01
High-intensity sweeteners
Acesulfame K, aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, steviol glycosides and advantame provide sweetness in relatively small quantities, but they are distinct substances with different conditions and label considerations.
E-number field guide
Sweeteners, properly explained.
A researched guide to what this category means on a UK label, the important subtypes, and all 21 entries in NutraSafe’s published library.
Example UK ingredients-list format
Sweetener: E951
Aspartame21library entries
3key distinctions
4primary sources
The plain-English answer
What sweeteners actually do
Sweeteners add sweetness or replace some of the sugar in a product. The category includes substances used in very small amounts as well as ingredients that also add bulk or affect texture.
The list below shows every published entry classified as a sweetener in our database. Open a code for its specific evidence, intake guidance where available, regulatory detail and sources.
Know the differences
One category. Several very different jobs.
The exact code matters more than the category headline. These are the distinctions that make the list easier to read without turning every additive into the same story.
02
Polyols
Sorbitol, mannitol, isomalt, maltitol, lactitol, xylitol and erythritol are commonly grouped as polyols. Foods with more than 10% added polyols need the specified excessive-consumption warning.
03
Aspartame has specific wording
If aspartame is named, the label must state that the food contains a source of phenylalanine. If E951 is used instead of the name, the required wording names aspartame as the source.
A better way to read the packet
Function first, then the exact name
1
Find the function
UK guidance says the ingredients list identifies what the additive does, such as “preservative” or “antioxidant”.
2
Read the name or E-number
The specific substance can follow as a name or code. Both routes identify the additive; neither is a safety score.
3
Open the individual entry
That is where NutraSafe separates source, uses, current regulatory detail, research notes and citations for that code.
Current GB context: since 1 April 2025, the FSA’s electronic register has been the official public list of authorised food additives in Great Britain. An authorisation can include food-category limits and notes, so appearing in a directory does not mean unrestricted use in every food. Read the register guidance.
All sweeteners
Showing all 21
Sorbitol provides sweetness at about 60% of the intensity of sucrose while delivering fewer calories (approximately 2.4 kcal/g versus 4 kcal/g for sugar).
Read the full entryThis entry is filed under sweeteners in our published E-number A to Z.
Read the full entryIt binds to sweet-taste receptors on the tongue at concentrations far below those needed for sugar, producing a sweet sensation without contributing calories or carbohydrates.
Read the full entryIt tastes about 200 times sweeter than sugar, so tiny amounts replace sugar without the calories.
Read the full entryThis entry is filed under sweeteners in our published E-number A to Z.
Read the full entryIt acts simultaneously as a bulk sweetener, humectant and texturising agent.
Read the full entryIt binds to sweet taste receptors on the tongue far more powerfully than sucrose, delivering intense sweetness with no energy contribution.
Read the full entryThis entry is filed under sweeteners in our published E-number A to Z.
Read the full entryIt binds to sweet taste receptors on the tongue and triggers a sweet sensation without contributing meaningful calories.
Read the full entryThaumatin binds to sweet taste receptors on the tongue and triggers a sweet sensation.
Read the full entryNHDC binds to sweetness receptors on the tongue with far greater potency than sucrose, typically 1,500 to 1,800 times sweeter by weight.
Read the full entrySteviol glycosides bind to sweet-taste receptors on the tongue, triggering sweetness without contributing calories.
Read the full entryIt binds to sweet taste receptors on the tongue far more strongly than sugar, producing an intense sweet sensation at concentrations too small to contribute meaningful calories or carbohydrates.
Read the full entryIt provides intense sweetness with very few calories.
Read the full entryTagatose provides sweetness with a flavour profile very close to sucrose.
Read the full entryThis entry is filed under sweeteners in our published E-number A to Z.
Read the full entryThis entry is filed under sweeteners in our published E-number A to Z.
Read the full entryLactitol adds bulk and sweetness to food without the same caloric or glycaemic impact as sugar.
Read the full entryThis entry is filed under sweeteners in our published E-number A to Z.
Read the full entryThis entry is filed under sweeteners in our published E-number A to Z.
Read the full entryIt binds to the same sweet taste receptors on the tongue as sugar, producing a sweet sensation without contributing calories.
Read the full entryNo matching additive in this category.
Questions, answered
What people usually want to know
Must a product say that it contains sweeteners?
Yes. UK guidance says “with sweetener(s)” should appear by the food name, or “with sugar(s) and sweetener(s)” when both are present.
Which sweeteners carry a laxative warning?
The rule is about the formulation: foods containing more than 10% added polyols must say that excessive consumption may produce laxative effects.
Are all sweeteners equally sweet?
No. The category includes high-intensity sweeteners and bulk sweeteners such as polyols. Their sweetness, recipe role and conditions of use differ.
How this guide was checked
Primary sources, not filler
The category explanation and label rules above were checked against official UK guidance, the GB authorisations register, legislation and EFSA background material. Individual additive pages carry the sources for their additive-specific claims.
Browse another additive category
Check the label with NutraSafe
Scan a barcode to see the additives in the ingredient data we hold, with a plain-English explanation for each one. The pack is always the final word.
Get NutraSafe on the App StoreNutraSafe Pro · £3.99/month · iOS
Directory updated: 16 September 2026