Food additives under the microscope – Lessons from the EU ‘sweetener re-evaluations’

Third-Party

10/12/26

The European Union’s food additive re-evaluation programme is entering its final phase for low and no-calorie sweeteners. Over the past decade, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has undertaken extensive reviews of authorised sweeteners, applying evolving scientific methodologies and increasingly robust risk assessment practices as part of a broader programme to re-evaluate food additives used across the EU.

These assessments have provided valuable insights into how science informs regulatory decision-making and how risk assessment frameworks adapt to new evidence and methodological advances. Low and no-calorie sweeteners have been among the most closely scrutinised food additives, with several recent re-evaluations now completed and the assessment of cyclamates expected to be among the final opinions in the ongoing programme.

At the same time, public debate around food ingredients often extends beyond the conclusions reached by scientific and regulatory authorities. The growing influence of social media, consumer food-rating apps and conflicting media coverage of scientific studies can contribute to confusion and mistrust, raising questions about how complex scientific evidence should be communicated to the public.

Join this Rapporteur Virtual Conference to explore the lessons emerging from the EU’s re-evaluation of low and no-calorie sweeteners and their implications for science-based policymaking, public trust and food innovation.