LONDON, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Nestle NESN.S , the world's largest packaged food group, said it had made a scientific breakthrough that has the potential to reduce sugar in its candy products by up to 40 percent.

"Our scientists have discovered a completely new way to use a traditional, natural ingredient," the company's chief technology officer, Stefan Catsicas, said in a statement late on Wednesday.

The announcement comes as a global obesity epidemic ramps up pressure on food makers to make their products healthier.

Using only natural ingredients, Nestle said its researchers had found a way to structure sugar differently, so that less sugar can be used in chocolate with no difference to taste.

The maker of Kitkat and Aero bars said it was patenting its findings and would begin to use the faster-dissolving sugar across a range of its confectionery products from 2018.

(Reporting by Martinne Geller in London; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu) ((martinne.geller@thomsonreuters.com; +44)(0)(2075420797; Reuters Messaging: martinne.geller.reuters.com@reuters.net))