The trend towards sugar-free and low-calorie foods is gathering momentum in India and food firms are rushing to jump on the bandwagon, according to the Times of India newspaper.
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Cadbury is planning to launch sugar-free chocolates and confectionery. “We are exploring options in the sugar-free chocolate segment,” said a Cadbury official. Other firms working on sugar-free or ‘healthier’ food products included ITC Foods in confectionery and bakery products and Weikfield in jams and jellies, the paper said.
Categories that already had approval from the ministry of health for use of artificial sweeteners include biscuits, bread, cakes and pastries, jams and jellies, chocolates, confectionery, carbonated soft drinks and powder concentrate beverages, the paper said. Several firms had now applied to the ministry for approval for a new chemical sweetener, Neotame.
“Health consciousness, resistance to junk food and increasing obesity are driving low-calorie, healthy eating. Sugar-free, diet foods in markets like the US are growing at over 30%, compared to 5% growth in India. But the trend is catching up here,” said an industry official.
But the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said that regulators still had not assessed the entire health impact of this business. “The question is on what basis the government will allow use of these sweeteners and how it will regulate these based on the acceptable daily intake. Globally, regulators determine the safe level for such sweeteners and regulate their use,” a CSE official said.
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By GlobalDataFirms that had recently added low-sugar variants to their product portfolios include confectionery majors Perfetti and Wrigley’s, the paper said.
