New soft drink from Pepsi means breakthrough for Tagatose

7-Eleven has just announced a national launch of the Diet Pepsi flavored Slurpee. The new Slurpee drink is available at participating 7-eleven stores in the United States.

Arla Foods’ new functional sweetener, Gaio tagatose, will debut in the US market with a new soft drink from Pepsi.

Only a few months following the commercial introduction in the US market of the new functional sweetener Gaio tagatose, a Diet Pepsi flavored Slurpee has been launched using Gaio tagatose's unique flavour enhancing effect in combination with high intensive sweeteners. Enabling a "regular taste" in a diet beverage Gaio tagatose is providing an exciting opportunity to develop the growing healthy diet market.

Gaio®tagatose is used as a flavour enhancer improving the regular taste of
the diet product. The sweeteners used are Gaio®tagatose, Erythritol and
intense sweeteners, where the use of Gaio®tagatose and Erythritol in
combination provides bulk and prevents the drink from turning into a block of ice.

Arla Foods Ingredients has the exclusive world wide rights to produce and commercialize Gaio tagatose. The first commercial production was announced in May 2003 based on a co-operation with Nordzucker, producing the product. This co-operation has now lead to a 50/50 Joint Venture company, named SweetGredients, subject to EU regulatory approval.

SweetGredients is the only world wide commercial supply source of Gaio tagatose using the combined capabilities of Arla Foods Ingredients and Nordzucker. The product is being distributed in the US, by Arla Foods Ingredients located in New Jersey.

Gaio tagatose.

The healthy effects of Gaio tagatose are ideal for functional products with claims in relation to a reduced caloric content, toothfriendly properties and prebiotic effects. Also, Gaio tagatose has no glycemic response and is therefore ideal for inclusion in the rapidly growing “low-carb” market. The healthy effects can be exploited in a wide variety of food products, ranging from cereals to health bars and confectionery.

The flavor enhancing effects of Gaio tagatose, which is driving the launch of the Diet Pepsi flavored Slurpee, can be used to improve the flavor of diet products, such as beverages, table top sweeteners and confectionery. Not only does Gaio tagatose improve the taste profile of high intensity sweeteners, it also enhances toffee and mint flavor and prolongs the sweetness delivery in chewing gum. As an additional benefit Gaio tagatose browns easily due to the Maillard reaction and adds colour to various confectionery and bakery applications.

Gaio tagatose is approved for use in foods and beverages in the US and in Korea. Approval procedures are well under way in Australia and New Zealand. An approval is expected by the end of the year. In Japan, an approval is expected next year, while in South America approval procedures are in the initial phase.

7-Eleven