So being diabetic I use splenda as a non nutritive sweetener, have been since I discovered it ant I pretty much know how many drops it takes to do my bowl of oatmeal. This mornings bowl tastes odd, not sweetened at all and perhaps even a bit musty, Not the oats - I went and ate a dry oat, flavor was still good. Not the milk, tasted that and it is still good. I used splenda out of the same bottle just this morning making a batch of lemonade, and lemonade was good - liquid splenda, powdered lemon juice [I get it in the 500 packet box] even tasted the water straight out of the tap and from the filter pitcher.
So I am at an absolute loss, the only thing I can think of was the back to back positive covid tests with minimal covid illness [was less than a mild cold] but nothing else changed taste. Anybody have any suggestions?
Is it unusually old? I find all non-nutritive sweeteners have a fairly short shelf-life, not in the sense that they’ll make you sick but they seem to “lose” sweetness after a while and just taste kind of hollow instead.
Agreed. I can’t speak to liquid Splenda as I only use the powdered, but I’ve found the powdered stuff has a laughably short shelf like – a few weeks at most. I use several packets each day and I buy the small 100-count boxes of packets because if I buy any more than that they’ll have a very distinct “off” taste by the time I finish the box.
I also wonder about age of the stuff. I have been using Truvia (whatever that is, my gf bought some for some reason and I tried it). It is great in iced tea with lemon, but tasting the powder by itself it tastes awful. It tastes “different” a few weeks after the package is opened.
Huh, I’ve never noticed the packets or bulk stuff tasting off. Right now I have a pitcher of Kool Aid in my fridge that I made in January with bulk Splenda and just got back to and it tastes fine. So do my packets.
Yeah man, I was surprised too. I musta made a pitcher for myself before I ended up sort of unexpectedly leaving home for 10 weeks to take care of my mom after surgery. I finally tapped into it this weekend and it was fine. Didn’t even have to shake it.
I know that aspartame (Equal) definitely has a limited shelf life for tasting sweet; diet soft drinks that have been sitting in the can/bottle for a few months lose their sweetness, for this reason.
I’ve not ever read anything that indicates that Splenda (sucralose) has the same issue. I use packets of it for my coffee every morning, and buy a big box of the packets every few months; I’ve never noticed a change in flavor based on how old the packets were. But, YMMV, of course; it may depend on how you’re storing it.
“There is no expiration date required on either SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener Granulated or Packet products. These products are very stable and can remain in your home for years without losing sweetness. However, they should be stored in a cool dry place to avoid moisture.”
Well, expiration date is 2025, so the liquid is within use by date. I opened it a month ago, so it really hasn’t gotten old.
I did a quick covid test, negative. Will wait 48 hours and do another one.
white and brown sugar taste fine, as does local honey and the sample packet of truvia [yuck] I am making the assumption the truvia is supposed to taste like that. So it seems to only be with liquid splenda, not having any powdered splenda around.
I’ve never had a big problem with Splenda or sucralose solution (home-made from pure powdered sucralose). One year I hadn’t used the solution for a couple of months, and it developed a very pale salmon tint. I immediately thought mold of some kind, but it tasted normal, and I didn’t develop any oral or stomach problem. The discoloration hasn’t occurred again.
When i had mostly-asymptomatic covid and after, some stuff tasted weird while other stuff didn’t. Since covid is the variable here and is known to cause taste and smell changes, I’d bet covid, not the Splenda, is the issue.
You are probably right, I will have my husband taste it next time he visits. I can use sugar in the meanwhile - I will simply cut any sweetening to just my oatmeal and my single mug of coffee every day.
Seems silly that just splenda changed taste. I mean, I am actually a supertaster, though I like bitter, and everything I have sampled today tastes fine [I sugared my oatmeal]
