Sucralose is the low-calorie sweetener made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar. It is about 600 times sweeter than sugar and can be used in place of sugar to eliminate or reduce calories in a wide variety of products, including beverages, baked goods, desserts, dairy products, canned fruits, syrups and condiments.

Sucralose was discovered in 1976. More than 100 scientific studies conducted over a 20-year period have conclusively demonstrated that sucralose is safe for consumption. In 1990, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) was the first regulatory body to endorse the safety of sucralose. In 1991, Canada’s Health Protection Branch became the first national regulatory agency to endorse sucralose safety and permit its use in foods and beverages. In 1998, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of sucralose in 15 food and beverage categories -- the broadest initial approval ever given to a food additive. Then, in August 1999, the FDA extended the approval by permitting sucralose use as a general-purpose sweetener in all foods, beverages, dietary supplements and medical foods. In January 2004, the European Union amended its Sweeteners Directive to permit the use of sucralose in a broad range of food and beverage products. Sucralose is now permitted for use in over 60 countries and has been consumed by millions of people worldwide.

What is sucralose?

Sucralose is the low-calorie sweetener made from sugar. It is used around the world as an ingredient in processed foods and beverages and in tabletop sweeteners available in supermarkets and other consumer outlets.

What is sucralose made of?

Sucralose is derived from sugar through a patented, multi-step process that selectively substitutes three chlorine atoms for three hydrogen-oxygen groups on the sugar molecule. The tightly bound chlorine atoms create a molecular structure that is exceptionally stable.

Sucralose is made from sucrose by the process of selective chlorination. The route involves protection of the primary hydroxyl groups by trityl ethers and the secondary hydroxyl groups by acetates. Detritylation followed by acetyl migration gives the sucrose penta-acetate with the desired reaction sites unprotected. Chlorination using a system which inverts the configuration at carbon 4 from the gluco to the galacto-analogue followed by deacetylation leads to the required product sucralose..

SUCRALOSE – HEALTH BENEFITS

Sucralose is made from sugar so it tastes like sugar and does not have a bitter aftertaste. Sucralose maintains its sweetness under the high heat of cooking and baking.

Sucralose is safe and can be used by the entire family, including children, women who are pregnant or nursing and even people with diabetes.

Sucralose was put through a very extensive and thorough safety testing program. Health and regulatory agencies around the world have thoroughly evaluated these studies and each has concluded that sucralose is safe for use in all populations.

Sucralose is a helpful alternative for people who wish to reduce their sugar or caloric intake. Sucralose is calorie free, because even though it is derived from a carbohydrate, it is not recognized by the body as a carbohydrate and is not broken down in the body for energy.

Sucralose does not cause cavities. Although sucralose is made from sugar, studies show that it is not used as a nutrient source by the oral bacteria that cause tooth decay.