Human consumption: new sweeteners additives, sucralose and salt of aspartame (amend. Directive 94/35/EC)

PURPOSE : to amend Directive 94/35/EC, adding to the list of sweeteners in food. CONTENT : Directive 94/35/EC on sweeteners for use in foodstuffs sets out a list of authorised sweeteners, the foodstuffs in which they may be used and their conditions for use. It needs to be adapted in the light of recent technical and scientific developments. The major amendments proposed are as follows: -authorization of two new sweeteners: sucralose and the salt of aspertame and acesulfame. The first is a sweetener manufactured by controlled chlorination of sucrose and around 500-600 times sweeter than sugar. It is currently approved in several other countries, including Canada, Australia, Japan and the US. The manufacturer claims several specific benefits for sucralose, when compared with other sweeteners currently authorised, including the fact that its flavour profile indicates that is very similar to sugar, with less side or after tastes often associated with intense sweeteners. It blends well with sugars, is stable during high temperature processing and during long term storage. The salt of aspertame and acesulfame is a salt of two already authorised sweeteners, aspertame and acesulfame K. It is manufactured from these two substances by replacing the potassium ion of acesulfame K by aspertame. The Scientific Committee on food has stated that the use of the substance raises no additional safety concerns. The manufacturer has claimed several benefits for the salt of aspertame and acesulfame when compared with the blend of these two substances. Amongst these is the fact that the component sweeteners cannot separate and a fixed ration is guaranteed, which leads to more consistent product quality. The use of the salt is consequently proposed for the food categories where both aspertame and acesulfame K are authorised. The usable doses for the salt are derived from the lower of the usable doses for the two constituent parts, aspertame and acesulfame K. The maximum usable doses for the latter will, however, not be exceeded by their use in combination with the salt. -monitoring of authorised sweeteners, reduction of the intake of cyclamates. The Scientific Committee on Food has re-evaluated the safety of cyclamic acid and its sodium and calcium salts. It is proposed to reduce the maximum usable dose for cyclamates by banning or reducing its use in certain food categories. -the Commission will have the power to decide whether a substance is a sweetener within the meaning of this directive. �