Sweeteners
As we aim to eat less sugar, many of us are turning more and more to alternative sweeteners.
Intense sweeteners such as acesulfame-K (E950), aspartame (E951) and saccharin (E954) are very low in calories and are safer for teeth.
Bulk sweeteners, such as sorbitol (E420), can be used to replace sugar in products.
As with all additives, sweeteners are thoroughly assessed for safety before they are permitted for use, and they are only then permitted to be used in a limited range of products.
The Food Standards Agency carries out work on sweeteners to ensure that their presence in food does not compromise food safety.
The use of sweeteners in food is controlled in Great Britain by the Sweeteners in Foods Regulations 1995 (SI 1995 No.3123) as amended by SI 1996 No. 1477, SI 1997 No. 814, SI 1999 No. 982, SI 2001 No. 2294 and SI 2002 No. 379. Similar regulations are in force in Northern Ireland.
Please contact the Stationery Office for copies of these regulations. From 2000 separate amending regulations have been made in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
For more information please email foodadditives@foodstandards.gsi.gov.ukor telephone 020 7276 8570.
Related links
(pdf 170KB)Find out more
Aspartame
Aspartame is an intense sweetener, approximately 200 times sweeter than sugar, which has been used in soft drinks and other low-calorie or sugar-free foods throughout the world for more than 25 years.
Steviol glycosides
Steviol glycosides are high intensity sweeteners, 250-300 times sweeter than sucrose. They are isolated and purified from the leaves of the stevia plant (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni), where it is present at levels up to 13%.