What is "Organic Zero" sweetener?

[Taedareth]

Organic Zero is sold by the same organic/fair trade company that makes wholesome sweeteners like sucanat. But this doesn't look natural to me. What IS this stuff?

[Metasequoia]

Erythritol is a corn dreivative, as far as I know. I just read this article today about natural & artificial sweeteners in the Philly Inquirer & it was discussed.

[nym]

I've seen it too, but I dont know much about it and dont know if it is worth trying..

[Taedareth]

Quoted from the article posted above:

Erythritol
A natural sugar alcohol, erythritol (ee-RITH-ri-tol) is found in fruits and fermented foods. It is 60 to 70 percent as sweet as sugar, with a lighter, cooler taste and almost no calories. Absorbed mostly in the small intestine, it rarely causes gastric distress (laxative effect, gas or bloating) as noted with other sugar alcohols such as xylitol, maltitol or sorbitol, unless used in excess.

For baking, erythritol has some of sugar's tenderizing effect and can partially replace sugar for most uses, especially in combination with chocolate, where artificial sweeteners don't cut it.

It is used in several new sweeteners, among them:

Organic Zero. Organic erythritol produced by fermenting organic sugar-cane juice puts this close to sugar, but the slightly larger crystals have a lighter (less sweet), "cool" taste. For some that's fine; others may want to use 25 to 30 percent more.

Organic Zero comes in a 35-packet (6.2-ounce) box, $8.69, or 12-ounce pouch, $12.49, at Whole Foods.

So... it's a lot like xylitol?