Assugrin
Assugrin is a brand name for a sugar substitute that is a blend of cyclamate and saccharine.[1] Produced in Switzerland by MCM Klosterfrau Vertriebsgesellschaft,[2] Assugrin is the main table sweetener in West Germany.[3]
History
Cyclamate sugar substitute was discovered in 1937 by two American chemists and tested over the subsequent twenty years. After cyclamate was declared safe for consumption in the mid-fifties, the Hermes Company announced their new produce, Assugrin, in 1954.[4] Almost a decade later, in 1965, Hermes company came up with a mixture of saccharin and cyclamate. It was later introduced to the market under Assugrin brand with wide endorsements. In that same year, aspartame was discovered. Aspartame was introduced into the Assugrin brand as Assurgin Gold.
In 1987, orange and lemon varieties were added to the West German low calorie soft drink, Assugrin Exquisit.[5] In 1990, Albi launched Assugrin Aktiv (Iso-Mineral-Fitness-Drink), a reduced calorie sports drink.[6] Hermes Sweeteners Ltd introduced Assugrin Light blended sweetener as a special diet food in 1995.[7]
In 2002, the Assugrin brand was introduced to consumers in Brazil through a new dietetic sweetener made with saccharin, water, artificial sweeteners, and sodium cyclamate.[8]
In 2003, Swiss sweeteners producer Hermes Edulcorants, headquartered in Zurich, northern Switzerland, generated 67 mln Swiss francs ($53.2 mln/44.4 mln euro) for 2003.[4] Their most popular brand, the Assugrin sweetener, was being sold in some 100 countries, but mainly in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria.[4] Assugrin additionally has a significant present in the Spain and Brazil sweetener market.[4]
In 2007, Global Industry Analysts' issued a report entitled, "Artificial Sweeteners".[9][10] The report analyzed the worldwide markets for artificial sweeteners in US$ Million and profiled the 108 companies serving that market and ranked the products manufactured by those companies.[9] In that report, Assugrin from Kundendienst Hermes Sussstoff AG (Switzerland) ranked twelfth.[9]
References
- ^ Gorman's New Product News. (May 11, 1992) West Germany. (new food products from different firms) (The Deluge Pours On) (Product Announcement) Volume 28; Issue 4; Page 53
- ^ Frost & Sullivan. (May 5, 1997) Euro Special & Dietetic Foods - Hermes Susstoff AG
- ^ Lebensmittel Praxis. (April 7, 1989) W. Germany - Market for table sweeteners static. Page 46.
- ^ a b c d Swiss Business Digest. (June 18, 2004) Swiss Hermes Edulcorants 2003 Turnover at 44.4 Mln Euro.
- ^ European New Product Report. (October 2, 1987) New flavours for Assugrin Exquisit. W. German - New flavours for Assugrin Exquisit. Page 35.
- ^ Lebensmittel Praxis. (April 6, 1990) W Germany - Albi launches fitness drink. Page 74.
- ^ International Product Alert. (May 3, 1995) Assugrin Light Blended Sweetener.
- ^ International Product Alert (November 4, 2002) Assugrin Adocante Dietetico Volume 19; Issue 21.
- ^ a b c Business Wire (September 27, 2007) The Worldwide Artificial Sweeteners Market - Aspartame, Acesulfame Potassium, Saccharin and Sucralose.
- ^ See Global Industry Analysts, Inc. (July 2007) Artificial Sweeteners