McNeil Nutritionals, LLC Statement on Schiffman Sucralose Overview Paper
November 4, 2013
A recent paper from Schiffman et al. on sucralose, the sweetening ingredient in Splenda Sweetener Products, does a disservice to consumers who use sucralose as a safe and effective tool in managing their weight or diabetes. The paper is a reiteration of assertions Schiffman has made before, based largely on a study from 2008 (Abou-Donia et.al.). An expert panel report1 later found that the Abou-Donia study was deficient in several areas and the conclusions were not consistent with published literature or the data presented.
Splenda® has been used safely by millions of people around the world for more than 20 years and consumers can continue to have confidence in their choice of Splenda®. Global health authorities have reviewed more than 110 studies on sucralose and agree that it can be used safely by everyone. Both the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) support the use of sucralose as a useful tool in managing weight and diabetes. Additionally, in 2012, international experts in food safety, health and nutrition held a conference in Italy to reassess the safety of no and low calorie sweeteners, including sucralose. They endorsed previous regulatory conclusions that all approved low and zero calorie sweeteners “are perfectly safe.” 2