Sugar Association demands FDA transparency on non-sugar sweeteners

The organization filed its second petition supplement this Thursday, citing a 900% increase in products containing non-sugar sweeteners over the last quarter-century. Current polling reflects broad public frustration: while 87% of shoppers want to know if their food contains sweeteners, 66% cannot identify them on standard ingredient lists. The group suggests that the lack of oversight has effectively obscured the shift toward synthetic additives in everyday staples like yogurt and peanut butter.

To address these concerns, the association is calling for specific industry reforms. Proposed requirements include identifying sweeteners by purpose in ingredient lists, disclosing exact quantities on products marketed to children, and adding warning labels for potential gastrointestinal effects. P. Courtney Gaine, president and CEO of the Sugar Association, argued that the push for transparency aligns with the Make America Healthy agenda. She emphasized that federal regulators have historically incentivized the use of these additives, often without ensuring that the public understands the composition of the products they purchase.