sweeteners
The Truth About Sweeteners Only 11 low-calorie sweeteners are approved for use in soft drinks in Europe. Colm Jordan, Director, Irish Beverage Council, examines the four most popular sweeteners.
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weeteners, also known as low-calorie sweeteners and artificial sweeteners, are used to provide sweetness of taste without the calories. There are many types of sweeteners, including aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame K, neotame, neohesperidine DC, cyclamates and saccharin. Only approved sweeteners may be used in food and drink products and they are subjected to a lengthy and vigorous valuation procedure before approval is given. In the EU, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) must provide a scientific assessment on all sweeteners. Safety assessments are also carried out by numerous national and international food safety authorities including the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) of the World Health Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation, as well as regulatory agencies in many countries worldwide.
Sweeteners and Soft Drinks Sweeteners are used in no- and low-calorie soft drinks in order to provide sweetness without calories. Soft drinks sweetened with a low-calorie sweetener can play a useful role in helping people to manage their calorie intake as a part of a sensible and healthy lifestyle. The soft drinks industry is always seeking to improve its offering to consumers by developing innovative products, using new sweeteners which satisfy the demands of consumers to be excellent tasting, natural and low in calories. New sweeteners can only be used after approval has been obtained from the EU Commission based on EFSA’s scientific assessment. Sweeteners are always clearly labelled at least twice on soft drinks in the EU. European food labelling legislation requires that the presence of a low-calorie sweetener in foods and drinks is indicated on the label as ‘With sweetener(s)’ next to the description of the product. On a label, an additive must be designated by the name of its functional class, followed by its specific name, or its E number e.g. “sweetener: aspartame” or “sweetener: E951” 38 | FOOD IRELAND YEARBOOK 2019/20
Meet the Sweeteners There are 11 low-calorie sweeteners approved for use in soft drinks in Europe, and most parts of the world. Let’s take a closer look at the four that are most frequently used, either on their own or in combination, to achieve the desired taste profile. Acesulfame K (E950) Discovered in 1967, Acesulfame K has been approved for use in Europe since 1983. It is 150-200 times sweeter than sugar and so only a tiny quality is used. Extensive studies support the safety of Acesulfame K and demonstrate that it is safe for human consumption. Aspartame (E951) The three components of aspartame, phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol, are commonly found in nature, including in eggs and tomatoes. Aspartame is one of the most thoroughly tested ingredients in history. Over 200 studies confirm its safety, including the latest EFSA Scientific Risk Assessment in 2013. Steviol Glycosides (Stevia – E960) Used in Europe since 2011, natives of Paraguay have been using Stevia widely for over 1,500 years. Stevia is the only low-calorie sweetener of natural origin approved in Europe. Regulatory agencies around the world have reviewed the safety and authorised the use of steviol glycosides. Sucralose (E955) Discovered in 1976, this sweetener measures 500-600 times sweeter than sugar on the sweetness index. Sucralose is produced from sucrose (table sugar) and is therefore structurally very similar. Extensive studies support the safety of sucralose and demonstrate that it is safe for human consumption. This article is based on the UNESDA Sweeteners Infographic – for more, see UNESDA.eu.