Food giants on run to tap govt. grants to create low-sugar products

It will be an initiative taken in all thanks to the Healthier Ingredient Development Scheme, launched last year in the month of July to encourage manufacturers to create healthier foods.

Food manufacturers in Singapore are creating products that are scaringly using refined sugars and substituting them with natural sweeteners as an adjunct to avoid compromising on taste.

A large number of desserts, sauces, and drinks will be making their way to the market soon and eateries are expected to incorporate them as part of the government's efforts to fight diabetes.

It will be an initiative taken in all thanks to the Healthier Ingredient Development Scheme, launched last year in the month of July to encourage manufacturers to create healthier foods.

Four food giants have already tapped the grant that was extended in May to support the production of desserts, sauces, and beverages with less sugar part of the Health Promotion Board's efforts to cut the refined sugar in the quotidian diet of the citizens by 25 percent by 2020. The products on the list include mooncakes, ice cream, and Asian beverages.

More than 50 healthier food products are now available in various food and beverage outlets though the aim is to reach out for more to reduce the consumption of sugary food products, said HPB chief executive Zee Young Kang to the reporters.

The scheme has supported 26 grant applications which total to around $7 million becoming the fifth in three years in $35 million in funding.

Mr. Zee further said that joining to healthier foods trend businesses will only increase their sales because people are hunting for healthier options all the time now.

His reference to a restaurant chain Tung Lok's grant to develop mooncakes with 30 percent less sugar and calories and 40 percent less saturated fat is to urge competitor food chains to do the same.

Tung Lok's success is with the help of Allulose, a low-calorie and low-glycaemic index sugar found in fruits and it took about nine months for them to develop the products, said its chief executive Andrew Tijoe.

Another beverage company, Faesol is producing ready-to-mix Asian beverages such as roselle tea with about half the amount of sugar they used earlier also got the grant with its chief executive Saw Lin Kiat planning to expand their distribution to 200 more locations by next year.

Refined sugars cost less than natural sweeteners like stevia and hence a slight increase in the price of a particular product is viable. But Dr. Saw believes that the consumers are willing to pay the price provided the actual taste is not hampered in any way.