Skip to main content

Nestlé works on producing KitKats with less sugar but the same sweet taste

| Innovation and technology

Nestlé, the world’s largest packaged food group, said it had devised a new technology that has the potential to reduce sugar in some of its confectionery products by up to 40% without affecting the taste.

The maker of KitKat and Aero bars said its researchers had found a way using only natural ingredients to change the structure of sugar particles. By hollowing out the crystals, Nestle said each particle dissolves more quickly on the tongue, so less sugar can be used in chocolate.

"Our scientists have discovered a completely new way to use a traditional, natural ingredient," chief technology officer Stefan Catsicas said in a statement late on Wednesday.

The announcement comes as a global obesity epidemic ramps up pressure on processed food makers to make their products healthier. Nestlé and its peers have all been working to reduce sugar, fat and salt, as consumers increasingly opt for fresher, healthier options.

Nestlé said it was patenting its findings and would begin to use the faster-dissolving sugar across a range of its confectionery products from 2018.

Nestlé is not the first company to experiment with designer molecules.

PepsiCo in 2010 piloted a designer salt molecule that it said would allow it to use less sodium without affecting the taste of its snacks, which include Walkers crisps and Cheetos.

Reuters


Related Articles

Pick n Pay smart shopper adds gamification to i...

Pick n Pay Smart Shopper has introduced ‘Smart Hopper’ – an exciting game in its relaunched app which customers can play daily to win vouchers, helping them save even more.

The SPAR Group redefines township shopping thro...

In a series of first-in-South Africa partnerships forged to stimulate local economies and revolutionise the shopping experience for township residents, The SPAR Group is collaborating with local providers to power its SPAR2U delivery service in un...

The SPAR Group introduces SPAR2U ‘green fleet’ ...

The SPAR Group has begun roll-out of its electric vehicle fleet for deliveries ordered via online shopping platform, SPAR2U.

Pick n Pay is Full of Treats This Spooky Season

The trick’s in the treats with Pick n Pay’s new affordable ‘confined brand’. Launched just in time for spooky season, the in-house Treat Street range is the retailer’s latest offering in the sweet aisle. In a stubbornly high-inflation environment,...

‘Happy Hour’ at Pick n Pay launches – 50% off e...

Pick n Pay is launching ‘Smart Shopper Happy Hour’ this Friday (13/10/2023). This first-time-ever initiative will offer a limited number of massive discount vouchers for registered members to claim on the Pick n Pay Smart Shopper app and shop in-s...