The Calorie Control Council supports the findings of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on saccharin.
The review conducted by the EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings on saccharin examined all available research on saccharin, considering both short-term and long-term effects. This review assessed the potential impact of saccharin on cancer, neurological outcomes, reproductive health, fetal development, and genetic outcomes. Based on their findings, EFSA concluded that saccharin is safe and raised its Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) from 5 to 9 mg/kg body weight per day.
In response to the report, the Calorie Control Council has issued the following statement:
“This rigorous scientific review from the European Food Safety Authority on saccharin not only reinforces decades of research validating its safety but recommends an increase of the Acceptable Daily Intake, further endorsing its status as a trusted ingredient,” said Carla Saunders, President, Calorie Control Council. “As one of the most extensively researched substances in the international food supply, saccharin remains a valued tool for consumers to reduce sugar and caloric intake for healthier outcomes.”
On Saccharin:
Saccharin was discovered in 1879 and has been used as a non-caloric sweetener in foods and beverages for more than 100 years. It is one of the most studied ingredients in the food supply and has been the subject of extensive scientific research. It is approved in more than 100 countries around the world and has been reviewed and determined safe by international regulatory and scientific bodies, including the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Scientific Committee for Food of the European Union.
For more information on saccharin, click here.
For EFSA’s summary, click here.
For EFSA’s full report, “Re-evaluation of saccharin and its sodium, potassium and calcium salts (E 954) as food additives,” click here.
Do you have questions about low-calorie sweeteners? Want to learn more about maintaining a healthy lifestyle? You asked and we listened. Our resident Registered Dietitians answered the most popular questions about low-calorie sweeteners.
