GLENDALE, Calif.-- Nestle announced it has come up with a way to reduce sugar by up to 40% without affecting the taste of chocolate.
The packaged food group, which touts itself as a "nutrition, health and wellness company," said it hopes to begin using the process starting in 2018, and a patent is pending.
Nestle scientists have found a way to structure sugar differently using only natural ingredients. The company said that even when much less sugar is used in chocolate, the tongue perceives an almost identical sweetness.
Specifically, the maker of Kit Kat and Crunch bars said hollowing out the sugar crystals causes each particle to dissolve more quickly on the tongue, so less sugar is needed to achieve the same sweetness taste in chocolate.
"Our scientists have discovered a completely new way to use a traditional, natural ingredient," said Stefan Catsicas, the company's chief technology officer. “This truly groundbreaking research is inspired by nature and has the potential to reduce total sugar by up to 40% in our confectionery."
Nestle and other confection companies have been working to address obesity and reduce sugar, fat and salt, as consumers continue to demand healthier options.
Nestle, with U.S. headquarters in Glendale, Calif., 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 Lay's potato chips and Cheetos.
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