Ajinomoto Co Inc, Japan's top maker of food seasonings, said on Monday it would spend 6 billion yen ($58.8 million) to expand output of the artificial sweetener aspartame in Japan and France. Ajinomoto, which competes with US firm NutraSweet Co, said the move was to meet growing demand from food and beverage manufacturers for aspartame in the United States and Europe.
The expansion of production facilities at its Yokkaichi plant in Japan and Gravelines plant in France will boost the firm's global annual output capacity of aspartame to 10,000 tonnes.
The company did not disclose current capacity, but said it supplied 40 percent of global sweetener demand of 15,000 tonnes. "Rising concerns about overweight and obesity have significantly increased consumer demand for good tasting, low calorie foods and beverages," Ajinomoto President Kunio Egashira said in a statement.