Intense sweeteners
Intense sweeteners are non-sugar substances that can be added to
food and drink products instead of sugar. They are many times
sweeter than conventional sugar which means that much lower
quantities are needed to give a product the desired sweet taste.
Their development has led to the production of a wide range of
low-calorie drinks and so they are often referred to as low-calorie
sweeteners.
The development of intense sweeteners dates back to the First
World War when the supply of sugar was limited. At this time
saccharin, which was both readily available and affordable, was
blended with sugar to sweeten products. Since then various
combinations have been developed improving the taste profile and
appeal of products.
Through technological developments, manufacturers have found
that blending different intense sweeteners, sometimes with sugar,
can lead to a better product taste profile. For this reason, many
manufacturers now use a blend of sweeteners rather than one single
intense sweetener in their drinks.
Another advantage in using intense sweeteners is that they are
normally cheaper than sugar, partly because less needed to achieve
the same level of sweetness. Furthermore, the prime concern of UK
soft drinks manufacturers is to provide a high quality product
which appeals to the majority of consumers whilst also responding
to Government-endorsed dietary advice and increasing demands for
low sugar products.
The most commonly used intense sweeteners in UK soft drinks
are:
Acesulfame-K
Aspartame
Sucralose
Neotame
Legislation
All intense sweeteners approved for use in the UK are governed
by the Sweeteners in Food Regulations 1995 which implements the EU
Directive of 1994. This legislation sets limits for the use of each
intense sweetener in food and drink products. The law also states
that when any intense sweetener is used there must be a minimum 30%
reduction in sugar content when compared to regular products. The
use of intense sweeteners also has implications under the Food
Labelling Regulations 1995.
Acceptable daily intake levels (ADIs) are also set for each
intense sweetener. These indicate levels for safe consumption of
intense sweeteners every day over a life time and have a built in
safety factor of 100 times.