Is it safe to eat non-nutritive sweeteners?
Like all food additives, non-nutritive sweeteners (i.e. artificially made or naturally derived from plants) must be assessed for safety as sweetening agents before they can be sold in Singapore. SFA carefully considers local food consumption patterns while taking reference from studies published by international scientific expert panels e.g., the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). This ensures that we consume a safe level of sweetening agents everyday over our lifetime.
SFA also has in place a food sampling and testing programme for these sweetening agents to ensure compliance. Their use must comply with maximum levels set in the Food Regulations and be clearly labelled on prepackaged food. More information on the safety of food additives can be found here: SFA | Food additives are they safe.
While sweeteners are generally safe for consumption, available evidence has also suggested that they do not confer any long-term health benefits. In 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) advises against using non-nutritive sweeteners to lose weight or to lower the risk of long-term health problems like heart disease or diabetes. Instead, the WHO recommends that the key to control your weight is to balance the amount of calories you consumed and burnt.