Experts take a closer look at sugar, fiber

During the session “Sugar: Dietary Recommendations, Current Intakes, and the Future of Sweets,” speakers discussed the varying global definitions of the ingredient and concerns about sugar intake in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Reformulation strategies for reduced added sugars were also a key talking point. Melanie Goulson, general manager and principal scientist, Merlin Development, offered three methods for minimizing its use: removing sugar altogether, reducing the sugar gradually over time or sweetening the product differently using non-nutritive sweeteners.

Click here to read more about this session.

In addition, George Salmas, managing principal for The Food Lawyers and Paula R. Trumbo, Ph.D., a supervisor for the Food and Drug Administration’s (F.D.A.) Center for Food Safety and Application Nutrition, examined unanswered questions about fiber at the “Dietary Fiber: New Regulations, Methodologies, and Industry Response” session.

Although the agency will allow isolated or synthetic carbohydrates to be labeled as fiber, it has created confusion within the food industry by not adding intrinsic and intact carbohydrates to its approved list. As a result, many ingredient buyers are eagerly awaiting a decision, so they can legally count the ingredients as fiber in the Nutrition Facts Label of food products. 

For a full analysis of the discussion, click here.