EU recognises erythritol as zero-calorie sweetener

Under the new Directive, EU member states must now implement changes in their national legislation to reflect the new zero-calorie status, at the latest by 31 October 2009.

07/11/08 Erythritol is now officially recognised by the European Union as a zero calorie sweetener.

As European Directive 2008/100/EC now establishes, the energy conversion value of erythritol is zero calories, recognising the unique status of erythritol as the only polyol sweetener that contributes zero calories to final food formulations.

Cargill Sweetness EMEA Head of Marketing, Henry Hussell, says: “Now that Zerose erythritol is formally recognised as a zero-calorie sweetener, manufacturers in all 27 EU Member States have new opportunities to formulate good tasting food products, which taste authentic, first and foremost, but which may also now promise to be ‘better for you’ through genuine calorie reduction.”

Under the new Directive, EU member states must now implement changes in their national legislation to reflect the new zero-calorie status, at the latest by 31 October 2009. (Until now the energy conversion value of Zerose erythritol within the EU was the same as all other polyols, 2.4 kCal/g.)

As a consequence the EU now aligns with countries elsewhere in the world that have approved erythritol for use in food, almost all of which also recognise its zero-calorie status.

This complements studies that have established the much higher digestive tolerance displayed by erythritol in comparison with other polyols.

Increasingly erythritol is also being used for its ability to mask unpleasant off-tastes and improve organoleptic perceptions in products employing high intensity sweeteners (which sometimes leave an astringent aftertaste or lack mouthfeel).

Plus, since erythritol does not raise blood glucose or insulin levels, it serves as a useful sugar alternative for the growing number of people with diabetic and pre-diabetic conditions.

Whereas all polyols, including erythritol, do not contribute to tooth decay and are accredited as “toothfriendly” by Toothfriendly International, Cargill is currently studying how Zerose erythritol interacts with cariogenic micro-organisms in the oral cavity, with a view to conclude on the caries risk-reducing potential suggested by previous studies.

The EU’s zero-calorie recognition for erythritol follows soon after another EC Directive, 2006/52/EC has produced its full legal effect. Since February 2008 Zerose erythritol has been freely commercialised in all 27 EU Member States, who had until this date to enact the necessary implementing legislation to achieve national recognition of Zerose erythritol as an ingredient that is permitted for use to quantum satis levels in numerous food applications.

Cargill has played a key role in pushing forward regulatory approval for erythritol, marshalling more than a decade of experience in its use and manufacture. Since the 1980s, Cargill has built an international database of manufacturing, food safety and application evidence to support the use of Zerose erythritol as a new non-caloric bulk sweetener and food ingredient, with unique properties compared to other polyols and sweeteners.

Today, Zerose erythritol forms a key part of the sweetness offer from Cargill, which offers the broadest range of sweetness options on the market for the EMEA regions and beyond.

With a sweetness intensity 60-70% that of sucrose, Zerose erythritol can be used on its own (or in combination with other alternative sweeteners) as a bulk sweetener in a wide range of low-calorie foods, including bakery items, dairy-based desserts and, in particular, confectionery items.

Here Zerose erythritol is already gaining favour as a key ingredient in chewing gum (aided by its pleasant cooling effect on dissolution), and in chocolate, where it can be combined synergistically with Cargill Maltidex maltitol to create authentic-tasting products that are capable of achieving a valuable ‘reduced calorie’ nutritional claim.

Plus, thanks to its high stability and low hygroscopicity, Zerose erythritol can help to produce foods with an extended shelf life.

Erythritol is a substance that naturally occurs at low levels in many fruits, and especially in fermented foods such as soy sauce, cheese, wine and beer.

Cargill’s Zerose erythritol is derived in the same way that lactic acid bacteria convert milk into cheese or yoghurt, employing a commonly found microorganism to ferment glucose or sugar into Zerose erythritol. After fermentation, erythritol is filtered, crystallized and dried to produce a highly pure and sweet tasting powder.