General Mills has done it again! The company has lately filed a patent for reducing sugar in the coatings of ready-to-eat cereals, without impacting their bowl life or texture and appearance, as per the Food Business News. Sugar in the cereal coating is to be replaced by corn syrup. This will reduce the sugar content in the coatings by over 30%. Seems like good news for all those suffering from high tendency to gain weight and also for those people who are obese. As high intensity sweeteners are used in combination with corn syrup, it may affect the texture and thus General Mills has invented a special packaging formula to reduce the absorption of water and solve the issue.

Sugar is an obvious ingredient in cereals to impart sweetness; however, sugar does another important thing- it gives cereals the crunch, its toasted brown color, and preventing it from getting soggy in milk, which is known as bowl life. The company has also reduced the sugar content from the cereal itself and has added flavors such as cinnamon and vanilla for enhancing the sweetness without the actual use of sweeteners. The patent does not disclose which type of high intensity sweetener it will use in the cereal coating.

Health Conscious Consumers Avoiding Cereals to Reduce Sugar Intake

Cereal is the most popular breakfast food item in the U.S. Greek yogurt, protein shakes, and breakfast bars are also gaining momentum in the country. The reduced intake in cereal could be due to consumers opting for lower sugar options and reduced use of artificial ingredients. The lowered sugar cereal by General Mills may increase the consumption of cereals among those health conscious consumers.