Fruit2o

Fruit2o, manufactured by Kraft, is a lightly flavored, non-carbonated water beverage introduced in 1999. Fruit2o was introduced to compete not only with the bottled water market but also with the soft drink market.

Ingredients
Fruit2O was originally made by Veryfine Products of Littleton, MA, which used spring water, citric acid, natural flavors, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (to preserve freshness) and sucralose as its only sweetener. Since Kraft purchased the company, the beverage is no longer made with spring water, and the artificial sweetener Ace-K (acesulfame potassium) has been added.

Acesulfame K is 180-200 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar), as sweet as aspartame, about half as sweet as saccharin, and one-quarter the sweetness of sucralose. Like saccharin, it has a slightly bitter aftertaste, especially at high concentrations. Kraft Foods has patented the use of sodium ferulate to mask acesulfame's aftertaste. Alternatively, acesulfame K is often blended with aspartame or other sweeteners. These blends are reputed to give a more sugar-like taste where each sweetener masks the other's aftertaste, and to exhibit a synergistic effect wherein the blend is sweeter than its components.

The current ingredients vary slightly with each flavor, but generally include purified water, less than 2% of natural flavor, citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, sucralose (Splenda), acesulfame potassium, sodium benzoate, and potassium sorbate.

It contains no calories, fat, or sugar.

Fruit2o Plus 10 ingredients also include ascorbic acid (vitamin C), niacinamide, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, calcium pantothenate (vitamin B5) and biotin (B vitamins), vitamin E acetate, zinc gluconate, magnesium sulfate, sodium selenite, calcium disodium EDTA.

Original Flavors

 * Apple
 * Cherry
 * Grape
 * Lemon
 * Lime
 * Peach
 * Orange
 * Raspberry
 * Strawberry
 * Tropical Fruit

Fruit2o Plus 10 Vitamins and Minerals

 * Natural Berry
 * Natural Apple
 * Watermelon Kiwi
 * Immunity: Berry Pomegranate
 * Hydration: Strawberry Tangerine
 * Relax: Tropical Fruit Blend
 * Energy: Raspberry
 * Energy: Blueberry

External Link(s)

 * Fruit2o's Official Site
 * American Diabetes Association News
 * Fruit2o Article
 * information on negative health effects of splenda