Kerry has released its "Innovative Taste for a Better Life and Planet," a technical report that uses life cycle assessment (LCA) to quantify the environmental and nutritional benefits of Kerry’s Tastesense Sweet.
Related: Kerry Intends to Acquire Biosearch Life
The report is an analysis that details the significant personal health, nutritional and global environmental benefits of sugar reduction while still maintaining sweetness, taste and texture.
Conducted in conjunction with a third-party sustainability expert consultancy, the LCA found that by using Tastesense Sweet at the recommended dosage, manufacturers will be able to reduce sugar usage by 30% to maintain a natural flavoring declaration, while delivering significant and valuable results
The benefits from reducing the use of sugar include a 30% reduction in both water usage and calories as well as a 20% carbon emissions reduction.
The report also analyzes the example of a potential sugar reduction in a cola beverage in the European Union. According to Euromonitor, 8.572 billion litres of full-sugar cola are purchased annually throughout the continent, and if Tastesense Sweet is applied to reduce the sugar content of all of these products by 30%, it would be equivalent to:
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eliminating 68 billion sugar cubes
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reduce calorie intake equivalent to 1.8 trillion hours of cycling (calorie-burning)
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taking 29,800 cars off the road for a full year (carbon emissions)
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reducing water usage by 11 million peoples’ annual showers
Otis Curtis, global portfolio director, Tastesense, Kerry said, “All over the world, sugar reduction is a key focus of government policymakers and food/beverage producers, not to mention consumers seeking to improve their general health and better prepare themselves to take on COVID-19. What this life cycle assessment and analysis show is that, aside from the significant health challenges posed by excessive sugar consumption, the production of sugar exacts a large environmental toll in terms of water usage and carbon emissions. Therefore, reducing the consumption of sugar has impressive health and environmental benefits.”
“The prime challenge in lowering sugar content in foods and beverages is finding a means by which to maintain the significant taste, texture and mouthfeel properties uniquely provided by sugar. Our Kerry Tastesense Sweet enables sugar reduction of up to 30% and the maintenance of a natural flavoring declaration while delivering excellent sweetness properties, appealing mouthfeel and a clean lingering effect with no off-notes. It can help make a range of tasty foods and beverages healthier for people and better for the planet," said Curtis.
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