Dietary intakes of six intense sweeteners by Irish adults

ABSTRACT

This research investigated the intakes of six intense sweeteners: acesulfame-K (E950), aspartame (E951), cyclamate (E952), saccharin (E954), sucralose (E955), and steviol glycosides (E960) in the diets of Irish adults, using data from the National Adult Nutrition Survey. A food label survey that included products currently available on the Irish market supplemented the analysis. Sweetener intakes were investigated using three different exposure scenarios; beginning with a crude assessment which assumed that all foods permitted to contain the additives of interest always did contain them, and at their maximum permitted level (Tier 1). Refined assessments estimated intakes of the six sweeteners using food consumption data up to brand level with additive occurrence data from a survey of products currently available on the Irish market (Tier 2) and sweetener concentration data (Tier 3). Results of all exposure assessment scenarios demonstrate that intakes of each of the sweeteners of interest by the total population were below the relevant ADI level (mg kg⁻¹ bodyweight⁻¹), even by high consumers (P99). The three sweeteners consumed in highest amounts were acesulfame-k, aspartame, and sucralose. The main sources of these sweeteners in the diet were ‘cider and perry’, ‘energy reduced and no added sugar (ER and NAS) carbonated flavoured drinks’, ‘table-top sweeteners’, ‘dairy products’, ‘solid food supplements’, and ‘sauces’. Intakes of the six intense sweeteners are currently not a concern among Irish adults. However, exposure to these chemicals should be monitored on a regular basis due to evolving market and consumption patterns.

KEYWORDS:

• Sweeteners
• acesulfame-K
• aspartame
• cyclamate
• saccharin
• sucralose
• steviol glycosides
• exposure assessment

Acknowledgments

The National Adult Nutrition Survey was funded by the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine under grant number 13/F/542. The authors thank P. Dempsey (Dazult) for his support and guidance throughout this study. Jean-Yves Michelet and Carine Hoorelbeke are also gratefully acknowledged for their help in preparing and analysing the samples. This work was funded by the International Sweeteners Association (ISA) to the Scientific Institute of Public Health (Belgium), which has subcontracted the main part of the study to the Institute of Food and Health, University College Dublin (Ireland). ISA had no involvement in the study design, data collection, interpretation of the study results, or drafting of the article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine [13/F/542]; International Sweeteners Association (ISA).