New sweetener blend tested for Diet Pepsi
9/4/2012NEW YORK — Diet Pepsi is tweaking its formula to stay sweet a little longer.
PepsiCo Inc. is testing new artificial sweeteners that let the soft drink keep its flavor for a longer period of time. The sweetener now used in Diet Pepsi — aspartame — loses its potency more rapidly than high fructose corn syrup, the sweetener that's used in most regular sodas.
The new version will use the same formula that creates Diet Pepsi's overall flavor, according to a person with knowledge of the situation, who requested anonymity because she wasn't authorized to speak publicly. But she said it will use a mix of sweeteners, including acesulfame-potassium, with a longer shelf life.