NutraSweet to sweeten its retail presence

Chicago -- NutraSweet Co., the world's largest aspartame producer, plans to introduce a new artificial sweetener to U.S. markets in May, the company announced.

The new product should offer competition to Cumberland Packing Corp.'s Sweet'N Low, the Chicago Tribune said Wednesday.

In 2007, NutraSweet Co. introduced an artificial sweetener made with aspartame and packaged in a blue packet that was meant to offer competition to Equal.

The new packet will be pink, the Tribune reported.

The product will not contain saccharin. It will be made with sweeteners acesulfame potassium and neotame.

Later this year, the company will challenge the leading sweetener, Splenda, with a sweetener in a yellow packet that will contain a small amount of real sugar, the report said.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.