Nutrients, Vol. 17, Pages 1899: A Comparative Analysis of the Use of Low-Calorie and No-Calorie Sweeteners in Food Products Without and With Added Sugar on the Polish Market

Nutrients doi: 10.3390/nu17111899

Authors:
Aleksandra Kołodziejczyk
Justyna Nowak

Background/Objectives: The growing interest of consumers in reducing their sugar consumption has led to an increase in the popularity of food products containing low- and no-calorie sweeteners as an alternative to sugar. The aim of this study was to comparatively analyze the presence of these substances in food products available on the Polish market. Methods: The analysis was performed on the labels of 1278 food products available on the Polish market in the second and third quarters of 2023. The products were divided into two groups: those with added sugar and those without added sugar. The presence of added sugars, intense sweeteners, polyols and steviol glycosides was assessed. Results: This study showed that 33.9% of the products without added sugar and 20% of the products containing sugar contained sweeteners. In sugar-free products, polyols dominated (22.9%), while in products with sugar, intense sweeteners were most often used, mainly sucralose (13.6%). Significant differences (p < 0.0001) were observed in the presence of polyols and intensive sweeteners between the analyzed groups. Conclusions: Products without added sugar more often contain low- and no-calorie sweeteners than products with sugar, which suggests their greater use in this category. Repeated use of the same sweeteners, in the absence of labeling, may lead to cumulative consumption, potentially causing acceptable levels to be exceeded. Further research is needed to assess this risk and develop strategies to reduce their excessive consumption.

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