NutraSweet Hails Chinese Crackdown on Additive Counterfeiters

"Local Chinese counterfeit production of neotame has increased significantly,” said NutraSweet CEO Craig R. Petray, “and counterfeiters are flooding the Chinese market with substandard versions of our popular sugar substitute.

“Quite apart from the adverse effect the situation is having on our business in China,” Petray said, “counterfeit neotame could pose a safety threat to consumers as there is no national product standard for locally produced neotame and thus no way of assuring proper manufacturing and handling of our patented additive.”

Only neotame supplied by The NutraSweet Company or its official Chinese sales distribution partners is guaranteed to have been produced in accordance with the highest quality and safety standards. Petray said that NutraSweet welcomed the Council’s move to adopt a more vigorous approach to government supervision over the production, sale and use of food additives.

“Counterfeiters of our ingredient are producing and distributing substandard versions of neotame and misleading customers by claiming comparable quality at cut rate prices. The practice has to stop now,” said Petray.

Neotame has developed an important niche in the worldwide sweetener market as an ingredient that can be blended with sugar in many foods and beverages. Neotame blends yield lower ingredient costs for food and beverage makers and offer important consumer benefits such as lower sugar content and reduced calories.