Tate & Lyle focuses on value-added ingredients

The company says that the Merisorb sorbitol powder has been specifically designed for use in sugar-free chewing gum, where it helps produce optimal texture and in tabletting where it gives good hard tablets.

Tate & Lyle is also presenting a new dextrose for tabletting, which it claims offers manufacturers significant processing benefits and cost savings by making tablets directly compressible without the need for blending with other materials.

"Our consumer research has shown that there is huge and growing demand for lower calorie and reduced sugar products without compromising taste or texture. Rachel Moffatt, European marketing manager for Tate & Lyle. "​

"Products such as Splenda Sucralose offer manufacturers great opportunities here, but also the new Merisorb sorbitol powder, which brings competition to the sugar-free gum market. Our new dextrose application offers manufacturers the opportunity to simplify their production process and thereby make further cost savings."​

Reform of the EU's outdated sugar regime has compelled ingredients firms such as Tate & Lyle to diversify and innovate. The reform, which fixes the economic and legal framework for the European sugar sector until 2014/2015, will cut the price of sugar 36 per cent, though there is compensation on offer.

The company has other worries however. Tate & Lyle's ability to retain its monopoly of the lucrative global sucralose market has been called into question.

In an exclusive interview with FoodNavigator, the president of Pharmed Medicare claimed that his company has developed an alternative patent-pending process, reviewed by legal counsel in USA, Asia and Europe, which would put the firm into direct competition with the UK ingredient giant.

The previous month, market analyst Morgan Stanley warned that the stock market was being too optimistic about Tate & Lyle's ability to hold on to its market share for sucralose once its patent expires. Tate & Lyle remains bullish however that it can continue to dominate the value-added ingredients market through innovation, and that its sucralose business remains well-protected.

The firm plans to launch its Merisorb sorbitol and dextrose products at a confectionery seminar in Bonn, which will coincide with the ProSweets and ISM trade shows.

The seminar, which will be held on 31 January, will offer the customers the opportunity to get acquainted with Tate & Lyle's extended portfolio of ingredients for the confectionery industry. The company will also be presenting its solutions for sugar-free and reduced calorie confections, based on its Splenda sucralose product.