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Saccharin oddly dropped as energy drink ingredient (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

acai

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'energy drink ingredient' is the definition.
I don't know anything about this answer so I cannot judge whether this works.

'saccharin oddly dropped' is the wordplay.
'oddly dropped' means one should take alternating letters (letters in odd-numbered positions removed).
The alternate letters of 'saccharin' are 'ACAI'.

'as' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for acai that I've seen before include "South American palm tree" , "fruit which is nutritious" , "South American food product" , "something nutritional to eat" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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