Sucralose.org to provide information on sucralose

03/05/05 Accurate and credible information on sucralose, a no-calorie sweetener, is now available on the web via a new site - www.sucralose.org . The site provides consumers and health professionals with objective, scientific information about sucralose, which is used worldwide in more than 4,000 products. It also contains links to third-party health organizations and regulatory agencies and a calorie savings calculator for consumers to determine the number of calories saved in sucralose-sweetened foods and beverages. The website addresses how sucralose is made, its safety record and more.

One rumor that has recently surfaced is the term "hydrocarbon." Sucralose is not a hydrocarbon, it is a modified carbohydrate that provides no calories. It is made through a multi-step process that starts with sugar (sucrose) and replaces three hydrogen-oxygen groups on the sugar molecule with three chlorine atoms. (Chlorine is present naturally in many foods and beverages ranging from tap water to lettuce to beans and mushrooms). This results in a stable sweetener that tastes like sugar, but is calorie-free. More than 100 scientific studies conducted and thoroughly evaluated over a 20-year period demonstrate that sucralose has an excellent safety profile and is safe for everyone. It is one of the most extensively tested food ingredients ever approved.

Sucralose has been approved for use in more than 80 countries and by health and regulatory authorities including: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives, the Scientific Committee on Food of the European Union, Health Canada, and Food Standards Australia/New Zealand.