Sweeteners and softening the blow

Dear readers, some news is difficult to hear, especially when it's whispered on the space shuttle launch pad. 

That's where my first (and only... don't you dare cry for me) girlfriend ended our three-week accord. As the shuttle's engines came to life above us, she said it was over. Then she placed a helmet over her head, climbed aboard Atlantis and rocketed to outer space.
"Good Riddance!" I yelled as the burning fuel set my bowler aflame. "I wouldn't share a Snack Pack with you if you were the last person on Earth. Not even the Butterscotch kind!" Then it dawned on me. She was no longer on Earth, and truth be told, I actually really like the Butterscotch Snack Pack.

The point is, she brought me there knowing she would break my heart and ruin my outerwear. She did nothing to soften the blow. And that humane act of making things that might not be so good, a little better is at the heart of today's entry.

Yes, I'm talking about sweeteners. What may be bland, bitter and generally unlikeable can be manipulated into a palatable, dare I say, delectable morsel with a touch of sweetener. Yes! Sweeteners! The very essence of what our taste buds dream of between meals. If my hat weren't reduced to a smoldering brim, I would take it off to you, wizards of the laboratory.

With your help, I can stomach any news.

Now, what you may have missed in regard to sweetener news and trends...

A new report gives food and beverage manufacturers the latest information about consumer perceptions and the usage of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) to help them develop forward-thinking sweetener strategies.

The fight between the corn and sugar industries began last year, when CRA proposed a name change of high-fructose corn syrup to “corn sugar.”

Stevia must contain 95% of the seven predominant stevia glycosides in any ratio to meet the established food-grade standards.

Alternates to sugar and its relative, high-fructose corn syrup, are emerging as viable choices in today’s marketplace.

The Natural and Zero Calorie Alternative to Sugar
A Technical/Solutions Presentation...

Sweet, Natural and Healthy: Formulating Good Tasting Reduced Sugar Products 
A Technical/Solutions Presentation...