Is sucralose safe? Where it's allowed, what EFSA said in 2026, and what it's in
Where sucralose is allowed
United States
PermittedThe FDA approved sucralose in 1998 for 15 food categories and in 1999 as a general-purpose sweetener. 21 CFR 172.831 allows it as a sweetener in foods generally, following good manufacturing practice. The FDA lists its acceptable daily intake (ADI) as 5 mg per kg of body weight per day. [1, 2]
Canada
Permitted with conditionsSucralose is on Health Canada's List of Permitted Sweeteners, with maximum levels that vary by food. In July 2024 Health Canada added one more use, up to 0.08% in liquid protein preparations used under medical supervision, after a premarket safety assessment supported it. [3, 4]
European Union
Permitted with conditionsSucralose (E 955) is on the EU list of authorised additives, with maximum levels by food category. In February 2026 EFSA (opinion adopted December 2025) confirmed the ADI of 15 mg per kg of body weight per day, concluded there is no safety concern at the reported uses, and said estimated exposure does not exceed the ADI. It could not conclude on the safety of a requested extension of use in energy-reduced or no-added-sugar fine bakery wares. [5, 6, 8]
What is sucralose?
Sucralose is a zero-calorie sweetener that the FDA lists as about 600 times sweeter than table sugar. It is sold under the brand name Splenda.
EFSA describes it as made by chemical synthesis from sucrose (table sugar), and the chemical name in US regulation 21 CFR 172.831 shows three chlorine atoms bonded into the molecule. EFSA's safety assessment rests on toxicology studies of sucralose itself, and the one place chlorine has drawn its attention is heat: EFSA cited a conclusion by the German risk-assessment institute BfR that sucralose heated to roughly 120 to 250 degrees Celsius loses chlorine, possibly leading to chlorinated organic compounds.
Why it's used, and where you'll find it
Sucralose sweetens without calories. Health Canada's permitted-sweeteners list allows it at set maximum levels, for example 250 ppm in unstandardized beverages, 1,000 ppm in breakfast cereals, 2.5% in chewing gum and 650 ppm in bakery products, with tabletop sweeteners limited only by good manufacturing practice.
What the research and regulators say
The 2023 lab study on sucralose-6-acetate
In 2023 Schiffman and colleagues published laboratory tests on sucralose-6-acetate, a compound that is an intermediate and impurity in sucralose manufacturing; the authors report that recent commercial sucralose samples contained up to 0.67% of it. In a rodent model they also found it in faecal samples at up to 10% of the sucralose level, which they took to suggest that sucralose may also be acetylated in the intestines. In laboratory tests they reported that sucralose-6-acetate was genotoxic (able to damage DNA) in two assays, changed the activity of genes linked to inflammation, oxidative stress and cancer in human intestinal cells, and, along with sucralose itself, impaired gut-barrier integrity in human colon tissue. They argued that the amount in a single daily sucralose-sweetened drink might far exceed a safety threshold used for genotoxic compounds (0.15 micrograms per person per day) and concluded their findings raise significant health concerns. These were laboratory (in vitro) screening tests, not studies of people developing disease. [9]
How EFSA responded
EFSA's 2026 opinion notes that a complaint about the Schiffman publication was ongoing when the opinion was adopted (December 2025) and that no action on the paper had been publicly communicated by the journal, so the paper's data were included in the assessment; EFSA added that these data are not regarded as decisive for its genotoxicity assessment. It concluded that no safety concerns arose for genotoxicity of sucralose and its impurities and degradation products. We searched FDA, Health Canada and EFSA sources and did not find a dedicated statement about the study from the FDA or Health Canada. [6]
Safety at normal intake
EFSA used decreased body weight in rats as the key effect, giving a reference point of 55 mg per kg of body weight per day, and saw no need to change the ADI of 15 mg per kg, which was previously established by the EU's Scientific Committee on Food and matches JECFA's 1991 figure. Estimated exposure from currently authorised uses did not exceed that limit in any population group. The FDA uses a different figure, 5 mg per kg. [1, 6, 7]
Heat and baking
EFSA's main open question is high temperature. A baking study it reviewed (biscuits and wafers) found no statistically significant or toxicologically relevant formation of dioxin-type compounds (PCDD/PCDF), but EFSA said uncertainties about the formation of chlorinated compounds across the wide range of baking processes remained, so it could not conclude on safety for the requested fine-bakery use. It recommended that the European Commission consider revising the EU specifications for sucralose and look at the possible formation of unwanted degradation products in home cooking that needs high temperatures, such as frying and baking. EFSA's news release says the health effects of any such chlorinated compounds are unknown. For currently authorised uses, its conclusion is no safety concern. [5, 6]
How to spot it on a label
On labels it appears as 'sucralose' or 'E 955', usually near the word 'sweetener'. The best-known brand is Splenda, and it is common in tabletop packets and products marketed as sugar-free or zero sugar.
Check what's in your own productsScan a barcode or a label photo and Label X-Ray flags sucralose and everything else in plain English, with your allergies checked automatically.
Frequently asked questions
Is sucralose banned in Europe?
No. Sucralose (E 955) is authorised in the EU with maximum levels by food category. EFSA's February 2026 opinion confirmed its ADI of 15 mg per kg of body weight per day and found current uses safe.
Is sucralose banned in Canada?
No. It is on Health Canada's List of Permitted Sweeteners with food-by-food maximum levels, and a further use was added in July 2024.
Is sucralose sugar?
It is made from sugar (sucrose) but is not sugar. Chlorine atoms are built into the molecule, giving a different compound that the FDA lists as about 600 times sweeter than table sugar.
Is sucralose bad for you?
US and EU regulators have found it safe at approved uses and intakes. A 2023 lab study raised questions about a related compound, sucralose-6-acetate, and EFSA's 2026 review found no genotoxicity concern for sucralose, its impurities or its degradation products. EFSA's open question concerns high-temperature cooking and baking.
Is sucralose the same as aspartame?
No. They are different sweeteners with different chemistry and intake limits (in the EU, 15 mg per kg of body weight for sucralose and 40 mg for aspartame), and aspartame labels must carry a phenylalanine statement.
Related ingredients
Sources
- U.S. FDA — Aspartame and Other Sweeteners in Food (accessed 2026-09-19)
- eCFR (U.S. Government) — 21 CFR 172.831 - Sucralose (accessed 2026-09-19)
- Health Canada — 9. List of Permitted Sweeteners (Lists of Permitted Food Additives) (accessed 2026-09-19)
- Health Canada — Modification to the List of permitted sweeteners to extend the use of sucralose (accessed 2026-09-19)
- EFSA — EFSA finds sucralose safe when used as currently authorised; cannot confirm safety of extending its use (accessed 2026-09-19)
- EFSA Journal (via PubMed Central) — Re-evaluation of sucralose (E 955) as a food additive and evaluation of a new application on extension of use of sucralose (E 955) in fine bakery wares (EFSA Journal 2026;24(2):e9854, adopted 10 December 2025) (accessed 2026-09-19)
- EFSA — Re-evaluation of sucralose (E 955) as a food additive (plain-language summary) (accessed 2026-09-19)
- EUR-Lex (European Union) — Commission Regulation (EU) No 1129/2011 amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 by establishing a Union list of food additives (as adopted; later amended) (accessed 2026-09-19)
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) — Toxicological and pharmacokinetic properties of sucralose-6-acetate and its parent sucralose: in vitro screening assays (Schiffman et al., J Toxicol Environ Health B Crit Rev 2023, PMID 37246822) (accessed 2026-09-19)
This page summarizes what regulators and published research say, as of the review date above. Rules and evidence change; check the linked sources for the latest. It is general information, not medical advice — talk to a doctor or pharmacist about your own health.