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| March 18, 1997 |
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| Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation Plans to
Build Overseas Production Erythritol Facility |
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| Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation |
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Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President: Akira
Miura) is proud to announce an outline of its plans to build an Erythritol production
facility. The new facility will have a yearly capacity of more than 20,000 tons.
Erythritol is a low-calorie sweetener used as a food ingredient.
Erythritol is a sugar alcohol with 70% of the sweetness of sugar. It is an extremely
low calorie sugar alcohol at 0 - 0.2 calories per gram compared to other sugar
alcohols such as Sorbitol, Maltitol, Mannitol and Xylitol. Erythritol has much
less of laxative effect than other sugar alcohols. The sugar alcohols tend to
cause laxative effect when consumed in large quantities. The demand for Erythritol
in Japan has grown rapidly as a sweetener in drinks, candy, chocolate, chewing
gum and other confectionery products since it was introduced to the market in
1990 by Mitsubishi-Kagaku Foods Corporation (100% owned by Mitsubishi Chemical
Corp.) and Nikken Chemicals Co., Ltd. In fact, the demand has already far surpassed
production capacity.
The Mitsubishi Chemical Erythritol facility is being built in the United States
to respond to the strong demand for the product in Japan and expected demand in
the U.S., as well as to ensure a stable supply of glucose, the major raw material
used in Erythritol production. Preparations are underway to determine the production
site and other details of the plan. Preliminary approval has been obtained from
Cargil, Inc., for the construction of a plant at one of its five corn wet milling
facilities. Cargil, Inc., a global food company, is one of the largest producers
of glucose in the United States. Final site selection and other details about
the project is expected to be made in August of this year with construction to
be completed by middle of 1999.
| For further information, please contact |
| Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, |
| Public Relations Dept., |
| Tel: [+81] 3-3283-6274 |
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