Food: Crisis in the Diet Market

The ban on cyclamates, ordered by HEW Secretary Robert Finch last week, might hit millions of weight-watchers in the waistline, but it is a real body blow to the rich diet-food industry. In the 20 years since cyclamates were discovered, sales of products containing the nonnutritive sweeteners have risen to $1 billion annually. An estimated 21 million pounds of cyclamates will be consumed this year. The biggest manufacturer, Chicago's Abbott Laboratories, figures that cyclamates account for 4% of its sales, which were $351 million last year.

Worst hurt will be the processors...

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