Mondelez International has patented a new sugar reduction ingredient specifically for chocolate, which it claims can cut sugar by up to 50 %. Unlike many other attempts to reduce or replace sugar in confectionery with dietary fibre, it says the ingredient can be used in tempering, conching and moulding, and does not have the same propensity to cause bloating and flatulence as other fibres like inulin and FOS.

The company owns several major global chocolate brands, including Milka, Cadbury and Toblerone, but the fibre could be used to reduce sugar in chocolate products and inclusions too, such as those used for biscuits, cakes and coatings, flakes and sprinkles, or in chocolate-nut spreads. The ingredient could also help companies draw attention to added fibre, as many consumers lack sufficient dietary fibre.