SPLENDA(R) Sweeteners Take a Bite Out of the Big Apple

    FORT WASHINGTON, Pa., Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- With apple picking season
 in full swing, McNeil Nutritionals, LLC, the maker of SPLENDA(R)
 Sweeteners, has teamed up with renowned Pastry Chef Bill Yosses to create
 the world's largest candied apple. The giant confection, which measures 15
 feet tall with a diameter of 12 feet, will be created to celebrate the
 launch of official brand cookbook -- The SPLENDA(R) World of Sweetness:
 Recipes for Homemade Desserts and Delicious Drinks.
     "Our goal in building this unique candied apple is to bring a bit of
 autumn fun to the residents of New York, while reinforcing that making
 reduced sugar treats can still produce amazing results," said Chef Yosses.
 "The candied apple is a traditional family favorite, and my recipe is just
 one of the great-tasting options available in the new cookbook."
     The giant candied apple, which will be unveiled at 8:00 am EDT in
 Bryant Park, NY on October 19th and will remain on display until 4:00 pm
 that day, is the largest candied apple ever "grown".
     Other "bites" include:
      * Measurements of over 15 feet tall and 12 feet wide
      * Weighs 3,000 pounds
      * Wooden stick measures 6 feet tall
      * More than 200 hours spent creating the apple
      * 10,000 apples used, all from local New York State orchards
      * 100 gallons of candy coating poured
      * 800 pounds of SPLENDA(R) Sugar Blend for Baking used, which translates
        to a savings of 800 pounds of "added sugars" and 1,228,800 total
        calories
     The 125 crates of apples that will be used to create the "core" of the
 confection will be donated to food rescue organization City Harvest
 following the event.
     The candied apple recipe, and nearly 100 others, can be found in The
 SPLENDA(R) World of Sweetness cookbook available for pre-order now at
 Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com and in bookstores nationwide and at
 http://www.splenda.com beginning November 1, 2006, for a suggested retail
 price of $19.95. Five special-edition advance copies of the cookbook,
 autographed by celebrity chefs who contributed recipes, will be auctioned
 on eBay beginning October 19th with the proceeds to benefit City Harvest.
     About SPLENDA(R) Sweeteners
     SPLENDA(R) Sweeteners are marketed by McNeil Nutritionals, LLC.
 SPLENDA(R) Brand Sweetener is used in more than 4,000 products of major
 food brands worldwide. You can find out more about SPLENDA(R) Sweeteners or
 get recipes and tips on cooking and baking with the brand by logging on to
 http://www.splenda.com or call 1-800-7-SPLENDA (1-800-777-5363).
     About McNeil Nutritionals
     McNeil Nutritionals, LLC, is a marketer of innovative nutritional
 products. The company's mission is to give people the ability to actively
 manage their own health. McNeil Nutritionals, LLC, markets SPLENDA(R) No
 Calorie Sweetener, SPLENDA(R) Sugar Blend, SPLENDA(R) Brown Sugar Blend,
 SPLENDA(R) Quick Pack(TM) No Calorie Sweetener Pouches, SPLENDA(R) Flavor
 Blends for Coffee, VIACTIV(R) Calcium Soft Chews, VIACTIV(R) Multi-Vitamin
 Soft Chews, VIACTIV(R) for Teens Calcium Soft Chews, LACTAID(R) Milk and
 Dietary Supplements, and BENECOL(R) Spreads. McNeil Nutritionals, LLC, is
 headquartered in Fort Washington, PA.
     Contacts:  Joanna Young               Sherri Satalof
                RF|Binder Partners         McNeil Nutritionals, LLC
                212-994-7556               215-273-7449
 
 

SOURCE McNeil Nutritionals, LLC