Sucralose (E955) — What You Need to Know
The score is an eNumbers.org editorial summary, not an official agency rating or medical advice. Start with the regulatory status and primary sources below.
What Is Sucralose?
Sucralose is a synthetic sweetener made by chlorinating sucrose (table sugar). It is approximately 600 times sweeter than sugar and passes through the body mostly unabsorbed. It was discovered in 1976 at Queen Elizabeth College, London. Splenda is the best-known brand. Unlike aspartame, sucralose is heat-stable and can be used in baking.
What Is It Used For?
Used in diet drinks, baked goods, dairy products, and tabletop sweeteners. It is heat-stable making it suitable for cooking and baking, which is an advantage over aspartame.
Regulatory & Editorial Context
Recent research has raised some concerns. A 2023 study published in Nature Medicine found sucralose-6-acetate (a metabolite and trace contaminant in sucralose) to be genotoxic in vitro. A 2023 study also found higher cardiovascular risk associated with sucralose consumption. Some research suggests sucralose may negatively affect gut microbiome diversity at high doses. The FDA and EFSA still consider sucralose safe based on current evidence, but these emerging findings warrant monitoring. Earlier concerns about high-heat cooking producing potentially harmful chlorinated compounds have been raised but not conclusively established at normal cooking temperatures.
eNumbers.org currently assigns Sucralose an editorial context label of Caution with a score of 6/10. This is 0.2 points above the database average for sweeteners (5.8/10). Dataset reference year: 2017.
This score is not issued by EFSA, FDA, WHO or another regulator.
Commonly Found In
Always check the label for E955 or 'Sucralose'
▶Chemical Information
Primary Sources
Source review: 2026-08-08Official references relevant to this page. Check the agency record for current permitted uses, limits and jurisdiction-specific wording.
- European Commission: EU Food Additives Database ↗EU authorisations and conditions of use
- WHO / FAO JECFA: JECFA food-additives database ↗International evaluations and acceptable daily intakes
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Aspartame and other sweeteners in food ↗U.S. sweetener authorisations and consumer information
- European Food Safety Authority: Food additives ↗EFSA food-additive safety assessment process
Frequently Asked Questions about Sucralose
Quick Facts
- E-Number
- E955
- INS Number
- 955
- Category
- Sweeteners
- Origin
- Synthetic
- FDA Status
- Approved
- EFSA Status
- Authorized
- ADI
- 15 mg/kg bw/day
- Dataset Review
- 2017
Carriers, processing aids and product certification can change suitability. Verify the final label and certifier.
Related Additives
Other sweeteners in the same family