Food and Beverage Manufacturers in China Learn the Benefits of SPLENDA Sucralose

19/12/07 More than one hundred food and beverage industry professionals attended a Health & Wellness Seminar on December 13, 2007 organized by Tate & Lyle’s new Asia Pacific team based in Shanghai.

The theme of the seminar was: “If your consumers love the taste of sugar, they’ll love SPLENDA Sucralose”, which is also the tag line for the new SPLENDA Sucralose ingredient advertising targeted to manufacturers in China.

Guests were invited to taste different food and beverage prototype samples formulated with SPLENDA Sucralose. These samples were prepared by the local Tate & Lyle R&D team in the company’s newly established Shanghai applications centre. In general, guests were unable to differentiate the taste of SPLENDA Sucralose from sugar, and were surprised to see how low-sugar and low-calorie products can match the taste and texture of full sugar, full calorie products.

Seminar highlights included:

* The Benefits of a Balanced Diet

Dr. Susan Potter, Vice President Health and Nutrition Sciences (Tate & Lyle, USA) shared learnings from the United States which highlighted the importance of a balanced diet - including the benefits of consuming food and beverages with an improved nutritional profile, such as lower sugar and lower calorie products.

* Obesity and Diabetes Trends in China

Cai Meiqin, Professor of Nutritional Science at the School of Medicine,Shanghai Jiaotong University presented an overview of rising obesity in China and explained the related growth of diabetes among the Chinese. Professor Cai noted the increasing rates of these two diseases among Chinese children and the link to their changed nutrition habits.

* Consumer Opportunity for Low Sugar Products

Ms. S.K. Hui, Director of Marketing, Asia Pacific, provided a short preview of Tate & Lyle’s new Chinese consumer research study, which included eight major cities in the country in phase 1, to be followed with eleven cities in 2008. Of interest to food and beverage manufacturers, the study’s preliminary findings point to the opportunity for great tasting low sugar products in the Chinese market. Chinese consumers report that current available low sugar products fail to pass their taste preferences for repeat purchase.

* Global Success for SPLENDA Sucralose in Food and Beverage Products

Mr. Jordi Ferre, Vice President Sales and Marketing, Sucralose, Tate & Lyle, USA and Mr. Chris Fang, Regional Sales Manager, Tate & Lyle, China demonstrated how close the taste profile is between SPLENDA Sucralose and sugar, and how SPLENDA Sucralose contributes to the success of a wide range of commercial products across the world. In the evening, guests had the opportunity to taste a chocolate cake sweetened with SPLENDA Sucralose specially created for this event by Michelin Star Chef Stefan Stiller.