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Diet Pepsi Slurpee Made w. Splenda, Erythritol, and Tagatose ???

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercuryn...ood/6630963.htm

Quote:

Until now, 7-Eleven Inc., parent of the Slurpee brand, and Icee Co., which has been making frozen, carbonated drinks since 1961, had little luck developing a zero-calorie, sugar-free version of their slushy sodas.

The reason: Sugar substitutes, such as NutraSweet, didn't behave like the real thing when subjected to freezing temperatures.

Desperate for a breakthrough, 7-Eleven challenged researchers at the nation's two leading soda brands -- Pepsico Inc. and Coca-Cola Inc. -- to develop a workable recipe.

The challenge paid off: Diet Pepsi Slurpees arrived Friday at 7-Eleven stores nationwide.

``We finally cracked the code,'' said Dave DeCecco, a spokesman for Pepsi-Cola North America.

Because a slushy soft drink had always required sugar to give it a smooth, semi-frozen consistency that can be ``slurped'' through a straw, developing a sugar-free product was difficult.

Every sugar-substitute formula researchers tried tended to turn the drink into a block of ice, said John Ryckevic, the Slurpee and Big Gulp category manager for the Dallas-based convenience-store chain.

Then there was the problem of temperature: Regular Slurpees freeze at 24 to 28 degrees Fahrenheit, while non-sugar prototypes seem to need temperatures a few degrees higher.

Pepsi researchers finally settled on a winning formula consisting of three sweeteners -- sucralose, erythritol and tagatose -- that allows the diet cola to freeze with the right consistency without compromising its taste.

Sucralose is Splenda, Erythritol is a Sugar Alcohol, Tagatose is a new "Low Calorie" Sweetener. The description (http://www.naturlose.com/naturlose-what.htm) sounds like a Sugar Alcohol.

It is identical in composition and structure to fructose, except for the fourth carbon atom in the chain, upon which the hydrogen and hydroxyl groups have been switched:

Research suggests that it is poorly absorbed (like a sugar alcohol, with the same possible resulting side-effects) and does not impair blood glucose levels.

slurpees are one of my all time favorite things.

i tried the diet pepsi slurpee over the weekend and wasn't overly impressed. there was still an aftertaste.

now, if diet coke could come up with one, that would be a good thing, since i like diet coke better.

but, i'll take what i can get. :rolleyes:

Nutritional info on the diet pepsi slurpee:

from http://www.adamparnes.com/archives/00000382.html

"What resulted from Pepsi's project was a zero-calorie, nonfat product with 2 grams of sugar in an eight-ounce serving, 25 milligrams of sodium and 2 grams of carbohydrates. An eight-ounce regular Pepsi Slurpee has 100 calories, 27 grams of sugar and 28 grams of carbohydrates."

I have to go out now and see if I can get me one of those! Thanks for the info!

Quote:

Originally Posted by EricW

"What resulted from Pepsi's project was a zero-calorie, nonfat product with 2 grams of sugar in an eight-ounce serving, 25 milligrams of sodium and 2 grams of carbohydrates. An eight-ounce regular Pepsi Slurpee has 100 calories, 27 grams of sugar and 28 grams of carbohydrates."

How interesting, so if it has 2 grams of sugar, that means it has 8 calories, not zero, since each gram of carb has 4 calories. It's so bizzare how the FDA allows deceptive labeling. This isn't really a big deal since 8 calories isn't going to kill anyone, but it just goes to show you can't always believe the label.

xo Dig

Quote:

Originally Posted by digwig

The 2g probably come from the Tagatose. Tagatose is technically a sugar, but is said to act like a Sugar Alcohol (partially absorbed with very little glycemic response)...Hence, the lower Caloric Value. I believe it is labelled as 1.5 kcal/g instead of 4. Anything with 3 kcal or less can be called ZERO Calorie under current regulations. I have not tried Tagatose yet, and have no idea how it really effects the body.