Sugar packet

A typical sugar packet contains 2 to 4 grams of sugar. Some sugar packets in countries such as Poland contain 5 to 10 grams of sugar.{{cite book |last1=Thorvald |first1=P. |last2=Case |first2=K. |title=Advances in Manufacturing Technology XXXII: Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Manufacturing Research, incorporating the 33rd National Conference on Manufacturing Research, September 11 – 13, 2018, University of Skövde, Sweden |date=29 August 2018 |publisher=IOS Press |isbn=978-1-61499-902-7 |page=217 |language=en}} Sugar packet sizes, shapes, and weights differ by brand, region, and other factors. Because a gram of any carbohydrate contains 4 nutritional calories (also referred to as "food calories" or kilo-calories), a typical four-gram sugar packet has 16 nutritional calories.

The amount of sugar substitute in a packet generally differs from the volume and weight of sugar in a packet. Packets of sugar substitutes typically contain an amount of sweetener that provides an amount of sweetness comparable to a packet containing sugar.

Packets are often colored to provide simple identification of the type of sweetener in the pack.{{Cite news|url=https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/11/which-sweetener-should-you-choose/|title=Choosing a Sugar Substitute|last=Chang|first=Kenneth|work=Well|date=11 June 2012 |access-date=2018-08-16|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.myrecipes.com/extracrispy/what-the-color-of-your-artificial-sweetener-packet-can-tell-you|title=What the Color of Your Artificial Sweetener Packet Can Tell You|work=MyRecipes|access-date=2018-08-16|language=en}}

The sugar cube was used in restaurants until it began to be replaced directly after World War II. At this time, machines were made that could produce small packets of sugar for nearly half the cost.

The sugar packet was invented by Benjamin Eisenstadt,{{cite web|url=http://www.marketplace.org/topics/business/ive-always-wondered/why-are-ketchup-packets-so-unsatisfying|title=Why are ketchup packets so... unsatisfying?|work=marketplace.org|date=11 May 2015 }} the founder of Cumberland Packing best known as the manufacturer, distributor and marketer of Sweet 'N Low.{{cite book |last1=Jackson |first1=Kenneth T. |last2=Keller |first2=Lisa |last3=Flood |first3=Nancy |title=The Encyclopedia of New York City: Second Edition |date=1 December 2010 |publisher=Yale University Press |isbn=978-0-300-18257-6 |page=5926 |language=en}} Eisenstadt had been a tea bag factory worker,{{cite book |author=((The Editors of New York Magazine)) |title=Highbrow, Lowbrow, Brilliant, Despicable: Fifty Years of New York Magazine |date=7 November 2017 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-1-5011-6684-6 |page=284 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AUo8DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA284 |language=en}} and became irritated by the task of refilling and unclogging all the sugar dispensers in his Brooklyn cafeteria across from the Brooklyn Navy Yard. He did not patent the idea and lost market share after discussions with larger sugar companies. However, Sweet 'N Low artificial sweetener packets were an outgrowth of that business.

The hobby of collecting sugar packets is known as sucrology.{{cite book |last1=Records |first1=Guinness World |title=Guinness World Records 2017 |date=8 September 2016 |publisher=Guinness Superlatives Limited |isbn=978-1-910561-34-8 |page=93 |language=en}} Sucrologists normally collect the small packets of sugar that are most commonly found in restaurants, hotels and airlines. Collectors can, for example, focus on the variety of types of sugar or brand names. Sugar packets are also handy forms of advertisement for businesses.

There are numerous sucrology themed clubs in Europe. The most notable club is the UK Sucrologists' Club.{{Cite web|url=http://www.uksucrologistsclub.org.uk/main/index.html|title=Welcome {{!}} UK Sucrologists Club|website=www.uksucrologistsclub.org.uk|access-date=2019-01-22}} Clubs may hold annual meetings locally or internationally, where sucrologists from around the world gather to trade sugar packets and meet fellow sucrologists. The most important international meeting is held in Italy in Pieve di Cento (Bologna) and brings together 150 exhibitors from 14 countries.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sweetsugarworld.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130307061507/http://www.sweetsugarworld.com/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=March 7, 2013|title=SWEET SUGAR WORLD - un dolce mondo di zucchero collezionare bustine di zucchero www.sarata.it|website=www.sweetsugarworld.com|access-date=2019-03-14}}

On May 14, 2013, a world record was made by Ralf Schröder{{cite web|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-collection-of-sugar-packets |title=Largest collection of sugar packets |publisher=Guinness World Records |date=2013-05-14 |accessdate=2018-08-16}} in Germany whose collection consists of 14,502 sugar packets. Previous record belonged to Kristen Dennis {{cite web|author=Rob Manker |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2012/09/25/guinness-records-not-what-they-once-were-why-is-simultaneous-head-shaving-a-category/ |title=Guinness Book of World Records, not what it once was - tribunedigital-chicagotribune |publisher=Articles.chicagotribune.com |date=2012-09-25 |access-date=2018-08-16}} of Chicago, US, who logged 9,596 sugar packets in 2012.

{{Commons category|Sugar packets}}

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Packet

Category:American inventions

Category:Food packaging

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