Dive Brief:
- Researchers at Drexel University have found that erythritol, an ingredient in Truvia artificial sweetener, makes for a remarkably effective insecticide.
- The scientists confirmed the results of a study three years ago -- which was done by a young man named Simon Kaschock-Marenda for his sixih-grade science fair.
- Kaschock-Marenda found that fruit flies that ate Truvia died within just six days, whereas insects that ate Equal, Sweet-n-low or Splenda lived for five to seven weeks. Kaschock-Marenda's Dad was one of the scientists at Drexel who have now confimed the danger of erythritol to bugs.
Dive Insight:
Well, this whole thing is a little strange.
First: insects can't tell the difference between sugar and artificial sweeteners? We'd have thought that fruit flies had a more educated palate.
Second: what in the world is the artificial-sweetener industry supposed to do with information like this? The brands that did "well" on the test would be hard-pressed to come up with a way to capitalize on the study. We just can't imagine an ad campaign that says something like "Preferred by nine out of 10 insects!"
Third: Pity poor Truvia. The study has already led people to question the safety of the sweetener for humans.