Current Exhibits
Temporary Exhibit -- The Skinny on Diet Drinks
Artificial sweeteners have been around since the early 1900s but it wasn’t until after World War II that their usage really took off. Finally approved for food use by this time, artificial sweeteners have faced their ups and downs over the past 50 years.
The soft drink industry was quick to pick up on the idea of dieting. They realized they had the opportunity to fill a new niche that had been created in the consumer market. Fifty years ago, Royal Crown introduced Diet Rite, the first major nationally marketed diet soft drink. Consumers loved it. By 1964, more than 2 dozen diet drinks were fighting for their attention. Diet Rite, Tab, Dietetic Dr Pepper, and Patio Diet Cola led the field.
