Low calorie sweeteners: 
                                    Insights into their use, benefits 
                                           and role in a healthy diet
                                                       Based on latest scientific evidence
                           Content                                                                                                                                                                                                     What information can I find in this leaflet?
                             3                    An introduction to low calorie sweeteners                                                                                                                                            This leaflet has been developed by the International Sweeteners 
                             4                    The history of low calorie sweeteners                                                                                                                                                Association (ISA) and aims to provide you with factual, science-based 
                             5                    T    he science behind the benefits of 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       information on low calorie sweeteners, their role and benefits. We 
                                                  low calorie sweeteners                                                                                                                                                               hope that it will be a useful resource in which you will find answers to 
                           11                     Calorie-saving swaps as part of a healthy diet                                                                                                                                       common myths or questions about low calorie sweeteners and insightful 
                           12                     B    ehind the headlines: 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       information on how they can be used as part of a healthy diet. It includes 
                                                  The truth about low calorie sweeteners                                                                                                                                               an overview of the scientific evidence behind the benefits that low 
                           14                     S    ugar reduction in foods and drinks 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       calorie sweeteners can offer, as well as further information related to 
                                                  through reformulation:                                                                                                                                                               the history, safety assessment and approval of low calorie sweeteners by 
                                                  The role of low calorie sweeteners                                                                                                                                                   regulatory authorities in Europe.
                           15                     References 
                                       About ISA
                                       The International Sweeteners Association (ISA) is a non-profit making organisation registered under Belgian law representing manufacturers and users 
                                       of low calorie sweeteners. The ISA is recognised by the European Commission, national and international regulatory authorities, and the World Health 
                                       Organization, and has Non-Government Observer status with the Codex Alimentarius Commission which establishes international food standards. 
                                                                                        For more information, please visit the ISA website: www.sweeteners.org
                                                                                        Scan the QR code to download the ISA booklet ‘Low calorie sweeteners: Role and benefits’ for more detailed, science-based 
                                                                                        information on low calorie sweeteners’ use, safety and benefits.
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          An introduction to low calorie sweeteners
          Low calorie sweeteners provide us with               this is the job of the European Food Safety                At a glance: 
          desirable sweet taste, yet with no, or virtually     Authority (EFSA). All approved low calorie 
          no, calories, when used to replace sugar in          sweeteners can therefore be safely used in a               Low calorie sweeteners...
          foods and drinks, or as table-top sweeteners.        variety of sweet-tasting foods and drinks.
          All low calorie sweeteners have a much                 
          higher sweetening power than sugar, meaning          Each low calorie sweetener has a unique 
          that they are hundreds of times sweeter              profile, but they all share the important 
          than sugar by weight. Only tiny amounts              benefit of providing sweet taste with no/                           Energy           …provide sweet taste with 
          are needed to produce the desired level of           virtually no calories. They are also non-
          sweetness in foods and beverages. This is            cariogenic – which means they won’t cause                            0 kJ            no/ very few calories
          why they are also usually referred to as intense     tooth decay – and they can be useful to                             0 kcal
          sweeteners or high intensity sweeteners.             people with diabetes since they do not affect 
                                                               blood glucose levels, unlike sugar. In light 
          Low calorie sweeteners have a long history of        of the recent recommendations by health 
          safe use. The discovery of the first sweetener,      organisations worldwide to reduce the intake                                         …are used in foods, beverages 
          saccharin, dates back to over a century ago,         of sugar in our everyday diet, low calorie                                           and table-top sweeteners 
          in 1879. Since then, a number of low calorie         sweeteners actually offer a simple way to do                                         in very small amounts given 
          sweeteners including acesulfame potassium,           this. They can help us reduce our intake of                                          their sweetness potency
          aspartame, cyclamate, saccharin, steviol             calories from sugar and still allow for great-
          glycosides (stevia) and sucralose has been           tasting sweet products. 
          developed. For a low calorie sweetener to be 
          approved for use on the market, it must first 
          undergo a thorough safety assessment by the 
          competent food safety authority. In the EU                                                                                                Their safety has been 
                                                                                                                                                    thoroughly tested and 
                                                                                                                                                    confirmed by regulatory 
                                                                                                                                                    authorities around the world 
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                                                        The history of low calorie sweeteners
         Use of low calorie                             Low calorie sweeteners have a long history of     evaluating the safety of all additives including 
         sweeteners in Europe                           safe use, which dates back to the discovery       low calorie sweeteners rests with the 
                                                        of the first sweetener, saccharin, almost 140     Joint Expert Scientific Committee on Food 
         In the European Union (EU), the                years ago. Over the last century, many low        Additives (JECFA) of the United Nations Food 
         European Food Safety Authority                 calorie sweeteners have been developed            & Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the 
         (EFSA) is responsible for providing            for use in a variety of foods and beverages       World Health Organization (WHO). JECFA 
         independent scientific advice to the           worldwide.                                        serves as an independent scientific committee 
         decision makers who regulate food                                                                which performs safety assessments and 
         safety in Europe. In the approval              Low calorie sweeteners are among the              provides advice to FAO, WHO and the 
         process for low calorie sweeteners,            most thoroughly tested food ingredients in        member countries of both organisations.
         EFSA must review the scientific safety         the world, with a strong body of scientific 
         data for each low calorie sweetener            evidence and extensive research supporting 
         and ensure that the sweetener is safe          their safe use in foods, beverages and table-
         before it can be approved for use              top sweeteners. 
         in foods and beverages. Analysing              At an international level, the responsibility of 
         the safety studies is a thorough               Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) evaluation of low calorie sweeteners
         process and its completion may take 
         up to several years. Following the 
         publication of a scientific opinion                                           Acesulfame potassium
         by EFSA, the European Commission                 Aspartame                    and Sucralose                    Aspartame-acesulfame salt
         and Member States experts are 
         responsible for the authorisation                   Cyclamate                                                                             Steviol glycosides
         of use of low calorie sweeteners in 
         foods and drinks on the EU market.                            Thaumatin                  Saccharin                        Neotame                          Advantame
         There are currently 11 low calorie 
         sweeteners approved for use in 
         Europe.
                                                           19811982      1985            1990       1993                  2000      2003             2008             2013
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