Safety of acesulfame K reconfirmed by EFSA

The European Food Safety Authority reconfirms acesulfame K’s safety after conducting a thorough, comprehensive and scientifically rigorous review. These conclusions are consistent with a history of safe use, confirmed by global and national food safety agencies, for more than thirty years.

Brussels, 30th April 2025: The International Sweeteners Association (ISA) welcomes the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) opinion, published today, which reconfirms the safety of the low/no calorie sweetener acesulfame K.1 All food additives permitted for use in the European Union before January 2009 are currently being re-assessed by EFSA, and acesulfame K’s re-evaluation is part of this process.

Since its discovery in 1967 and following approval by several food safety authorities around the world – including in the EU in 1985 and 2000, acesulfame K has been used in a wide range of low or reduced-calorie food products and beverages.

In this latest review, EFSA’s scientific experts assessed the totality of the available scientific evidence, looking at short-term and long-term effects, and concluded that acesulfame K is safe and increased its Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) to 15 mg/kg body weight.1 It has also been confirmed that even the highest estimate of consumer exposure to acesulfame K is generally below this protective level.

Laurent Oger, ISA Director General commented: “Conclusions about the safety of acesulfame K support a history of safe use for decades. The EFSA re-evaluation adds up to reviews and approval processes conducted by regulatory authorities around the world, including the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), Health Canada and the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand – which all confirmed that acesulfame K is safe.”

Amidst global health challenges like obesity and diabetes, acesulfame K and other low/no calorie sweeteners can help reduce sugar intake and create healthier food environments. They offer sweet-tasting options with few or no calories, aiding in overall calorie reduction2, and blood glucose management3 when used instead of sugar in a balanced diet. Additionally, low/no calorie sweeteners do not contribute to tooth decay as they are not fermentable by oral bacteria.4

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For media enquiries, please contact media@sweeteners.org

  1. https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9317 
  2. Rogers PJ and Appleton KM. The effects of low-calorie sweeteners on energy intake and body weight: a systematic review and meta-analyses of sustained intervention studies. Int J Obes (Lond) 2021;45(3):464-478. doi:10.1038/s41366-020-00704-2. Epub 2020 Nov 9.
  3. Diabetes UK. The use of low or no calorie sweeteners. Position Statement (Updated December 2018). Available at: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/professionals/position-statements-reports/food-nutrition-lifestyle/use-of-low-or-no-calorie-sweetners
  4. EFSA Scientific opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to intense sweeteners. EFSA 2011 Journal 9(6): 2229, and 9(4): 2076.
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