Today’s missive from the Sugar Association, which represents sugar farmers, has that proverbial bitter aftertaste. They’re feeling sour about the settlement between the healthcare giant, which sells Splenda, and Merisant, which markets Equal.

The Sugar Boys say that J&J settled the lawsuit last week - just as a deliberating jury asked for a calculator and a white board - in order to extend its “deceptive marketing practices.” The issue is the phrase ‘Made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar.” J&J opponents say Splenda is anything but a sweet dream - it’s no more natural than other artificial sweeteners.

The group has a similar lawsuit pending against J&J that’s scheduled to go to trial in November.
“We know J&J then rushed to court and paid millions to persuade Merisant to agree to a secret settlement. We know all of this was done for money and with no concern for the American consumer,” says Dan Callister, the sugar lawyer. “It is wrong to tell them they are eating sugar when they are eating a chlorinated chemical.”

Yes, but a spoonful of chlorinated chemical helps the coffee go down.

Here’s the sugary statement.[tags]Johnson & Johnson, Splenda[/tags]