European Food Safety Authority Reaffirms Safety of Sucralose

The Calorie Control Council strongly supports and commends the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)’s reaffirmation of the safety of sucralose, reflecting the conclusions of the most thorough and comprehensive safety assessment of the ingredient in the past 20 years.

The review conducted by the EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavorings examined available scientific evidence, including original safety and technical data that formed the basis of the original approval of sucralose, as well as new data published since the original approval – the primary source being published scientific literature.  

Based on their findings, EFSA concluded that sucralose is safe and that no revisions to the current Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of 15 mg/kg body weight per day were necessary. ADI is the average daily intake of a food ingredient that can be consumed over a lifetime without appreciable health risk.

EFSA is generally accepted as the ‘gold standard’ globally for ingredient safety evaluation. This outcome, based on EFSA’s independent experts, should be welcomed and endorsed by the Trump administration, the MAHA movement, and their scientific contributors.

In response to the report, the Calorie Control Council has issued the following statement:

‎“The science is clear, sucralose is safe. EFSA, one of the ‎world’s foremost food safety authorities, ‎once again affirmed the safety of sucralose, with the most comprehensive evaluation of scientific ‎evidence in the past 20 years, giving consumers continued confidence to enjoy lower-sugar, great-‎tasting products, including those managing weight or diabetes,” said Carla Saunders, president, ‎Calorie Control Council‎.‎

Key Findings from EFSA’s Report:

• No safety concerns were identified for sucralose or its breakdown products.
• The Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) remains unchanged at 15 mg/kg/day.
• Current consumer intake levels remain well below ADI, with no safety concerns if consumption exceeds ADI.
• No changes were made to approved uses or maximum permitted levels for sucralose in foods

The U.S. has the highest rates of type 2 diabetes and obesity in the developed world. Millions of Americans use low- and no-calorie sweeteners to help manage chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity.  The public wants options for managing sugar intake and calorie reduction. Low- and no-calorie sweeteners, including sucralose, are a proven safe and effective choice.

About Sucralose:

Sucralose was discovered in 1976 and has been used as a non-caloric sweetener in foods and beverages for more than 40 years. It is one of the most studied ingredients in the food supply. More than 100 studies conducted and evaluated over a 20-year period have confirmed sucralose’s safety.

Sucralose is approved in more than 80 countries worldwide and has been reviewed and deemed safe by international regulatory and scientific bodies, including the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Scientific Committee for Food of the European Union. 

For an FAQ on EFSA’s sucralose recommendations, click here.

For more information on sucralose, click here.

For more information on Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), click here.

For EFSA’s summary, click here.