The selling point for agave syrup, an increasingly popular sweetener made from cactus, is its high fructose content. Melissa's/World Variety Produce, Los Angeles, uses agave as a substitute for sugar in most products in its Good Life Food product line of shelf-stable organic foods, including salad dressings, stir fry sauces, marinades, and pasta sauces.
Pure fructose, which has escaped the criticism leveled at HFCS, sweetens some innovative beverages. Fuze Beverage LLC, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., lightly sweetens its "healthier" beverages with fructose, along with low-calorie sweeteners.
Glacéau, Whitestone, N.Y., created both its Vitaminwaters and Fruitwaters with a touch of pure crystalline fructose, as well as electrolytes and nutrients. "Crystalline fructose is simply pure 100 percent fructose in crystalline form that offers unique benefits, including improved product texture, taste, and stability," says COO Carol Dollard.
