Sucralose continues to be safe in its currently used form, but for some uses, such as those involving heat, EFSA cannot confirm its safety.
According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the sweetener, which is 600 times sweeter than sugar, is safe at 15mg per kg of body weight per day. Current consumer intake remains below this level.
Current applications, in sugar-free foods and beverages such as soft drinks, remain authorised.
Nevertheless, this does not mean it’s safe for all applications. This is particularly the case when it’s heated.
As part of its assessment, EFSA looked into whether sucralose can be used in fine bakery wares, a category that includes biscuits, cookies and crumpets. Wafer paper and cones and wafers for ice cream are the exception, as sucralose in these products is already approved.
EFSA is concerned by the effect of prolonged heating of sucralose in products like biscuits and cookies. According to a recent study, when sucralose is heated for a longer period of time, it can form chlorinated compounds. The health effects of this, EFSA says, are currently unknown.
There is no currently confirmed link to harm from these applications. But the evidence is inconclusive, meaning EFSA cannot confirm that it is safe.
“We confirmed that the current uses of sucralose as a food additive are safe. However, we could not reach the same conclusion for the new proposed uses we assessed, as these may involve several industrial processes requiring prolonged high temperatures,” says Laurence Castle, Chair of the EFSA Scientific Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings.
In home cooking, EFSA says, temperatures vary widely. The food agency cannot confirm the safety of products containing sucralose during frying and baking in the home.
