E955 · Sweeteners

Sucralose

Moderate risk artificial sweetenerzero calorie

Artificial sweetener; heating and microbiome debates.

Category: Sweeteners
Acceptable daily intake: 15 mg/kg body weight/day (EFSA)
Vegan: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes

What it is

Sucralose (E955) is an artificial, zero-calorie sweetener. It is uniquely made from actual sugar (sucrose) but is modified so the body cannot break it down or absorb it for energy. It is about 600 times sweeter than regular sugar.

How it is used in food

600× sweeter and mostly unabsorbed.

Commonly found in

Diet beverages and energy drinks
Protein powders and sports nutrition
Sugar-free syrups and sauces
Baked goods (as it is highly heat-stable)

Health and safety

Debates exist around breaking down into questionable compounds at high baking temperatures, and gut-microbiome effects.

Sucralose is one of the most thoroughly evaluated artificial sweeteners and is considered safe by all major global food safety authorities. Because it does not contain phenylalanine, it is often preferred over aspartame.

Potential gut microbiome alterations

general population · evidence: suspected

Some emerging studies suggest that high, chronic intake of sucralose may alter the composition of gut bacteria. However, regulatory bodies have concluded that current evidence does not demonstrate a negative health impact in humans at normal consumption levels.

EFSA evaluation of sucralose

Heavily studied.

Regulatory status

Region	Status	Notes
Australia & New Zealand FSANZ	Permitted	Permitted.
European Union EFSA / European Commission	Permitted	Authorised for food use under EU regulations (Annex II).
United States FDA (Food and Drug Administration)	Permitted	Approved by the FDA with an ADI of 5 mg/kg bw/day, lower than the EFSA figure of 15 mg/kg bw/day. Both are current in their own jurisdiction.

Identification on labels

E-number: E955

Also printed asSplenda

Alternatives to this additive

E960: Steviol glycosides — Provides zero-calorie sweetness without synthetic chemistry.
E951: Aspartame — Common diet soda alternative, though less heat-stable.

How it is made

It is manufactured by a chemical process that replaces three hydrogen-oxygen groups on the sugar molecule with three chlorine atoms. This makes it structurally unrecognizable to human digestive enzymes.

Preparation — Table sugar (sucrose) is dissolved in a solvent.
Chlorination — Through a multi-step chemical reaction, three hydroxyl groups on the sucrose molecule are replaced with chlorine atoms.
Purification — The resulting sucralose is extracted, filtered, and crystallized.

Worth knowing

Sugar with three chlorine atoms swapped in.

Conclusion

E955 is a safe, highly stable artificial sweetener. While some recent studies have investigated its potential effects on the gut microbiome and insulin response in high amounts, it remains fully approved and widely used.

References

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Entry last reviewed 2026-07-28.

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