Sucralose is the only non-caloric
sweetener made from sugar. Sucralose is derived from sugar through a
multi-step patented manufacturing process that selectively substitutes
three atoms of chlorine for three hydroxyl groups on the sugar molecule.
This change produces a sweetener that has no calories, yet is 600 times
sweeter than sucrose. Sucralose tastes like sugar. It has a clean,
quickly perceptible, sweet taste that does not leave an unpleasant
aftertaste. The exceptional stability of sucralose allows both food
manufacturers and consumers to use it virtually anywhere sugar is used,
including cooking and baking.
Discovered in 1976, sucralose has
been developed jointly by McNeil Specialty Products Company, a member of
the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies, and Tate & Lyle,
PLC, a world leader in sweeteners and starches. Sucralose was granted
approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on April 1, 1998
and approved for use in 15 food and beverage categories. This is the
broadest initial approval ever granted by FDA for a food ingredient. The
FDA expanded the uses for sucralose in 1999, approving it as a "general
purpose" sweetener. Sucralose has also been approved for use in foods
and beverages in more than 40 countries including Canada, Australia and
Mexico.
Sucralose is not utilized for energy in the body because
it is not broken down like sucrose. It passes rapidly through the body
virtually unchanged. Sucralose has been extensively tested in more than
100 studies during a 20-year period and found to be a safe and
remarkably inert ingredient. It can be used by all populations,
including pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children of all ages. No
population subgroup has been excluded from using sucralose. Sucralose is
beneficial for individuals with diabetes because research demonstrates
that sucralose has no effect on carbohydrate metabolism, short- or
long-term blood glucose control, or insulin secretion.
One
advantage of sucralose for food and beverage manufacturers and consumers
is its exceptional stability. It retains its sweetness over a wide
range of temperature and storage conditions and in solutions over time.
Because of its stability, food manufacturers can use sucralose to create
a number of great-tasting new foods and beverages in categories such as
canned fruit, low-calorie fruit drinks, baked goods, and sauces and
syrups. Sucralose also can be used as a sweetener in nutritional
supplements, medical foods, and vitamin/mineral supplements.
Sucralose
is available as an ingredient for use in a broad range of foods and
beverages under the name SPLENDA® Brand Sweetener. Currently, a range of
products sweetened with SPLENDA are on supermarket shelves, such as
carbonated soft drinks, low-calorie fruit drinks, maple syrup, and apple
sauce.
Sucralose is available in supermarkets as a tabletop
sweetener under the brand name SPLENDA in two forms – granular and
packets. The granular tabletop sweetener can be used as a
spoon-for-spoon replacement for sugar. It pours, measures, and cooks and
bakes like sugar. The convenient packet form can be used to sweeten
beverages and sprinkle on cereal or fruit. The two tabletop forms of
SPLENDA® Low-Calorie Sweetener are available via the Internet at www.splenda.com.
BENEFITS
- Tastes Like Sugar — Sucralose tastes like sugar and has no
unpleasant aftertaste. In scientific taste tests conducted by
independent research organizations, sucralose was found to have a taste
profile very similar to sugar.
- Can Help Control Caloric Intake — Sucralose is not
metabolized, thus it has no calories. It passes rapidly through the body
virtually unchanged, is unaffected by the body''s digestive process,
and does not accumulate in the body. By replacing sucralose for sugar in
foods and beverages, calories can be reduced substantially, or, in many
products, practically eliminated.
- Advantageous for People with Diabetes — Sucralose is not
recognized as sugar or a carbohydrate by the body. Thus, it has no
effect on glucose utilization, carbohydrate metabolism, the secretion of
insulin, or glucose and fructose absorption. Studies in persons with
normal blood glucose levels and in persons with either type 1 or type 2
diabetes have confirmed that sucralose has no effect on short- or
long-term blood glucose control.
- Does Not Promote Tooth Decay — Scientific studies have shown that sucralose does not support the growth of oral bacteria and does not promote tooth decay.
- Extraordinary Heat Stability — Sucralose is exceptionally
heat stable, making it ideal for use in baking, canning, pasteurization,
aseptic processing and other manufacturing processes that require high
temperatures. In studies among a range of baked goods, canned fruits,
syrups, and jams and jellies, no measurable loss of sucralose occurred
during processing and throughout shelf life.
- Long Shelf Life — Sucralose combines the taste of sugar with
the heat, liquid and storage stability required for use in all types of
foods and beverages. It is particularly stable in acidic products, such
as carbonated soft drinks, and in other liquid based products (e.g.,
sauces, jelly, milk products, processed fruit drinks). Sucralose is also
very stable in dry applications such as powdered beverages, instant
desserts, and tabletop sweeteners.
- Ingredient Compatibility — Sucralose has excellent solubility
characteristics for use in food and beverage manufacturing and it is
highly compatible with commonly used food ingredients, including
flavors, seasonings, and preservatives.
SAFETY
The
safety of sucralose is documented by one of the most extensive and
thorough safety testing programs ever conducted on a new food additive.
More than 100 studies conducted and evaluated over a 20-year period
clearly demonstrate the safety of sucralose. Studies were conducted in a
broad range of areas to assess whether there were any safety risks
regarding cancer, genetic effects, reproduction and fertility, birth
defects, immunology, the central nervous system, and metabolism. These
studies clearly indicate that sucralose:
Does not cause:
- tooth decay
- cancer
- genetic changes
- birth defects
Has no effect on:
- carbohydrate metabolism, short- or long-term blood glucose control or insulin secretion
- male or female reproduction
- the immune system
