McNeil Nutritionals, LLC Statement on Sucralose and the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)
August 4, 2013
Recently, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) made comments about the safety of sucralose. Their comments were based on pending data from an Italian research lab. That data has not been published and, to our knowledge, has not been peer reviewed, which is a critical step in validating research. Previous studies from this lab have been questioned by international food safety authorities, partly because the researchers did not follow accepted standards for assessing safety.1
In contrast, more than 110 studies conducted over 20 years have proven the safety of sucralose, the sweetening ingredient in Splenda® Sweeteners. Worldwide authorities, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Food Safety Authority, Health Canada, and the World Health Organization, have reviewed these studies and confirm that results show no link between sucralose and any form of cancer. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the American Cancer Society (ACS) are among numerous health organizations that support this conclusion1.
Splenda® Sweeteners have been enjoyed safely by millions of people around the world and are an excellent tool for people looking to reduce added sugar in their diet. The American Diabetes Association and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics both support that sucralose can be a useful tool in managing weight and diabetes. People can continue to use Splenda® safely and we urge anyone with questions about using Splenda® Sweeteners to speak with a healthcare professional
1 U.S. Food and Drug Administration, European Food Safety Authority.
2 http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/artificial-sweeteners