Diet Pepsi quietly changes sweetener
By CANDICE CHOI, AP Food Industry Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- If that can of Diet Pepsi tastes sweeter than normal, there's a reason.
PepsiCo Inc. is quietly changing the sweeteners in the drink, with the goal of helping the soda maintain its potency longer. Cans of Diet Pepsi around the country now list a mix of two artificial sweeteners, a pairing that is commonly found in newer diet sodas.
Previously, Diet Pepsi used only aspartame, which is sensitive to heat and breaks down more easily.
This summer, PepsiCo had declined to say whether it would go ahead with such a change after reports surfaced that it was testing the new sweeteners. The switch is only intended to help prevent the taste from degrading over time, but companies are sensitive to public perceptions that they might be tinkering with major brands.
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