t meet its nutrition criteria by 10%.

Target to reduce sugar content

Nestlé set itself a target to reduce sugar content of its children’s or teenagers’ breakfast cereal brands to 9g or less per serving by the end of 2015.

Pressure group World Action on Salt & Health revealed earlier this week that none of Nestlé’s cereal brands Cheerios Honey, Nesquik, Fitness Fruits, Cookie Crisp or Lion were low in sugar (less than 5.1g), according to 2017 government targets.

Meanwhile, PepsiCo claimed to have found a way to restructure salt crystals in 2010 to reduce the salt content of its crisps by 25%, it claimed. The salt reduction made “no impact on taste”.