NutraSweet to stop making aspartame

Published Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014 | 1:37 p.m.

Updated 32 minutes ago

NEW YORK (AP) — NutraSweet says it will no longer make the artificial
sweetener aspartame and instead concentrate on more profitable sweeteners.

The company expects to shut down a major portion of a plant that employs
about 210 workers by year-end as a result.

NutraSweet CEO William DeFer said in a statement foreign competition was
the primary reason for the decision.

"Low cost imports now dominate the aspartame market, making it
impossible for us to sustain a profitable business while maintaining our
unmatched standard of quality," DeFer said.

NutraSweet noted the plant in Augusta, Georgia had supplied customers
around the world for more than 30 years. In addition to aspartame, it
makes neotame and Twinsweet.