Nutritive and Non-Nutritive Sweeteners

NNNS: Estimated and Acceptable Intake (2011)

• Assessment
  What is the estimated saccharin consumption level and is it within acceptable daily intake (ADI) limits?

  • Conclusion

    Cross-sectional research conducted outside the United States, is consistent in finding that saccharin intakes for adults and children are below the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of 5mg per kg body weight (BW), set by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), an international scientific expert committee administered jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Persons with diabetes and young children had the highest saccharin intakes, when expressed as mg per kg body weight. Reported intakes ranged from a mean intake of 0.3mg per kg BW to a 95th percentile intake of 2.7mg per kg body weight; therefore, intake at the 95th percentile is well within the JECFA ADI. 

    The 2009 update did not find new studies meeting the inclusion criteria for this question; the Nutritive and Non-nutritive Sweeteners Workgroup (2009) reviewed and accepted the studies identified by the Non-nutritive Sweeteners Workgroup (2006).
     

  • Grade: II
    • Grade I means there is Good/Strong evidence supporting the statement;
    • Grade II is Fair;
    • Grade III is Limited/Weak;
    • Grade IV is Expert Opinion Only;
    • Grade V is Not Assignable.
    • High (A) means we are very confident that the true effect lies close to that of the estimate of the effect;
    • Moderate (B) means we are moderately confident in the effect estimate;
    • Low (C) means our confidence in the effect estimate is limited;
    • Very Low (D) means we have very little confidence in the effect estimate.
    • Ungraded means a grade is not assignable.
  • Evidence Summary: What is the estimated saccharin consumption level and is it within acceptable daily intake (ADI) limits?
    • Detail
    • Quality Rating Summary
      For a summary of the Quality Rating results, click here.
    • Worksheets
      • Arcella D, Le Donne C, Piccinelli R, Leclercq C. Dietary estimated intake of intense sweeteners by Italian teenagers. Present levels and projections derived from the INRAN-RM-2001 food survey. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 42 (April 2004) 677-685. PMID: 15019193.
      • Chung MS, Suh HJ, Yoo W, Choi SH, Cho YJ, Cho YH, Kim CJ. Daily intake assessment of saccharin, stevioside, D-sorbitol and aspartame from various processed foods in Korea. Food Addit Contam. 2005 Nov; 22 (11): 1,087-1,097. PMID: 16332631 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE].
      • Garnier-Sagne I, Leblanc JC, Verger P. Calculation of the intake of three intense sweeteners in young insulin-dependent diabetics. Food Chem Toxicol. 2001 Jul; 39 (7): 745-749.
      • Ilback NG, Alzin M, Jahrl S, Enghardt-Barbieri H, Busk L. Estimated intake of the artificial sweeteners acesulfame-K, aspartame, cyclamate and saccharin in a group of Swedish diabetics. Food Additives and Contaminates, 2003 Feb; 20 (2): 99-114.
      • Leclercq C, Berardi D, Sorbillo MR, Lambe J. Intake of saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame K and cyclamate in Italian teenagers: present levels and projections. Food Addit Contam. 1999 Mar; 16 (3): 99-109.
      • Renwick AG. The intake of intense sweeteners-an update review. Food Additives and Contaminants, 2006 April; 23 (4): 327-338.
      • Toledo MC, Ioshi SH. Potential intake of intense sweeteners in Brazil. Food Addit Contam. 1995 Nov-Dec; 12 (6): 799-808.
  • Search Plan and Results: Saccharin 2009