Sugar price hikes could see rise of substitutes

The use of artificial sweeteners in food and drink products could rise as soaring sugar prices make aspartame and sucralose an attractive alternative.
Global sugar prices have increased 14% over the past 12 months [Mintec], driven by a combination of crop failures and demand from emerging markets.
Earlier this week, sugar analyst Czarnikow cut its global production forecast for 2010/11 by 3.8 million tonnes to 165 million tonnes. In the UK, production is expected to be down by as much as 30%.
High sugar prices had already led to it being substituted for corn-based alternatives in Mexico and China, said Leonardo Bichara, senior economist at the International Sugar Organisation. In the EU, low-calorie, high-intensity sweeteners were on the rise, he added.
Tate & Lyle VP of sucralose product management and speciality food ingredients Craig Donaldson recently highlighted the use of "custom blends" of sweeteners as a way of producing products "without the risk of increasing manufacturing costs that would occur using sugar."

(Source: http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=216397)